My home arcade is equal parts collection, workshop, and systems lab.
The lineup has included Terminator 2, a Nintendo PlayChoice with a full NES inside, and Addams Family pinball. Every machine arrives with a history, a maintenance problem, or a design decision that has somehow survived decades of enthusiastic use.
That is part of the appeal. Old machines make product design tangible: the controls have to feel right, the system has to be repairable, and the experience has to remain fun long after the launch team has moved on.
