For older gamers, a lot of their nostalgia is rooted in the arcade, not the couch. While bigger cities may be lucky enough to have a modernized arcade bar, they are few and far between.
One way to scratch that arcade itch is to bring home a classic arcade game cabinet. Then again, keeping cabinets in working order can be difficult and expensive for the average owner. Taking a more modern approach is London-based Stoa, which develops custom arcade cabinets.
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Each Stoa cabinet is handcrafted from start to finish for either one or two players. Owners can choose from numerous styles of action buttons and joysticks to create an uncluttered layout. Fighting game enthusiasts might want a set of six buttons stacked in two rows of three, while action games might require three or four buttons all in one line.
Using cathode ray tube monitors is no longer an option these days, so Stoa uses LCD monitors with a scanline generator. Basically, the monitor produces a black line every other line to replicate a technique used by arcade machines for the past 40 years. It softens the graphics just enough while retaining the 4:3 aspect ratio the games were designed with.
Sound comes from two speaker slots placed above the screen. A knob hidden in the back of the cabinet controls the volume.
Stoa offers four different cabinet types. Practically anything on the cabinet can be altered in terms of color and design. Finally, a selection of games tailored to the client’s preference are added. They also have the option to add more games in the future.
A completed arcade cabinet takes roughly six weeks from design to delivery. Pricing is not yet known. Anyone interested should contact Stoa directly.
