Wicked Gamer Mini Arcade
World's Most Expensive Arcade1UP
Client
Wicked Gamer Youtuber
Project Duration
4 months
How it started…
Richard had asked me many times if I could build a high-quality arcade cabinet for him. He'd been following my work since the early days of my YouTube channel and knew exactly what I was capable of.
The only problem? Space!
Richard didn't have room for a huge arcade machine, so his new cabinet would have to replace his existing Arcade1Up model. The challenge was to create something much more premium, without taking up too much extra space!
I wanted to make something very special for him. I went all out. Even though this cabinet is about a 3/4 size, I selected the best parts (Ultimarc joysticks, trackball etc) laser engraved plexiglass top plate and some brand new ideas I have never done before:
An extra screen in the kickplate!
And this turned out really nicely! Together with the dynamic marquee, the additional screen brings the whole cabinet to life and adds another layer to the immersive arcade experience.
Another bold decision was the RED T-molding. I'd always wanted to use red T-molding on one of my builds, but never quite found the right project for it.
This was the perfect opportunity! And I'm really happy with how it turned out. :)
Another challenging but fun idea was to integrate the speakers directly INTO the control panel. This would project the sound straight towards the player, making the whole experience even more immersive!
But how could I make this look beautiful and elegant?
My first attempt was to CNC-cut the speaker openings into the wood and carefully trim the artwork around them. The result? Terrible! 😅
So I came up with a different solution: a custom 3D-printed speaker grille in Purple Metallic PLA, designed to fit neatly underneath the plexiglass top plate.
And THAT looked perfect!
Sound is everything…
The HUGE subwoofer and custom-made amplifier by Dutch Pinball really set this arcade cabinet apart!
It's difficult to capture the sheer power of this sound system in a YouTube video, especially when you're watching it through regular computer speakers. But believe me (and Richard!), this thing is CRAZY loud! :)
The music sounds absolutely amazing, and the deep bass adds a whole new dimension to the gameplay. You don't just hear the action, you FEEL it!
