The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Home Arcade Machine in Australia
In This Guide
- The comeback of home arcade machines
- Quick answer – which setup fits you
- Which setup should you choose?
- How to choose: what actually matters
- The Aussie Guide to Home Arcade Setups
- The Try-Before-You-Commit: TV Console HDMI Stick
- The Step-Up: Android TV Gaming Console
- The Space-Saver: Pandora Box XL Deck
- The Elbow-Room Upgrade: Pandora Box Dual Decks
- The Custom Build: King Arcade Deck
- The Dedicated Man Cave: MiniBeast Bartop
- The Level-Up: MiniBeast Lux
- The Shooter’s Pick: Arcade+ Shooter
- The Full Beast: MegaBeast
- The DIY Powerhouse: BeastCore
- Full comparison table
- Build it your way – the modular upgrade path
- Popular game genres – and what you’ll need to play them
- Frequently asked questions
- Going deeper
The Comeback of Home Arcade Machines
Anyone who grew up dropping coins into a cabinet remembers the era fondly. Modern consoles have better graphics, but they’ve never quite matched the design, interaction and pure engagement of the classics. That’s not nostalgia talking – research backs it up, showing video game nostalgia genuinely helps people feel closer to their past, their loved ones and themselves.
Back in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, Atari, Capcom, Midway, Namco and Sega mass-produced arcade machines for pubs, cinemas and local shops. They were built as revenue generators, not heirlooms – most were single-game cabinets, scrapped or converted the moment income dropped. The preservationist mindset of today’s arcade hobbyists barely existed back then, which is exactly why an untouched original is now a rare and expensive find.
The venue scene hasn’t disappeared – Timezone, Playtime at Crown, Fortress Melbourne, General Public Dingley and the FunLab brands (Strike Bowling, Lucky and Sons, Archie Brothers) all keep the public arcade experience alive. But owning an original machine is out of reach for most people on price, space or logistics alone. That’s where modern home arcade gear comes in: lower cost, smaller footprint, and – because everything from the board to the buttons is now modular – a setup you can actually tailor to your lounge room instead of the other way around.
That’s the real appeal. A home arcade machine gets the whole family or a group of mates playing together, in a way a single-player console session never will. This guide is built around that – matching a setup to how you’ll actually play, not to a spec sheet.
Quick Answer – Which Setup Fits You
Short on time? Start here. Full detail on every option is further down the page.
TV Console HDMI Stick
First-timers, kids’ rooms, testing the waters. 1-2 players.
From $104
Android TV Gaming Console
Same idea with more power, options and a bigger library. 1-2 players, 4 with USB hub.
From $139
Pandora Box XL Deck
Apartments, coffee tables, pack-away play. 2 players, 4 with USB hub.
From $299
Pandora Box Dual Decks
Competitive two-player, elbow room. 1-2 players, 4 with USB hub.
From $299
King Arcade Deck
Tinkerers who want a genuine control deck they can build on. 2-4 players.
Coming soon
MiniBeast Bartop
A dedicated cabinet on the bench or bar. 2-4 players.
From $898
MiniBeast Lux
Same footprint, bigger screen, room to grow into a full PC build. 2-4 players.
From $1,150
Arcade+ Shooter
Lightgun fans, bring-your-own TV. 4 players.
From $1,900
MegaBeast
The full-size, no-compromise upright cabinet. 4 players.
From $3,995
BeastCore
Builders, or anyone wanting PS3-level power on their own TV. Depends on controllers.
Coming soon
Prices current at time of publishing. See each product page for exact inclusions and current stock.
Which Setup Should You Choose?
How to Choose: What Actually Matters
Forget chipsets and processors for a minute. Every arcade machine on this page is built from the same modular parts – a board, a screen, controls, sound, lighting – which means the real decision isn’t technical, it’s about the experience you actually want in your lounge room. These six factors will get you there.
Buttons, joysticks, lightguns, screens – most of an Electro Arcade setup can be swapped, added or upgraded later. Don’t treat this as a once-only decision. Buy for where you’re at now and build from there.
Gamepad or fight stick? The TV Console HDMI Stick is controller-only. The Android TV Gaming Console works with either. Everything else is fight stick style – a single-deck unit shares one panel, the Pandora Box Dual Decks gives each player their own. Two gamepads can be added to the Pandora Box range on top, as P1-P2 or P3-P4. Step up to a 4-player panel like the Arcade+ Shooter or MegaBeast for a genuine party machine – TMNT, X-Men, The Simpsons Arcade Game, played the way they were designed to be.
Over 100 lightgun titles play on the Pandora Box XL and Dual Decks as a cost-effective add-on. Ready to step up? The Arcade+ Shooter is the natural first upgrade, purpose-built for lightgun play. Want to go all in? The MegaBeast is as serious as it gets. Recoil kits add the kick on every trigger pull, and a pedal is an easy add-on for that Virtua Cop stomp-and-reload feeling. Aimtrak-style guns cover the Pandora Box range and Arcade+ Shooter; MegaBeast runs Sinden or Retro Shooter RS3 Reapers.
Bartop cabinets run 19”-21.5” IPS screens built in – the right size for a bench or bar without dominating the room. Bring-your-own-screen setups plug into whatever TV you’ve got, up to 80”+. With a lightgun, the bigger the screen the further back you need to stand – a 60” screen wants around 3 metres. Either way, look for correct 4:3 on classic titles rather than a stretched widescreen picture. Most of our units have 4:3 aspect ratio correction.
The XL and Dual Decks have an internal speaker plus a headphone jack and volume dial to balance it against your TV. The Arcade+ Shooter lets you choose via its Windows interface – internal speakers, or push audio out via HDMI. MegaBeast steps up again with its own soundbar and sub.
MiniBeast bartops come with cycling base LED lighting you can switch off, plus optional custom acrylic toppers. Light-up marquees are standard across our full arcade cabinet range, and MegaBeast steps up to a larger, curved marquee.
Be honest about what you’ll actually do with it. Pack-away consoles live in a drawer until game night. Bartop units want a permanent spot but stay light enough to move (around 26kg). Full-size cabinets come with wheels, but are furniture – plan the area before you buy, not after.
The Aussie Guide to Home Arcade Setups
The Try-Before-You-Commit: TV Console HDMI Stick
Best for: First-timers, kids’ rooms, or anyone who wants to see if home arcade gaming is for them before spending big.
No panel, no cabinet – just a stick that plugs straight into your TV’s HDMI port along with USB for power, and a pair of wireless controllers in the box. It’s the lowest-friction way into retro gaming: unbox it, plug it in, and you’re playing within minutes. Not the “arcade feel” of a fight stick, but a genuinely solid starting point, especially for younger players and a great price point.
The Step-Up: Android TV Gaming Console
Best for: Anyone who wants the same plug-and-play simplicity as the HDMI stick, with more power, options, controllers and a bigger library.
Same idea as the HDMI stick, more grunt behind it. It’s an Android TV box under the hood, which means WiFi for adding your own games down the track, and enough power to handle a broader spread of consoles smoothly. Controllers aren’t included, so bring your own or add one at checkout.
The Space-Saver: Pandora Box XL Deck
Best for: Lounge rooms, apartments, anyone who wants to pack the arcade away when mates leave.
A single solid panel housing joysticks and buttons for both players. It sits on the coffee table or across your lap and plugs straight into the TV via HDMI. Heavy-duty steel construction means it won’t flex during heated gameplay and can take a beating. Most Pandora Box decks come in at 64-67cm wide, but the XL is wider and slimmer at 86cm, giving both players genuine shoulder room. It can also be sat or bolted onto stands, including our Pedestal Arcade & Pandora Box Stand, for a more genuine arcade experience.
The Elbow-Room Upgrade: Pandora Box Dual Decks
Best for: Competitive play between two adults who don’t want to clash shoulders.
Expect the same spec as the XL Deck, with controls split into two completely separate decks. Player 1 and Player 2 each get their own independent panel – full ergonomic freedom without sacrificing plug-and-play simplicity. Want more space? Upgrade from the 1.5m to a 3m cable, giving you that bit more room between players. Only one player today? Leave the P2 deck stored away.
The Custom Build: King Arcade Deck
Best for: Buyers who love the King Steel Deck idea but want something bigger, sturdier, and built to grow with them.
At 84cm wide, bigger than the XL Deck, and built differently – solid 14mm black melamine construction with a genuine trackball, closer in feel to a real arcade control deck than a home unit. Instead of a fixed game board, it runs an encoder board, so you can drop in a Pandora board, a Raspberry Pi, or a mini PC depending on how deep you want to go, then connect it to whatever screen you’ve got. Hinged lid for easy access, HDMI, USB, power and cable management on the back, so servicing or upgrading later is quick and fuss-free – plus those ports make it easier to connect and unplug day to day.
Coming soon – get in touch or keep an eye on the arcade machines range for availability.
The Dedicated Man Cave: MiniBeast Bartop
Best for: Bench space, a bar counter, or a dedicated gaming corner that’s staying put.
A compact cabinet with a built-in 19” IPS screen behind tempered glass, correct 4:3 ratio, and a proper amplifier and stereo speakers. Sanwa-compatible joysticks and leaf-style buttons on a scratch-resistant vinyl-wrapped control panel that curves outward, giving your hands more room to rest instead of hanging off the front edge. Two players out of the box, expandable to four via USB gamepads. Light enough at around 26kg to genuinely move between rooms, but built solid enough to earn a permanent spot.
The Level-Up: MiniBeast Lux
Best for: The same dedicated corner as the standard MiniBeast, but for buyers who want a bigger screen now and the option of a full PC build later without buying a new cabinet.
Same premium build as the standard MiniBeast, stepped up to a 21.5” IPS screen. The key difference is the encoder board inside – it means this cabinet can be upgraded down the track from arcade and classic console games (Pandora’s Box library) into a proper PC build capable of Dreamcast, PS1 and N64. The 16:9 screen also lets you connect an external PC to the screen and encoder board and play newer titles – giving you broader gameplay flexibility without extra outlay or hardware. Buy it as a bartop today, grow it into something bigger tomorrow.
The Shooter’s Pick: Arcade+ Shooter
Best for: Lightgun tragics, Time Crisis and House of the Dead nights, and anyone who wants a proper shooting gallery without committing to a full cabinet.
This one trades a built-in screen for serious firepower elsewhere. A mini PC replaces the standard Pandora’s Box board, unlocking a much bigger and more demanding library – 7,500+ games, including 100+ dedicated lightgun titles. It ships with two Aimtrak-style recoil lightguns and sensor bars that mount on any flatscreen up to 80”+, plus a built-in LED trackball for Arkanoid and Centipede purists. A 49kg weighted base keeps the whole thing planted through four-player brawls. Bring your own TV – it’ll work with the one you’ve already got, just remember: the bigger the screen, the further back you stand so the lightgun sensor keeps the whole picture in view. It’s the best bang-for-buck arcade shooter in Australia – well priced and delivers on the dream.
The Full Beast: MegaBeast
Best for: Buyers who want the real arcade experience with no compromises – this is the flagship of the range.
A genuine full-size upright cabinet with the largest control panel Electro Arcade builds, running a mid-to-high tier PC on a 2TB Batocera build capable of PS3 and below – well beyond what a Pandora’s Box board can touch. Four-player panel, built-in trackball, and a dedicated soundbar and sub rather than a bolt-on speaker. Lightguns are optional on the base unit – run Sinden or step up to Retro Shooter RS3 Reapers – or take the MegaBeast Shooter Edition, which includes RS3 Reapers and foot pedals in the box, no separate accessory shopping required.
MegaBeast (base, no guns): $3,995. MegaBeast Shooter Edition (RS3 Reapers): $4,495. Get in touch or keep an eye on the arcade machines range for availability.
The DIY Powerhouse: BeastCore
Best for: Builders repurposing an old cabinet, or anyone who just wants a serious retro gaming brain plugged straight into their TV – no cabinet, no panel, no screen required.
The same 2TB Batocera build that powers the MegaBeast, sold on its own. Connect it straight to your TV and pair it with wireless controllers or a wired fight stick, or drop it into your own build – including the King Arcade Deck, which is designed around it. Same PS3-and-below capability as the MegaBeast, just without any of the hardware around it.
Coming soon – get in touch or keep an eye on the arcade machines range for availability.
Full Comparison Table
| Spec | TV Console HDMI Stick | Android TV Console | Pandora Box XL Deck | Pandora Box Dual Decks | King Arcade Deck | MiniBeast Bartop | MiniBeast Lux | Arcade+ Shooter | MegaBeast | BeastCore |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | 1-2 | 1-2, 4 w/ USB hub | 2, 4 w/ USB hub | 1-2, 4 w/ USB hub | 2-4 | 2-4 | 2-4 | 4 | 4 | Depends on controllers |
| Screen | Your TV | Your TV | Your TV | Your TV | Your TV | 19″ built-in IPS | 21.5″ built-in IPS | Bring your own, up to 80″+ | Full-size cabinet screen | Your TV |
| Trackball | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ Built-in | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ Built-in | ✅ Built-in | ❌ |
| Lightguns | ❌ | ❌ | Optional add-on | Optional add-on | Optional add-on | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ 2 included (Aimtrak-style) | Optional (Sinden/RS3) / included on Shooter Edition | Optional add-on |
| Sound | TV audio | TV audio | Internal speaker + headphone jack + TV | Internal speaker + headphone jack + TV | Depends on board fitted | Built-in amp & speakers | Built-in amp & speakers | Internal speakers or HDMI to TV/sound system | Dedicated soundbar & sub | TV audio |
| Footprint | Pack-away | Pack-away | Pack-away | Pack-away | Standalone deck | Bartop, ~26kg | Bartop, upgrade path to PC | Weighted pedestal, 49kg | Full-size upright cabinet | Board only, BYO everything |
| AU Price | $104 | $139 | $299 | $299 | Coming soon | From $898 | From $1,150 | From $1,900 | From $3,995 | Coming soon |
❌ = not included, add on separately | ✅ = included as standard.
Build It Your Way – The Modular Upgrade Path
The best part of buying into this range is that no decision above is final. Most cabinets are built to be opened up and upgraded, so you can start where your budget and space allow, then grow the setup as you go.
- Add lightguns and a pedal – a recoil 2-player lightgun kit, or step up to a Sinden Light Gun for CRT-accurate aiming on any screen. Add a foot pedal for that proper Virtua Cop-style stomp-and-reload feeling.
- Add a marquee or topper – custom acrylic toppers to give a bartop that lit-up arcade look.
- Go from bartop to upright – the MiniBeast stand turns a MiniBeast Bartop or Lux into a standing cabinet, while a Pandora’s Box pedestal does the same for the XL Deck or Dual Decks – or comes with a pre-drilled arcade top if you want to build your own cabinet from scratch.
- Customise the look – buttons, joysticks and artwork can all be swapped out down the track if you want a refresh or a different style.
Popular Game Genres – And What You’ll Need to Play Them
Every setup on this page plays a huge slice of arcade history, but a few genres are worth calling out – along with the price range that gets you a comfortable experience in each.
Fighting Games
- Street Fighter series (Street Fighter II, Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, Street Fighter Alpha series)
- Mortal Kombat series (MK II, MK 3 Ultimate)
- King of Fighters series
- Marvel vs. Capcom series
- Tekken series
Price range: $104-$3,995. Fighting games run on everything in the range. The HDMI stick and Android TV console ($104-$139) get you playing; a proper panel – Pandora Box XL Deck or Dual Decks ($299) and up – is where they actually feel right, with real shoulder room for two. Worth knowing: the HDMI stick will be the first to lag on more demanding titles, so if you’re chasing serious fighting game combos, the Android TV console or above will serve you better.
Beat-em-ups
- Final Fight
- Double Dragon series
- Golden Axe series
- The Simpsons
- X-Men
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Price range: $299-$3,995. These are made for playing together, so they shine on the Pandora Box Dual Decks ($299) and above, and hit their stride on a genuine 4-player panel – Arcade+ Shooter ($1,900) or MegaBeast ($3,995).
Shoot-em-ups
- R-Type series
- Gradius series
- DoDonPachi
- Raiden series
- Space Invaders
- Galaga
Price range: $104 and up. Classic vertical and horizontal shooters run comfortably on any setup, entry-level included – no special hardware needed. If it’s lightgun shooters like Time Crisis or House of the Dead you’re after rather than these, that’s a different bracket – see the Arcade+ Shooter ($1,900) or MegaBeast ($3,995) above.
Classic Maze Games
- Pac-Man series
- Ms. Pac-Man
- Rally-X
- Lock ‘n’ Chase
- Crush Roller
- Lady Bug
Price range: $104-$139. The genre that started it all is exactly what the entry-level TV Console HDMI Stick and Android TV Gaming Console are built for – pick one up, plug in, and you’re playing within minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Choosing the Right Setup
What’s the best home arcade machine for a small apartment?
Start with a pack-away option – the TV Console HDMI Stick, Android TV Gaming Console, Pandora Box XL Deck or Pandora Box Dual Decks all plug into a TV and store in a drawer or cupboard when you’re done. If you want a permanent setup without eating floor space, the MiniBeast bartop range sits on a bench or shelf rather than the floor.
Can one arcade machine really support four players?
Yes, in two different ways. The MiniBeast bartop range ships as a 2-player unit that expands to 4 with USB gamepads. The Arcade+ Shooter and MegaBeast both ship with a genuine 4-player control panel built in, no expansion needed.
Do I need to buy a screen, or does the machine come with one?
The MiniBeast bartop range and MegaBeast include a built-in screen. The Arcade+ Shooter and BeastCore are bring-your-own-TV by design, so you can use whatever flatscreen you already have.
Games, Guns & Trackball
How many games actually come loaded?
The Android TV Gaming Console comes preloaded with over 30,000 titles. The MiniBeast and Pandora Box range run a 10,000-title Pandora’s Box library covering arcade and classic console games. The Arcade+ Shooter starts at 7,500+ games – fewer titles, but larger and more demanding ones, including 100+ dedicated lightgun titles. More games isn’t automatically better – see our Pandora’s Box buying guide for why curation matters more than the number on the box.
Do these play Dreamcast, PS1, N64 or PS3 games?
The standard MiniBeast Pandora’s Box board handles arcade and classic console emulation up to a point. The MiniBeast Lux’s encoder board opens the door to a PC upgrade capable of Dreamcast, PS1 and N64. The MegaBeast and BeastCore go further again, handling most titles up to PS3.
Do the lightguns need a CRT screen to work?
No. Modern recoil lightguns use a sensor bar mounted above or below your screen rather than the old infrared-off-a-CRT trick, so they calibrate and work fine on any modern flatscreen TV.
Can I add a trackball or lightguns to a machine that didn’t come with one?
Lightguns are an easy add-on any time, and so is a lightgun pedal if you want that proper stomp-and-reload feeling. A trackball is trickier to retrofit – there often isn’t the internal space for one, so it’s best chosen upfront on a machine that already includes it, like the King Arcade Deck, Arcade+ Shooter or MegaBeast. Buttons, joysticks and artwork, on the other hand, are all easy to swap out down the track if you want a refresh.
Setup, Warranty & Buying in Australia
Is assembly required, or does it arrive ready to play?
The TV console and bartop range are plug-and-play out of the box. The MegaBeast, as a full-size cabinet, involves more setup – get in touch before ordering if you want the specifics for your space.
What’s the real difference between MiniBeast and MegaBeast?
MiniBeast is the bartop range – compact, bench-friendly, built around the Pandora’s Box board (with a PC upgrade path on the Lux). MegaBeast is the full-size upright flagship – largest control panel, built-in trackball, PC-powered, and capable of a much bigger and more demanding game library.
Do you ship Australia-wide, and what happens if something goes wrong?
Yes, Electro Arcade ships across Australia. Larger cabinets like the MegaBeast are freighted rather than sent as a standard parcel – check the product page for shipping details specific to that item. Because we’re Australian-based, warranty and support is handled locally rather than through an overseas seller – if something needs looking at, you’re dealing with a local team, not a long wait on international shipping.
Going Deeper
This guide is deliberately light on the technical side. If you want to go further into the hardware, these cover it in full:
- Pandora’s Box Arcade Buying Guide – every board version compared, chipsets, motherboard IDs, and which ones to avoid.
- Bartop vs. Full-Size Arcade Machines – a closer look at the format decision.
- Best Anbernic Handheld Consoles Ranked – for retro gaming on the go rather than at home.
- Browse the full retro handheld console range.