GROUP TEST ARCADE CABINETSWhat’s the story?
If you’re going to twang your
nostalgia glands, go for the most
famous game character of all.
This cab gives you an authentic
take on a 1980s classic, but at
25 % of the original’s size.
The iconic yellow cab’s design
remains fully intact; and when
you’re immersed in dot-munching,
ghost-avoiding antics, your
senses and fingers are catered
for with a crisp 5in display, a
surprisingly decent 3W speakerand a dinky, clicky, responsive
four-way joystick.
There’s also a teeny take on
a coin mechanism at the front,
and a nod to more modern tech
round the back with a microUSB
port for charging – or running
the cab using mains power if
you’ve waka-waka-waka’d all
day and drained the battery.Is it any good?
From the opening jingle to the
game itself – which somehowstands the test of time – this
unit is a delight. It hits a sweet
spot in terms of size and
playability, with the joystick
being big enough for solid
gaming sessions.
Old hands will be delighted
with the fine details such as the
cabinet’s coin-slot door and the
small but readable instructions
surrounding the screen. That
display nicely shows off all
those retro visuals, but at
a size that avoids the pixelsfeeling like daggers poking into
your eyeballs.
One gripe: the top light bleeds
through the speaker grilles
and can reflect off the screen.
Otherwise, this is retro-gaming
perfection. It’s limited to 10,000
units, though, so don’t dawdle.Price £150 / stuff.tv/QAPacMan
O 5in display O Internal speaker
O Original arcade ROM
O microUSB/battery
O 430x210x160mm, 2kgQuarter Arcades Pac-Man
STUFF SAYS An addictively tasty mix of superb authentic design and a timeless game +++++
PAC TO BASICS
As on the original,
the joystick is locked
to four compass
directions, so you
can’t speed around
corners on diagonals.PAC LIGHT
This desktop cab not
only has the original
Pac-Man’s artwork,
but also its unique
shape. It really is the
original in miniature.QUARTER
ARCADES
GALAGA
Prefer shooty
thrills over running
around in a maze?
This evolved take
on Space Invaders
has alien ships
dive-bomb your
position. Dig Dug,
Ms. Pac-Man and
Track & Field are
also due soon.
£130 /
geekstore.comALTERNATIVELY