In the early 1980s, before the arrival of affordable home computers and major consoles, handheld electronic games were the most desirable hi-tech toys out there. From Mattel’s Soccer and Auto Race, to the legendary Nintendo Game & Watch series, these pocket-sized gadgets were the kings of the Argos winter catalogue.
Among the many emergent designs, however, the tabletop games were my favourites. Astro Wars, Caveman, Tron … these beautiful devices were designed to resemble miniature arcade machines, complete with teeny joysticks, buttons and detailed artwork. Most featured built-in vacuum fluorescent displays (VFDs) which were capable of emitting light and colour, unlike the dour monochrome screens found on LCD-based electronic games such as Game & Watch. They ate up batteries but that didn’t matter: they were designed to be played at home so most could be plugged in.
“The idea of having little arcade-like cabinets in the home was exciting,” recalls game designer Rhod Broadbent. “Just flipping that ‘on’ switch to hear the digital startup sounds and watching the intro animation felt so futuristic. I acutely remember the way Tron would wipe the screen, flipping the horizontal then vertical lights on in sequence to create a sort of marching pattern down the play area. Each little machine had controls specifically fitted to the gameplay, and in turn gameplay adapted to fit the display possibilities. The design was so well considered and whole.”
Of course, there were games consoles around at the same time – the ColecoVision, the Atari 2600, etc – that allowed you to play arcade games at home too. But there’s one thing you have to remember about a lot of homes in the early 80s. “Often there may have been only one TV in the house, or even if there was a second smaller portable TV it might have been shared with siblings,” says Paul Andrews, MD of Retro Games, which makes retro consoles such as the C64 and A500 Mini and owns the rights to classic game brands Grandstand and Quickshot. “Handheld and table top games allowed the kids to play arcade style games in their bedrooms and even in the car, or share and play with friends.”
The best were built by a handful of Japanese companies, such as Tomy, Epoch and Bandai, though US manufacturers Coleco and Entex put out some impressive titles too. There were clever conversions of well-known arcade hits such as Scramble, Zaxxon and Donkey Kong. There were dual screen competitive games such as Tomy’s Alien Chase and Bandai’s anime-inspired Space Guardian Gundam. In the UK, many of the best machines were picked up for distribution by Grandstand Games, which also sold early Pong-based consoles alongside imported, rebadged electronic handhelds and tabletops. Paul Andrews hinted that Retro Games may be bringing back some of the classic Grandstand titles for the modern era.
For many years these devices were rendered redundant as handheld consoles arrived, TVs got cheaper and games consoles increasingly simulated the arcade experience. However, with interest in retro games exploding, we’re now seeing an unexpected renaissance of the tabletop arcade format. Five years ago, cult arcade manufacturer SNK released its Neo Geo Mini, a self-contained micro cabinet with joystick, buttons and a 3.5in LCD display. Pre-loaded with 40 titles, crammed with classics from the King of Fighters, Samurai Showdown and Metal Slug franchises, it was a clever response to the Nintendo Mini NES, capitalising on SNK’s unique coin-op heritage – and like the Mini NES, it offered modern features such as game saves and an HDMI output.
Two years later, as part of its 60th birthday celebrations, Sega launched the Astro City Mini, a tabletop reproduction of its famed Astro City multi-purpose arcade cabinet, which ran a variety of games during the golden era of the early 90s. The 37 built-in titles are a really entertaining bunch, taking in Wonder Boy, Alex Kidd, Golden Axe and even a shaky version of Virtua Fighter. There are screen filtering options to smooth out pixels or add scanlines, and games run in 720p when connected to a TV. But again it’s the form factor of the machine that delighted fans; the accurate design and colour schemes, and the optional accessories pack that added a raised stand, instruction panel stickers and a teeny arcade stool to place in front of it.
As with the tabletop arcade games of the early 1980s, the design of these new mini coin-ops is diversifying as new devices arrive. Recently, Sega released the Astro City Mini V, boasting a larger display and an aspect ratio designed for vertically scrolling games. This time, there are 23 titles, and it’s a chance to play classics such as Moon Cresta and Zaxxon as well as lesser known oddities (Kingdom Grand Prix and Toaplan’s brilliantly named Same! Same! Same!), some never released on consoles before. Last year, Taito released the excellent Egret II Mini, a tabletop machine based on the company’s 1996 arcade cabinet design. With its sturdy build and faithful six-button configuration, it’s a convincing replica, and the 40 built-in games, ranging from Space Invaders to Puzzle Bobble are well emulated. But the key feature is the 5in display, which can be rotated 90 degrees, allowing you to play both vertical and horizontal scrolling games in their proper aspect ratios.
Why are legacy video game brands so keen on reviving the tabletop arcade format? “SNK and Sega have long given up on handhelds, and they can’t get back into the market at a large scale,” says tech writer and broadcaster, Ewan Spence. “They just have to find a smaller market … such as the retro hardware sector, where components are available off the shelf. Small volumes, guaranteed sales, and leveraging existing games is far more affordable than trying to take on Nintendo.”
A cottage industry is now growing around the tabletop concept. Specialist US manufacturer Arcade1Up builds “countercades” – smaller versions of coin-op games such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, NBA Jam and Mortal Kombat for homes, offices and dorm rooms. They’re running emulated versions of the games, but priced at around $230, they’re a lot cheaper than buying a used arcade cabinet – plus, there’s a growing online scene around modding the machines and allowing them to run a whole bunch of different console and arcade emulators. Along similar lines, you could opt for a Pimorini Picade, a Raspberry Pi-based mini arcade machine that’ll run a huge range of open-source emulators.
But, in a lot of ways, this revival isn’t about the games themselves; it’s about the aesthetics of the object. The original machines worked so hard to disguise the simplicity of the visuals, with gorgeous decals, intricate cabinet builds, and the integration of illustrations around the VFD screens. Astro Wars featured swirling galaxies at each side of the display, Epoch’s Dracula had spooky stone floors along the base. The world of the game was expressed as much in the physical cabinet as in the onscreen action. And so, as with vinyl, tabletop arcade games are to be displayed as much as played. They are ornaments to cherish. The V&A even has Astro Wars in its collection.
Looking at the Sega Astro City now, it takes me right back to perusing the Argos catalogues of the 1980s. I dreamed about owning a collection of those classic titles, my own arcade. “Today, you can have a full arcade game in an arcade shape – on your table,” says Spence. “That’s what today’s tabletop arcade games do. They are the distillation of a dream.”
