From 2010’s The Force Unleashed and 2011’s The Old Republic to 2015’s Star Wars Battlefront, the last 10 years have not been good for gaming in the Star Wars universe. Seriously, it’s pretty ridiculous when the best Star Wars title of the period is arguably LEGO’s The Force Awakens. While we wait for Respawn’s promising “Jedi: Fallen Order” to actually come out, maybe you can satisfy your urge for the Force with the Arcade1Up Star Wars Home Arcade Game.
That’s right, Arcade1Up is reviving classic Star Wars video games in arcade cabinet form, allowing you to play the games made for the original trilogy the same way kids did from forty years ago. Yes, we mean standing up while mashing buttons instead of chilling out on the couch (or a gaming chair, whichever your case may be) with a cold drink next to you the way we play games today.
The Arcade1Up Star Wars Home Arcade Game comes with the three arcade games created for the original trilogy (A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi), which should be well appreciated by any retro gamer who’s also a fan of the franchise. Unlike the arcade cabinets of old, there’s no need to feed it a steady diet of coins, so you can fly starships and shoot enemy fighters to your heart’s content without having to reach into your pocket many times over.
Just like the outfit’s previous cabinets, it’s three-quarters the size of arcade cabinets from the old days, so it should be a lot easier to keep inside your house. Standing just over five feet tall with the included riser placed underneath, you can play on it standing just like the arcades of old, all while allowing you to weave through its 80s-era gameplay while sitting comfortably in a stool.
Instead of joysticks, the Arcade1Up Star Wars Home Arcade Game pairs its set of four action buttons with a trigger-style flight stick, since the games will require you to operate a starfighter while waging battles in the cold expanse of space. A 17-inch LCD screen lets you enjoy the games in full color, while dual speakers let you enjoy all the bleeps-bloops-and-whatever-other-audio is included in each game. Yes, we’re hoping it comes with some of that sweet music done up in chiptune form. Other features include the ability to record high scores, a clear deck protector, adjustable volume, and a strap designed to keep it from tipping over when mounted on the riser.
It comes with artwork based on the original arcade machine, complete with a light-up marquee, so it will feel like a legitimate rig from the days when penny arcades were a thing. With the riser on, the cabinet measures 60.8 x 18.75 x 20 inches (height x width x depth), although the thing is shipped in a much-smaller box that measures 23.75 x 47.75 x 11.25 inches (h x w x d). Yes, that means you’re going to have to assemble this yourself like a piece of IKEA furniture, so expect to put in some elbow grease before you can start getting your game on.
The Arcade1Up Star Wars Home Arcade Game is priced at $499.99.