Choosing the best retro arcade gaming console – machine for home

The home arcade market has a noise problem. Inflated game counts, vague specs, and sellers who can’t tell you what board is actually inside the box. This guide cuts through it. Every product category is covered – what it is, who it suits, what the price range actually buys you, and what to watch for when comparing options.

All products referenced are stocked in our Melbourne warehouse. No dropshipping, no middlemen.

Type	Space	Players	Price (AUD)	Setup	Best for
Fight stick – single deck	Drawer / cupboard	1-2 (4 via USB)	$200-$400	Plug and play	Lounge room, space-limited
Fight stick – dual deck	Coffee table	2-4	$350-$500	Plug and play	2-player side-by-side comfort
Android TV box (SCX3)	Cupboard / shelf	1-4 via USB	up to $350	Some configuration	Tinkerers, library customisers
Android TV stick (SCX2)	Pocket / bag	1-2	up to $199	Minimal	Maximum portability
Bartop arcade machine	Benchtop / desk	1-4	$900-$1,700	Plug and play	Dedicated space, man cave
Pedestal arcade machine	Floor space	1-4	$1,500-$2,500	Plug and play	Large rooms, 4-player, big screen
Light gun – Pandora add-on	Drawer / cupboard	1-2	$350-$500	Plug and play	Shooting game fans
Light gun – PC pedestal	Floor space	1-2	$1,900-$2,200	Plug and play	Serious light gun setups
Handheld retro console	Pocket / bag	1	$70-$450	Plug and play	Solo play, travel, bedroom

Fight stick consoles – plug-in TV game consoles

A fight stick console is a control panel in a box. Joysticks and buttons mounted on a steel or acrylic deck. Plug one cable to your TV via HDMI, one to power – playing in under a minute. No cartridges, no downloads, no WiFi required. The game library sits on an internal card.

The format is powered by a Pandora Box gameboard. The board matters more than anything else on the spec sheet – processor speed, patching, and software configuration determine how well games actually run. Note that Pandora Box units have limited controller compatibility – they support specific compatible controllers, trackball, and lightgun add-ons only.

Single deck – one panel, two built-in players

Our King Retro Arcade Game Console – XL Steel Deck is the reference point for this category.

Deck	76cm Wide – 5.2kg powder-coated steel. 12cm wider than a standard Pandora Box deck. Won’t move under two players hammering buttons. Stores in a cupboard when not in use.
Board	Alpha+ Pandora gameboard, patched in-house. 10,000+ games across arcade classics, N64, PS1, Dreamcast, SNES and more. 720P HDMI with built-in 4:3 ratio setting – no image stretching on widescreen TVs.
Controls	P3 and P4 support via USB Xbox-style gamepads. Optional lightgun and trackball add-on.
Stock	Dispatched from Melbourne. Australian warranty. All spares stocked locally. Price range: $250-$400.

Dual deck – two separate panels, proper elbow room

The same premium build and 10,000+ game library, split across two individual fight stick decks. Players sit side by side, each with their own deck – no sharing armrests, no compromised ergonomics.

King TV Plugin Dual Deck Arcade

Price range: $350-$500 – Two players who want genuine comfort. Anyone who’s played on a shared single deck and found it cramped.

Android TV boxes – configurable retro gaming

Android TV boxes run EmuELEC and give you full control over every aspect of the setup – emulator choice, controller mapping, screen settings, game library. Higher configurability means higher breakability. These are not plug-and-play in the same sense as a fight stick console.

Super Console X3 – full Android TV box

Chip	S905X3 – 4GB RAM. Boots into EmuELEC by default. Full Android available as a boot option – display calibration, colour settings, streaming apps, full Android ecosystem. Supports newer versions of EmuELEC.
Ports	2x USB, dedicated power supply, ethernet port, 3.5mm audio jack. Richer colour output than the X2.
Controllers	Broadest controller compatibility of any unit in the range – works with the vast majority of USB and Bluetooth controllers without restrictions.
Games	Arcade classics, 16-bit consoles, PS1, N64. Dreamcast supported – some titles may show lower FPS. Price range: up to $350.

Super Console X2 TV Stick – HDMI stick format

Chip	S905X2 – 2GB RAM. Runs EmuELEC up to version 4.3. Barebones OS built purely for emulation. No Android layer. Boots straight into the game interface.
Ports	Single Micro USB power port – runs from your TV’s USB port or a phone charger, no dedicated power brick required. One Type-A USB port for a controller or wireless dongle.
Games	Handles arcade classics, Mega Drive, PS1, and PSP lighter titles. Portability-first device – demanding N64 and heavy PS1 3D titles will show limitations. Price range: up to $199.

Bartop arcade machines

A full arcade cabinet with the bottom section removed. Sits on a bench, bar, desk, or dedicated stand. IPS screen, arcade controls, built-in speakers, premium artwork. Plug and play. This is furniture as much as gaming hardware.

Our bartop range uses steel-reinforced frames, commercial MDF, tempered safety glass, and professional-grade IPS displays. Every unit ships with 7,000+ classic titles pre-loaded, individually tested before dispatch.

Price range: $900-$1,700 – Anyone with a dedicated bench, bar, or desk space who wants an authentic arcade feel. Man caves. Office breakout rooms. Garages.

Browse bartop arcade machines

Pedestal arcade machines

A pedestal sits on the floor and connects to an external screen. The cabinet houses the controls, board, and speaker system – the display is your TV or projector. Run it on your existing 65″ or 75″ TV and the experience scales with it.

Our pedestal range supports up to 4 players simultaneously and includes the same patched Pandora gameboard as the fight stick console range. Because the screen is external, this is also the preferred format for light gun setups.

Price range: $1,500-$2,500 – Larger rooms where a bartop isn’t big enough. Anyone running a light gun setup. Corporate breakout rooms. 4-player households.

Light gun arcade – shooting games at home

Light gun games were the holy grail of home arcade for years – the tech either didn’t exist or was prohibitively expensive. That’s changed.

Entry level – Pandora Box lightgun kit

The Alpha+ gameboard in our fight stick console range supports an optional lightgun kit add-on. 103 lightgun-compatible titles included. Attach the kit, configure the sensors, calibrate to your screen. The most accessible entry point – add it to an existing XL Steel Deck or Dual Deck purchase.

Lightgun recoil 2P kit for Pandora Box

Price range: $350-$500 add-on to existing console

Full setup – PC pedestal light gun machine

IR-based AimTrak-style light guns with recoil, 4-player support, quality arcade components, premium speakers, optional vinyl wrap. PC-powered for the full light gun game library – not limited to Pandora Box titles.

Arcade+ Light Gun Upright Pedestal PC Alpha Shooter

Price range: $1,900-$2,200 – Point Blanc, House of the Dead, Time Crisis players who want the full experience with recoil, accurate tracking, and a proper library.

Handheld retro consoles – pocket arcade

Anbernic handheld consoles run Linux or Android and emulate the same console libraries – MAME, Mega Drive, PS1, N64, PSP – in a pocket-sized device with a built-in screen. Single player only, no arcade joystick feel. The gain: genuinely portable, plays in bed, on the couch, on a plane.

Price range: $70-$450 depending on chip tier and screen size

• Anbernic H700 range – RG35XX SP, RG40XX, RG35XXH: full specs and game list
• Anbernic console size comparison – all current models by weight and dimensions

Browse the full Anbernic range

What to look for – the five things that actually matter

Most buyers spend too much time comparing game counts and not enough time on the five things that determine whether a unit is good to live with.

01	The gameboard and processor. This is the engine. An underpowered board stutters on N64 and PS1 3D games, chops audio, and stretches images. Identify the board model before buying. Alpha+, S812, and RK3566-class chips handle the demanding library. H3/A7 boards do not.
02	Whether the unit has been patched. Factory Pandora boards ship with known issues – image stretching, performance problems on specific titles, no save state support on some builds. Ask specifically whether the board has been patched in-house and what version.
03	Local stock and local spares. A joystick wears out. A button fails. If the seller doesn’t stock spare parts in Australia, you are waiting weeks for a $5 component from overseas. All units we sell are stocked in Melbourne with spare parts on hand.
04	Build quality of the control components. Joysticks and buttons are the only things you physically touch. Cheap microswitches feel mushy, fail under regular play, and can’t be upgraded to Sanwa or equivalent parts without proprietary hardware. Our units use modular, Sanwa-compatible components throughout.
05	Warranty and post-sale support. A 12-month Australian warranty matters. It should cover parts, not just the right to contact someone. Our warranty is backed by local parts stock – if a button or joystick fails, the part ships from Melbourne.

What is a Pandora Box arcade console?	A Pandora Box is a gameboard – the hardware inside a fight stick console or arcade cabinet that runs the game library. Quality varies significantly between models. Processor speed, patching quality, and software configuration determine how well games run. Not all Pandora Box units are equal.
How many games do these consoles actually play well?	On a properly patched Alpha+ board: arcade classics (MAME, FBNeo, CPS1/2/3) run flawlessly. 16-bit consoles (Mega Drive, SNES, PC Engine) run at full speed. N64, PS1, and Dreamcast – the majority of the library runs well; demanding 3D titles may need minor adjustments. PSP is limited to lighter titles on this hardware tier.
Can I use the fight stick console without a TV?	No. The fight stick console has no built-in screen – it connects to any TV, monitor, or projector via HDMI. BYO screen is always required.
What’s the difference between a bartop and a pedestal arcade machine?	A bartop has a built-in screen and sits on a surface. A pedestal sits on the floor and connects to your own external TV or monitor. The pedestal gives you more flexibility on screen size; the bartop is a complete self-contained unit.
Do these ship to all Australian states?	Yes. Dispatched from Melbourne via courier to every state and territory. Fight stick consoles ship as standard parcels. Bartop and pedestal machines are crated for safe transit.
What warranty is included?	12-month Australian warranty across all units. Because our machines use modular, industry-standard components, most repairs involve shipping a replacement part – not returning the whole unit. Spare parts are stocked in Melbourne.