What this is
Retro Field Guide compares home arcade machines, cabinet kits, controls and plans on price, seller, game licensing and stated specifications. It currently lists 123 products from 39 makers and sellers, checked on Sep 30, 2026. Retro handhelds and consoles are planned as later sections.
How we research
We read each product’s own page first, then major retailers, then marketplaces. Every fact on a listing links to the page it came from, with the date we read it. A person reads what each page says about its games and records one of five game licensing labels, with the wording it is based on. Facts enter the catalog through scripts that refuse incomplete records, and an automated check runs on every build. The details are on how we check listings.
What we do not claim
- We have not tested these machines in person. There are no hands-on reviews, ratings or scores here; the guides are written from the listing data and the sources they cite.
- A check date confirms what a page said that day. Prices and stock change, so confirm with the seller before you buy.
- A licensing label describes what a product page states. It is not a ruling on whether a product is lawful.
Independence
No maker or seller has paid to be listed. Collections sort by price, not by payment. There are no affiliate links on the site today; the affiliate disclosure explains how they will be marked if that changes. We are not affiliated with the makers, sellers or game companies named here. Product, maker and game names belong to their owners and are used only to identify products.
Corrections
If a listing is wrong or out of date, tell us and include a link to the page that shows the correct fact.
Last updated Sep 30, 2026.