Old school arcade games will never die. Maybe I shouldn’t say never, but I don’t see them fading out of existence anytime soon. The bar and arcade combination is popular right now, and people make special trips to places like Dave & Buster’s to play games like the new Star Wars Battle Pod. Then there’s the collector’s market. For many of us, buying and display an arcade game isn’t on the table. They’re pricey and they take up space. But thanks to Etsy seller Pinball Arcade, you can build a tiny arcade with 1/12 scale models. Miniature pinball and video games? I am so in.
Pinball Arcade offers over 70 miniature pinball tables and over 80 miniature arcade machines. The little replicas don’t function, but they have all the right buttons and joysticks so it looks like you could shrink yourself and press start. Take a look at The Empire Strikes Back machine pictured below. It appears as though all the details are there:
The models are made from wood and feature gloss decals and detailing. The pinball machines have simulated glass and lockbars. You can probably find a replica of your favorite game whether it’s Mortal Kombat, Galaga, or The Simpsons. Flip through the gallery for more examples:
You could purchase a game or two to display on your desk or go for broke and make an arcade diorama. Decorate the walls with signs and build a bill changer machine to stand alongside the tiny games. Pinball Arcade ships from the United Kingdom and turns orders around in 1-3 business days. Head to Etsy and start living your tiny arcade dreams.
Which one of these mini arcade games do you want the most? Let us know in the comments.
Super super cool but how is this legal? Is this etsy seller paying the licenses to be able to print artwork and logos for all these copyrighted properties??
Super cool – great idea but how is legal? Is this etsy seller paying the license fees for these properties in order to be able to print decals using copyrighted artwork and logos??
Pacman
You can spend a little more and by some custom bartop kits from places like Haruman Customs (http://shop.harumancustoms.com/) and pop in a Raspberry Pi or an old computer or even an old PCB arcade board off eBay and have your own mini bartops.
If you have access to a place that can cut wood from CNC formatted files you can easily find instructions off line and have your own mini or full sized arcade cabinet cut for under $250.