Guide to Selecting an Arcade Video Game Multi-Camera Cabinet – Portrait or Landscape

There is an important distinction between arcade video game cabinets. Since they are built in two different styles: portrait or landscape orientation of the monitor. For example, the computer screen you are looking at right now is oriented horizontally. Turn on the monitor and then it will be oriented vertically. But it would be really difficult to read. Because the graphics are formatted for a horizontal presentation, not a vertical one. And the same goes for arcade video games. Therefore, there are two types of potential problems when deciding which cabinet to use for a multi-camera installation. First, the horizontal monitor generally does not fit in a vertical cabinet. And secondly, vertical screen images will not display correctly on a horizontally mounted monitor and vice versa.

Almost all classic arcade video games, such as Ms Pac-Man, Galaga, Frogger, and Donkey Kong, are played using a vertically oriented monitor (mounted). There are some horizontal exceptions, like the Williams classics: Defender, Stargate, Joust, etc. Where, like almost all modern fighting games, like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, they use a horizontally oriented monitor (mounted).

It is important to note that the types of games (horizontal or vertical) are not immediately interchangeable between the types of cabinets (horizontal or vertical). This is because a horizontal gaming monitor may not be able to fit in a cabinet designed for vertical gaming. For example, it is sometimes possible to modify a horizontal cabinet to accept a vertically mounted monitor, but the reverse is generally not possible. The cabinets for the two types of orientation are built differently. The vertical cabinet will be a few inches narrower and shallower than the horizontal cabinet.

The point is that the style (horizontal or vertical) of a cabinet is important. Some will work for a particular multi-camera upgrade, and some will not. Then there is the second issue of images not displaying correctly. Unless the multi-camera has intended to format a vertical set to display correctly on a horizontal monitor, there is no interchangeability. Bottom line: the game orientation of the multicade needs to be formatted correctly and then matched to the style of the cabinet.

So in practice, what does all this mean?

1. If you want to play only vertical classics, then the iCade 60-in-1 is your best option. The cabinet would have to accept a vertically oriented monitor. And, depending on the size of the cabinet, the size of the monitor can be 19 “or 25”.
2. If you want to play just 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 size of the cabinet, the size of the monitor can be 19 “or 25”.
3. If you want to play a mix of vertical and horizontal games, the 1940-in-1 game family is your best choice. The cabinet would have to accept a horizontally oriented monitor. And the monitor size should be 25 “to present the vertical game images at about 17” size.