The Search For My First Home Arcade Machine Just Ended

I played my first arcade machine in 1985 at a roller rink in Clovis, California. The game was Nintendo’s iconic Donkey Kong. I never made it past Level 2, but it was the seed that spawned a lifelong love of video games. Six years later, when I plunked my first quarter into Street Fighter II and pulled off Ryu’s mighty Hadouken, I vowed then and there that someday, somehow, I would have that magical machine in my home.

Thanks to a large cast of characters including Iconic Arcade, Media1Up, Arcade PR, and the financial backing of Lenovo, I think it’s finally time to pull the trigger on that dream.

In partnership with Capcom, Iconic Arcade is launching a pair of Street Fighter XXL home arcade machines designed around the legendary fighting franchise. These machines will ship in Q2 2025 for $699, and pack in a total of 14 games.

The lineup includes the Street Fighter II series, Street Fighter Alpha series, and Street Fighter III: Third Strike — many of which are playable online and feature leaderboards, friend lists, spectate mode, multiplayer lobbies. Other notable Capcom titles like Giga Wing 2, Final Fight, and 1944: The Loop Master get bundled in as well.

But it’s not merely the game collection that holds so much appeal, nor the nostalgia factor that’s compelling me to chase down one of these. It’s the size, the gorgeous artwork on the sides of the cabinets, the lit marquee, the ability to greatly expand its functionality and library, plus a few other key details that make this stand out.

With A Home Arcade Machine, Size Matters

Iconic Arcade is going with a 9/10 scale design of the venerable Dynamo HS-1 cabinet, which was popular in the heyday of arcades because of its durability and adaptability. Manufacturers would ship these in various kits, and game publishers could easily swap out joysticks, game boards, and art packages. It was famously used for Capcom games like 1943: Battle of Midway, Street Fighter, and Ghouls and Ghosts, amidst others from publishers like SNK, Midway, and Konami.

The fact that it’s very nearly full-size means you won’t be hunched over to play, and it means that when a friend wants to throw down, you’ll have some breathing room.

Speaking of size, the Street Fighter XXL units display the action on a 19” BOE screen. I’m seeing some people clamoring for a 21” screen instead, but with the 1280x1024 resolution, 19” honestly feels like a decent pixel density. If you get too much larger, you risk losing sharpness and the image being a bit too pixelated.

Raspberry Pi 5 and The Linux Advantage

So, there’s an absolute glut of retro devices out there, from handhelds to tabletop arcades, that are sadly locked down. They are closed systems and you get the games you get, with minimal ability to customize things or expand your game library. In those cases, it’s difficult to justify the expense.

I want one arcade machine to rule them all. Ideally, this is my first and last machine.

These Street Fighter XXL arcade machines are powered by a Raspberry Pi 5 and a custom Linux OS, but the company assures me you can absolutely replace it with a compatible Linux distribution of your choice, such as Batocera or Recalbox. That opens up a galaxy of opportunities.

The Raspberry 5 is perfectly capable of emulating classic systems like the NES, Sega Genesis, and PS1, and can even reasonably handle most PS2 and Dreamcast titles. So, making this the centerpiece of your retro gaming experience is totally within reach.

I firmly believe that one day, we’ll even be able to install SteamOS on it.

Adding to the potential is the Raspberry 5’s ports and connectivity. Since there’s HDMI out functionality at up to 4K, you’re covered if you want to record gameplay or even do livestreams. Gigabit Ethernet means adding ROMs to your drive over a home network at blistering speeds. Multiple USB ports and Bluetooth opens the door to additional controllers, speakers, and even displays.

Spokesperson David McIntosh, whose company Arcade PR is handling marketing duties for Iconic Arcade, says “I think the only limitations of this machine are our imaginations.”

This Arcade Machine’s Secret Weapon: Lenovo?

Well, sort of. Lenovo is the parent company of Medion AG, a German electronics company that partnered with Media1Up, toy distributor Eldohm, and Arcade PR to launch these machines.

Medion AG’s involvement extends several benefits, most notably some key retailer relationships, and the ability to leverage economy of scale to deliver these machines internationally, with a reasonable price tag.

It’s that kind of backing that helps instill additional consumer confidence.

Street Fighter XXL Arcade Machine Pricing & Launch Date

Right now this product is about 90% complete, with the various parties inviting community feedback for the next month or so before finalizing the design.

Deliveries for the Street Fighter XXL arcade machine should begin in June, and both designs can be pre-ordered for $699 which includes shipping.