There is an important distinction between arcade video game cabinets. Being that they are built in two distinct styles – vertical or horizontal monitor orientation. For example, the computer screen that you are looking at right now is horizontally oriented. Turn the monitor on end, and it would then be oriented vertically. But, it would be real difficult to read. Because, the graphics are formatted for horizontal presentation, not vertical. And, so it is with arcade video games. Thus, there are two types of potential problem when deciding the cabinet to use for a multicade installation. First, the horizontal monitor will usually not fit in a vertical cabinet. And second, vertical screen images will not display correctly on a horizontally mounted monitor, and vice versa.
Almost all the classic arcade video games, like Ms Pac-Man, Galaga, Frogger, and Donkey Kong, are played using a vertically oriented (mounted) monitor. There are a few horizontal exceptions, like the Williams' classics – Defender, Stargate, Joust, etc. Where as, almost all the modern fighting games, like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, use a horizontally oriented (mounted) monitor.
Importantly, the game types (horizontal or vertical) are not immediately interchangeable between the cabinet types (horizontal or vertical). This is because a horizontal game's monitor likely cannot be made to fit in a cabinet designed for a vertical game. It is possible, for example, to sometimes modify a horizontal cabinet to accept a vertical mount monitor, but the reverse is usually not possible. Cabinets for the two orientation types are built differently. The vertical cabinet will be a few inches more narrow and less deep than the horizontal cabinet.
The point is that the style (horizontal or vertical) of a cabinet matters. Some will work for a particular multicade upgrade, and some will not. Then, there is the second matter of images not displaying correctly. Unless the multicade has provided for formatting a vertical game to display correctly on a horizontal monitor, there is no interchangeability. Bottom line – the game orientation of the multicade has to be formatted correctly, and then matched to the cabinet style.
So, in practice, what does all of this mean?
- If you want to play only vertical classics, then the iCade 60-in-1 is your best choice. The cabinet would have to accept a vertically oriented monitor. And, depending on the cabinet size, the monitor size could be 19″ or 25″.
- If you want to play only horizontal fighting classics, then the Capcom 18-in-1 would be a good choice. The cabinet would have to accept a horizontally oriented monitor. And, depending on the cabinet size, the monitor size could be 19″ or 25″.
- If you want to play a combination of vertical and horizontal games, then the Games Family 1940-in-1 is your best choice. The cabinet would have to accept a horizontally oriented monitor. And, the monitor size should be 25″ in order to present the vertical games' images in about a 17″ height size.
