Superguns give arcade games a new lease of life

Gizmo ZONE : Computer gamers can now play the original arcade versions at home

Playing arcade games on original hardware is the ultimate way to enjoy the arcade experience at home. But the cost — and size — of an arcade cabinet can be prohibitive. Yet there is a relatively unknown console that lets you play arcade hardware on a TV: the supergun.

Inside the arcade cabinet
Where game consoles have individual formats, such as PS4, SNES or Dreamcast, so do arcade cabinets. JAMMA is the most prolific. A JAMMA game comes on an arcade PCB: a slab of circuit board typically containing a single game that is ‘plugged in’ inside a cabinet.

The supergun alternative
Imagine an arcade cabinet. Remove the screen, controls and the game from that vision. You’re left with a tangle of wires and circuit boards that is the cabinet’s heart. A supergun effectively squeezes that heart into a console-sized box, and provides a slot to plug in a JAMMA game, and a means to connect a TV and controller.

Where to find one
Superguns are largely made by sole arcade devotees. Jasen’s Customs builds and sells the MK30 ADCAP, a high-end supergun. Elsewhere, ArcadeForge’s MAK Strike is a popular option, or the brave can buy a kit and build their own. As for the JAMMA games, eBay is expensive, but UK trading forums such as Arcade Otaku and JAMMA+ provide a marketplace and advice.

What about arcade ports?
Many classic arcade games have been released for console, but these ports often change the game and run at different speeds. And a wealth of superb arcade games have never seen a console version. Simply put, original hardware is the only authentic way to play true arcade games.