Arcade1Up is a series of arcade machines, originally launched in 2018 by Tastemakers. They are intended for home use, lacking functional coin slots, and are generally sold in retail stores or TV shopping networks. Many Pac-Man and Namco-themed Arcade1Up cabinets have been released, with various different game lists and form factors.
In December of 2025, portions of the Arcade1Up company were acquired by rival manufacturer Basic Fun.[1] It is currently unknown if Arcade1Up will remain active as a brand or company following this acquisition.
Arcade1Up machines are often sold as buildable kits, requiring the user to assemble the machine before use. Traditional Arcade1Up cabinets are roughly the same dimensions as a real arcade machine, though may be shorter or thinner depending on the model. Each machine features built-in games from a variety of licenses. A large variety of different machine types have been produced: including standard arcade machines, video pinball machines, digital casino machines ("Casinocades"), and claw machines, among others.
The Arcade1Up line was initially conceived in or around 2017 by ThinkUp Inc., a New Jersey-based toy company. ThinkUp would grant the rights to the Arcade1Up concept to Scott Bachrach, the CEO of Tastemakers. ThinkUp would design the majority of Arcade1Up products up until 2023, being granted royalties per every machine produced/sold; while Tastemakers would handle game licensing and manufacturing contracts.[2] The first Arcade1Up units would be released in the U.S. in late 2018.
Tastemakers is believed to have begun struggling financially around 2020; often relying on business loans and securing credit to stay afloat.[3][4] Reportedly due to financial concerns, Bachrach would leave Tastemakers in 2023. Upon Bachrach stepping down, Tastemakers terminated their agreement with ThinkUp; going so far as to void their royalty contract.[2] Arcade1Up's head of licensing, John D., would also be laid off by the company around this time period.
Arcade1Up would continue operation past the breaking of their ThinkUp contract, though would use different, largely unknown companies for commissioning machine designs. Post-2023 Arcade1Up machines are commonly criticized for "cutting corners" on various features, presumably to save costs; such as using inaccurate 16:9 monitors (rather than 4:3), and greatly slimming down the sizes of machines.
Basic Fun acquisition[]
In late 2025, the toy company Basic Fun launched their own competitor line to Arcade1Up known as "Arcade Classics"; the Arcade Classics branding was previously used for a line of handheld games beginning in 2016. Basic Fun reportedly hired former Arcade1Up and ThinkUp staff for development of the Arcade Classics series; as such, some of the line's initial design concepts were repurposed from older Arcade1Up releases that ThinkUp (presumably) held the rights to.
Following the official launch of Basic Fun's arcade machines, rumors began to circulate that Arcade1Up was closing operations. This culminated in a leaked email from an anonymous employee, who stated that the majority of Arcade1Up's staff was being laid off on December 12th, 2025, and implied that a company buyout may occur.[5] Following this leak, it was officially announced that "select assets" of Arcade1Up were acquired by Basic Fun, who would continue to support current Arcade1Up products under the acquisition; notably, future products are not mentioned or alluded to.[1]
In 2026, Basic Fun would release a new version of the Pac-Man "Arcade1Up Jr." cabinet, being republished under the "Arcade Classics" label. This product was planned prior to the Arcade1Up acquisition, however, making it unclear if this machine will be indicative of future Basic Fun releases.
Games[]
The following Pac-Man or Namco-related games have been included across various Arcade1Up machines.
Additionally, most Arcade1Up models released from 2021 onward feature the "speed-up chip" versions of their respective games (accessible via the settings menu). Some Arcade1Up machines also feature Gorf (1981), but it is grouped in with the Midway/Williams license instead of with the Namco machines.
Arcade1Up would also release machines based on some of Namco's later 90s IPs, including Ridge Racer and Time Crisis. As these game sets do not overlap with the Pac-Man releases, they are not detailed on this page.
List of Namco machines[]
Standard[]
The standard models are the closest in form factor to an actual arcade machine. They are roughly three-fourths the height of an original machine, though additional "Risers" can be used to increase their height. Some models need to be assembled before use, while others are sold pre-built.
Features Pac-Man, Pac-Man Plus, Pac & Pal, and Pac-Mania.
Pac-Man 40th Anniversary (2020)
7984 (w/ riser, lit marquee)
8053 (w/ riser, lit marquee, stool)
8196 (no riser, wood marquee)
Features Pac-Man, Pac-Man Plus, Pac & Pal, Pac-Mania, Super Pac-Man, Pac-Land, and Galaga.
Super Pac-Man (2020)
8218 (Costco)
Features Super Pac-Man, Pac-Man, Pac-Mania, Galaga, Galaxian, Dig Dug, and Pac-Land.
Pac-Man Plus (2020)
8228 (HSN)
Features Pac-Man Plus, Pac-Man, Pac & Pal, Pac-Mania, Galaga, Dig Dug, Super Pac-Man, and Pac-Land.
Ms. Pac-Man (2020, version 1; "8220")
8220 (no riser)
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Super Pac-Man, Dig Dug, and Pac-Mania.
Ms. Pac-Man (2020, version 2; "8262")
8262 (Cokem; w/ riser, lit marquee)
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Dig Dug, Galaxian, and Super Pac-Man.
Ms. Pac-Man (2020, version 3; "8266", "8267")
8266 (Walmart; no riser)
8267 (Walmart; w/ riser, lit marquee)
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Galaxian, Pac-Mania, and Pac-Man Plus.
Ms. Pac-Man (2021)
PAC-E-08318-SM (Sam's Club; w/ riser)
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Pac & Pal, Pac-Mania, and Dig Dug.
Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga - Class of '81 (2021)
MSP-A-10171
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Galaga '88, Galaxian, Dig Dug, Dig Dug II, Mappy, Rally-X, Rolling Thunder, Rompers, The Tower of Druaga, and King & Balloon. Includes "LIVE" internet connectivity for online leaderboards.
Ms. Pac-Man 40th Anniversary (2022)
MSP-A-01236 (no riser)
MSP-A-20682 (ASOTV; w/ riser)
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Galaxian, Dig Dug, Mappy, Rally-X, Rolling Thunder, Rompers, The Tower of Druaga, and King & Balloon. Faux-woodgrain design.
Pac-Man Plus (2022)
PAC-A-10286 (Sam's Club; w/ riser)
Same gamelist as the original "Legacy Edition" model (see below). The machine is shaped and designed to resemble the "cabaret" Pac-Man machine model. For unknown reasons, early promotional pictures showed the machine with a Super Pac-Man marquee, while saying "Pac-Man Plus" on the side panels; the final machine was entirely Pac-Man Plus-branded.
Pac-Man Classic (2024)
PAC-A-301320
Same gamelist as the Pac-Mania "Legacy Edition" model, but is inside an original Arcade1Up case.
Ms. Pac-Man Classic (2024)
MSP-A-300520
Same gamelist as the Ms. Pac-Man "Legacy Edition" model, but is inside an original Arcade1Up case.
"Legacy Edition" series[]
The "Legacy Edition" series is a special line of Arcade1Up cabinets. While differentiated by "series", the difference between a regular and a "legacy" Arcade1Up is not very apparent; though in some cases, the legacy models feature more accurate designs and cabinet shapes to the standard ones.
Name (colloquial)
ID number(s)
Information
Bandai Namco Entertainment Legacy Edition (2021)
PAC-A-01208 (no riser)
PAC-A-10141 (w/ riser)
PAC-A-01060 (w/ riser, lit marquee)
PAC-A-200114 (no riser, LIVE connectivity)
Features Pac-Man, Pac-Land, Pac-Man Plus, Super Pac-Man, Pac & Pal, Pac-Mania, Galaxian, Galaga, Dig Dug, Dig Dug II, Mappy, and Rompers. The machine is modeled after the original Pac-Man. Later revisions include "LIVE" internet connectivity for online leaderboards.
Galaga 40th Anniversary (2021)
GAL-A-10217 (w/ riser)
Same gamelist as the original "Legacy Edition" model.
Pac-Mania (2022)
PAC-A-200110 (w/ riser)
PAC-A-305010 (w/ riser, stickers)
Features all games from the original "Legacy Edition" model(s), plus Galaga '88 and Rolling Thunder. It is reportedly of a higher build quality than other cabinets. Includes "LIVE" internet connectivity for online leaderboards. A later SKU comes with a set of stickers that can be placed on the machine.
Dig Dug (2022)
DIG-A-213310 (ASOTV; with riser)
Same gamelist as the "Pac-Mania" model. Includes "LIVE" internet connectivity for online leaderboards.
Ms. Pac-Man (2022)
MSP-A-202210 (w/ riser)
MSP-A-202214 (no riser)
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Man Plus, Pac & Pal, Pac-Mania, Super Pac-Man, Pac-Land, Galaga, Galaxian, Dig Dug, Dig Dug II, Mappy, Dragon Buster, Rompers, and King & Balloon. Includes "LIVE" internet connectivity for online leaderboards. Features black artwork.
"Deluxe" series[]
The "Deluxe" series is similar to the aforementioned Legacy line. The most notable difference seen in the Pac-Man "deluxe" machines is that the screen is properly slanted, in the same way as the original arcade machines; whereas previous models featured the screen completely upright.
Name (colloquial)
ID number(s)
Information
Pac-Man Deluxe (2023)
PAC-A-302111
Same gamelist as the Pac-Mania "Legacy Edition" model. Includes "LIVE" internet connectivity for online leaderboards.
Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga - Class of '81 Deluxe (2023)
MSP-A-303611
Same gamelist as the original Class of '81 model. Includes "LIVE" internet connectivity for online leaderboards.
Galaga Deluxe (2023)
GAL-A-305427
Same gamelist as the Pac-Mania "Legacy Edition" model. Includes "LIVE" internet connectivity for online leaderboards.
Ms. Pac-Man Deluxe (2023)
MSP-A-306327
Same gamelist as the Ms. Pac-Man "Legacy Edition" model. Includes "LIVE" internet connectivity for online leaderboards. Features black artwork.
Pac-Man Plus Deluxe (2024)
PAC-A-405411
Same gamelist as the Pac-Mania "Legacy Edition" model; modeled after the "cabaret" Pac-Man machine model. Includes "LIVE" internet connectivity for online leaderboards.
Pac-Man Deluxe (Neon Edition, 2025)
PAC-A-502711 (Sam's Club)
Same gamelist as the Pac-Mania "Legacy Edition" model. Uses artwork based on the neon-lighted 2010s merchandising artwork for Pac-Man, while being modeled after the "cabaret" Pac-Man machine model in shape. Includes "LIVE" internet connectivity for online leaderboards.
"XL" series[]
The XL series is a line exclusive to Costco, featuring larger form factors that are closer to an actual arcade machine.
Name (colloquial)
ID number(s)
Information
Pac-Man XL (2023)
PAC-F-301523
Same gamelist as the Pac-Mania "Legacy Edition" model. Includes "LIVE" internet connectivity for online leaderboards.
"Classic SE" series[]
The Classic SE series (possibly an abbreviation for "Classic Slim Edition") features heavily slimmed-down machine designs, lacking many enhancements seen in prior machine lines. Currently released machines feature a 16:9 monitor, running the games in a considerably smaller resolution than prior cabinets (both in screen size and due to the 4:3-cropped game display). Games which were originally in horizontal resolution, such as Pac-Land, are excluded from Classic SE cabinets; presumably due to the already-limited display.
Name (colloquial)
ID number(s)
Information
Pac-Man Classic SE (2025)
PAC-A-405529
Features Pac-Man, Pac-Man Plus, Super Pac-Man, Pac & Pal, Pac-Mania, Dig Dug, Dig Dug II, Galaxian, Galaga, Galaga '88, Mappy, Rompers, and King & Balloon.
Ms. Pac-Man Classic SE (2025)
MSP-A-405629
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Man Plus, Super Pac-Man, Pac & Pal, Pac-Mania, Dig Dug, Dig Dug II, Galaxian, Galaga, Galaga '88, Mappy, Rompers, and The Tower of Druaga.
Head-to-Head Tables[]
The Head-to-Head Tables base their form factor on "cocktail table" machine designs, with two sets of joysticks on opposite sides.
Name (colloquial)
ID number(s)
Information
Pac-Man (2019, version 1)
7561
7765
7892 (Black Series)
Features Pac-Man, Pac-Man Plus, Pac & Pal, Pac-Mania, Galaga, Dig Dug, Super Pac-Man, and Pac-Land. Originally released in yellow; a black-colored model was also produced.
Pac-Man (2019, version 2)
7799 (Costco)
Same style and all Pac-Man games from the "yellow" version of the previous model, but it removes Galaga and Dig Dug, and came bundled with two barstools.
Pac-Man 40th Anniversary (2020)
8119
Features all games from the non-40th model, plus Dig Dug II and Galaxian.
Ms. Pac-Man (2020)
8255
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Super Pac-Man, Pac-Mania, Pac-Land, Galaga, Galaxian, Dig Dug, and Dig Dug II. Due to an error in printing, this model's box listed the machine as containing ten games instead of eight. Because of this, Arcade1Up released a firmware patch (downloadable via their website) that added Mappy and Pac & Pal to the gamelist.
Pac-Man (2021)
PAC-H-01023 (Black Series)
Features Pac-Man, Super Pac-Man, Pac & Pal, Galaga, Galaxian, Dig Dug, Dig Dug II, Mappy, New Rally-X, Rolling Thunder, Rompers, and The Tower of Druaga.
Ms. Pac-Man / Ms. Pac-Man 40th Anniversary (2021)
8255
MSP-H-01241 (Black Series)
MSP-H-501200 (2025 reissue)
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Mania, Galaga, Galaxian, Galaga '88, Dig Dug, Dig Dug II, Mappy, Rally-X, Rolling Thunder, Rompers, and The Tower of Druaga. Some models feature 40th anniversary branding, while others do not (though are otherwise identical in design and gamelist).
Pub Tables[]
The Pub Tables are a series of "cocktail table"-like machine models that use a rounded, taller design; the machines' height allows for easier play while standing rather than sitting down.
The Pub Table format was originally only used for a Pong machine in 2021, though would be extended to other titles in late 2024. Later models feature four built-in cupholders surrounding the screen.
Name (colloquial)
ID number(s)
Information
Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga (2024)
MSP-K-404300 (Costco)
Uses the same gamelist as the Ms. Pac-Man 40th Anniversary Head-to-Head Table.
Pac-Man (2025)
PAC-K-500800 (Costco)
Uses the same gamelist as the 2021 "Black Series" Pac-Man Head-to-Head Table.
Counter-Cades[]
The Counter-Cades are countertop machines; somewhat similar to the 80s Coleco Tabletop series, though much bigger in size. They feature smaller screens than the other models due to their form factor, but still feature full-size joysticks and buttons.
Name (colloquial)
ID number(s)
Information
Pac-Man (2019)
7427
7476 (Cokem)
PAC-C-08326
Features Pac-Man and Pac & Pal.
Galaga (2019)
7429
Features Galaga and Galaxian.
Dig Dug (2019)
7372
Features Dig Dug and Dig Dug II.
Pac-Man 40th Anniversary (2020)
8121
PAC-C-08121-CM
Features Pac-Man, Pac & Pal, Dig Dug, and Galaga. Faux-woodgrain design.
Ms. Pac-Man (2020, retail)
8261
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Man Plus, Dig Dug II, and Galaga. Features yellow t-molding.
Pac-Man (2020)
8295 (QVC/HSN)
Features Pac-Man and Galaga.
Ms. Pac-Man (2020, QVC)
8296 (QVC/HSN)
Features Ms. Pac-Man and Super Pac-Man. Features pink t-molding and artwork below the joystick panel.
Galaga (2020)
GAL-C-09429-WM (Walmart)
Features Galaga and Galaga '88.
Pac-Man/Galaga (2021)
PAC-C-01341
Features Pac-Man, Pac-Mania, Galaga, and Galaxian. Both Pac-Man's and Galaga's artwork are on opposite ends of the cabinet.
Ms. Pac-Man 40th Anniversary (2021, retail)
MSP-C-01335
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Mappy, Rompers, and New Rally-X. Features black artwork with blue t-molding.
Super Pac-Man (2021)
PAC-C-01334
Features Super Pac-Man, Pac-Man, Dig Dug, and Rally-X.
Pac-Man 40th Anniversary (2021)
PAC-C-10151 (QVC)
Features Pac-Man and New Rally-X.
Ms. Pac-Man 40th Anniversary (2021, QVC)
MSP-C-10152 (QVC)
Features Ms. Pac-Man and Dig Dug. Features black artwork with pink t-molding.
Galaga 40th Anniversary (2021)
GAL-C-10153 (QVC)
Features Galaga and Gaplus.
Pac-Man (2021)
PAC-C-10178 (QVC)
Features Pac-Man, Pac & Pal, Dig Dug, Mappy, and The Tower of Druaga. Features black artwork.
Ms. Pac-Man (2021)
MSP-C-10179 (QVC)
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Super Pac-Man, Galaxian, Rompers, and King & Balloon. Features black control panel with otherwise-blue artwork.
Galaga '88 (2021)
GAL-C-10177 (QVC)
Features Galaga '88, Galaga, Galaxian, Gaplus, and Xevious.
Pac-Man (2022)
PAC-C-20340
Features Pac-Man, Pac-Man Plus, Galaga, Dig Dug, and Rompers. Uses a different cabinet shape than earlier models.
Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga - Class of '81 (2023)
MSP-C-23810
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Galaxian, Galaga '88, and Dig Dug.
Pac-Man (2024)
PAC-C-401900
Features Pac-Man, Super Pac-Man, and Pac-Mania.
Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga - Class of '81 (2024)
MSP-C-402000
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, and Dig Dug.
Head-to-Head Counter-Cades[]
Effectively blending the two previous model types together, making a bartop machine with a cocktail table-like design.
Name (colloquial)
ID number(s)
Information
Pac-Man/Galaga (2022)
PAC-C-22920
Features Pac-Man, Pac-Man Plus, Super Pac-Man, Galaga, Galaxian, and Galaga '88.
Ms. Pac-Man (2022)
MSP-C-20300
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Pac & Pal, Pac-Mania, Galaga, Galaga '88, and Dig Dug.
Partycades[]
The Partycades are slim, medium-sized models. They come with various pieces of additional hardware: allowing the Partycade to either be displayed like a tabletop machine, hung on a wall, or hung over a door.
Name (colloquial)
ID number(s)
Information
Pac-Man (2019)
7342 (HSN)
Features Pac-Man, Galaga, and Galaxian.
Pac-Man (2020, version 1)
8249 (HSN)
Features Pac-Man, Galaga, Galaxian, and Dig Dug.
Pac-Man (2020, version 2)
8223 (QVC)
Features Pac-Man, Super Pac-Man, Pac & Pal, Galaga, Galaxian, Dig Dug, Xevious, and Mappy.
Ms. Pac-Man (2020)
8258 (QVC/HSN)
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Pac & Pal, Galaga, Galaxian, Pac-Man Plus, Dig Dug, Dig Dug II, and Super Pac-Man.
Pac-Man (2020, version 3)
8274 (HSN)
Features Pac-Man, Super Pac-Man, Pac-Land, Galaga, Galaxian, Dig Dug, Super Xevious, and Mappy. Features black artwork.
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Pac & Pal, Dig Dug, Rompers, Mappy, Hopping Mappy, Rally-X, New Rally-X, The Tower of Druaga, and King & Balloon. Features black artwork.
Galaga 40th Anniversary (Partycade Plus) (2021)
GAL-D-10183
Features Galaga, Galaxian, Gaplus, Galaga '88, King & Balloon, Xevious, Bosconian, Grobda, Motos, and Dragon Spirit.
Super Pac-Man (Partycade Plus) (2021)
PAC-D-10182
Features Super Pac-Man, Pac-Man, Pac-Mania, Pac-Land, Mappy, Dig Dug, Dig Dug II, New Rally-X, Rompers, and Rolling Thunder.
Pac-Man (2021, version 1)
PAC-D-308600
Features Pac-Man, Pac-Mania, Pac-Man Plus, Dig Dug, and Galaga '88.
Pac-Man (2021, version 2)
PAC-D-10277 (Walmart)
Same gamelist as the original "Legacy Edition" model. Features black marquee with otherwise-yellow artwork.
Ms. Pac-Man 40th Anniversary (2021)
MSP-D-10278 (Walmart)
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Super Pac-Man, Pac & Pal, Galaga, and Mappy. Faux-woodgrain design.
Ms. Pac-Man (2025)
MSP-D-500700 (Costco)
Features Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Man Plus, Super Pac-Man, Pac & Pal, Pac-Mania, Galaga, Galaxian, Galaga '88, Dig Dug, Dig Dug II, Mappy, and King & Balloon.
Other Arcade1Up Namco devices[]
Name (colloquial)
ID number(s)
Information
Pac-Man Collection (2020)
8093
A "plug & play" console. Features Pac-Man, Pac-Mania, New Rally-X, Galaga, Galaga '88, Dig Dug, Super Xevious, Rolling Thunder, Dragon Spirit, and Mappy. Additional ROMs for various formats (NES, Game Boy Advance, Atari 2600/7800, etc.) can be added via a Micro SD card.
Pac-Man Arcade1Up Jr. (2021)
PAC-J-01065
PAC-J-01336 (w/ stool)
A machine intended for young children (e.g. toddlers); despite the similar name, it is unrelated to Jr. Pac-Man. Features Pac-Man, Dig Dug, and Galaga, with additional "Easy" and "Very Easy" difficulty settings. A variant of this machine known as "Pac-Man Jr." would be published by Basic Fun in 2026, as part of the Arcade Classics "Junior Series" line.
Pac-Man Giant Joystick (2021)
7975
A "plug & play" console. An extremely large joystick standing roughly two feet tall. Gamelist is identical to Pac-Man Collection.
Pac-Man Projector-Cade (2021)
PAC-O-08222
A large pedestal with a joystick panel on top, with a built-in projector to display the game screen. Features Pac-Man, Pac-Mania, Pac-Land, Rally-X, Galaga, Galaga '88, Dig Dug, Xevious, Dragon Spirit, Mappy, Rolling Thunder, and Gaplus.
Pac-Man Collectorcade (2022)
PAC-M-20160
A miniature arcade machine (though not a Counter-Cade), somewhat similar to the "Quarter Arcades" series by Numskull. Features Pac-Man, Galaga, and Galaxian. Bizarrely, it runs off of "Firecore"-based Sega Genesis clone hardware (like the Pac-Man 40th Anniversary Micro Player by My Arcade but running in vertical resolution), featuring the Piko Interactive/Shiru Genesis ports of the games (as are also seen in My Arcade devices).
Pac-Man CouchCade (2022)
PAC-E-20640
A "plug & play" console with a full-size joystick panel, and a soft, "lap desk"-like cushion at the bottom. Features Pac-Man, Pac-Mania, New Rally-X, Galaxian, Galaga, Galaga '88, Dig Dug, Dig Dug II, Rolling Thunder, and Mappy. While featuring a near-identical format to the Pac-Man Collection, the ability to add ROMs was reportedly removed.
Trivia[]
Prior to its 2018 launch, the Arcade1Up line was originally conceived under the name "Arcade One". Rather than the primary focus on nearly-full-size arcade models, Arcade One was envisioned as being a series of "half-size" cabinets that came bundled with a barstool. Some Arcade One cabinets also featured "multicade"-like designs; highlighting all of the machines' included games within the outer artwork.[6][7]
Some of the Arcade One prototypes are visibly based on the bootleg iCade 60-in-1 multi-game board, albeit with most of its games disabled to better tailor the cabinet.
Early mock-ups of "Arcade One" cabinets from 2017, crafted out of foam boards.
According to former ThinkUp employee Tim Stahl, preliminary mock-ups of Arcade1Up (or rather, Arcade One) cabinets were created in August of 2017; the mock-ups were crafted by Stahl out of foam insulation sheets. The foam cabinets served as basis for Tastemakers' acquisition of and partnership with the brand.[8]
Notably, one of the mock-ups appears to depict a Pac-Man/Ms. Pac-Man combination machine. Possibly in connection with legal issues, none of the finalized Arcade1Up products featured both Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man on a single cabinet.
The Arcade1Up branding was briefly used by Tastemakers on some non-electronic merchandise, generally published under the label "Arcade1Up Collectables" or just "1Up Collectables". Many of these products were heavily promoted at the 2019 Toy Fair and CES;[9] however, a majority of them were either canceled or had very limited distribution. Some products from this line, such as the Pac-Man Light-Up Silhouette Sign set, would later be reissued with all Arcade1Up branding removed.
Arcade1Up's Namco-licensed machines (excluding the Pac-Man Collectorcade) all utilize proper emulation of each included game's arcade counterpart. The emulation for each game is generally accurate to the arcade originals in performance, though the accuracy can vary depending on the machine.
Some games will have their copyright information altered to credit "BNEI" (Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.); on some games/consoles, the legal notation is left unaltered.
On many Namco-based machines released from late 2019 to 2024, the game audio is pitched an octave higher, similarly to Namco Museum 50th Anniversary and later revisions of Pac-Man's Arcade Party. On some Counter-Cade models, the sound is pitched two octaves higher. This appears to have been corrected in 2025 models.
The glitched water graphics in most Arcade1Up releases of Pac-Land.
Some games, most noticeably Dig Dug and Pac-Land, have areas with glitched graphics across their Arcade1Up releases. This is seemingly the result of poorly adding extra font characters to the games (e.g. trademark symbols for copyright information); the areas that the characters were added to were seemingly misconstrued as blank/unused tiles in the game data. These errors are corrected in 2025 models.
The QVC-exclusive Counter-Cades from 2020 appear to have had two code revisions, each with differing issues. In some versions, the games seem to run with minor slowdown, and have their sound pitched an octave higher. In later (?) revisions, the games play at the correct speed, but have the sound pitched two octaves higher.
Most of the Arcade1Up releases feature near-identical artwork to their Bally Midway machine counterparts; however, the Pac-Mania machine contains noticeable artwork differences from the original cabinet. It is possible that Arcade1Up could not secure the full American artwork rights for Pac-Mania, presumably as they went through Atari Games rather than Midway.
In late 2024, an Arcade1Up Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga model was produced solely for in-store displays (i.e. not for retail sale). This model is effectively a "Deluxe" version with the bottom-half cut off, making it act as a large tabletop machine.
Arcade1Up cabinets were distributed by Taito Corporation in Japan, acting as a sales agent for Tastemakers. Only the initial 2018 cabinets were officially released in Japan, including the first Pac-Man model.[10]
The Arcade1Up Counter-Cade series has had several considerable alterations over the series' run:
The original 2019 models were larger in size, and retailed for (approx.) $200 USD. These models were criticized for having a large screen bezel compared to the actual LCD screen.
Models released from 2020-2021 are considerably smaller in size, though still feature the same size screen and joystick; this was done (in part) as a faux-solution to the complaints of the screen bezel. These models retailed for around $100-150 depending on the vendor.
Models released from 2022-2023 feature more varied cabinet shapes, though are otherwise similar in dimensions to the 2020-21 models.
Models released in late 2024 are made even smaller than the previous downscaled variants. These models - despite the MSRP still being around $150 - feature a much smaller screen in the incorrect aspect ratio (16:9 instead of 4:3), with the bottom area merely displaying the selected game's logo rather than gameplay. They have the option to operate on batteries rather than wall power.
The Pac-Man Giant Joystick console is known to have had a large amount of pre-release designs. When initially shown at CES 2020, the joystick top was a molded Pac-Man with an indented mouth. Around October of 2020, this design was changed in promotional photos to be a printed-on image of Pac-Man's face, without a molded mouth cut-out. The final design merely uses a solid yellow top, with the Pac-Man logo sticking out on top. Additional stock images use the final design in shape, but have different artwork across the base of the console.
It is rumored that the Giant Joystick's design was repeatedly changed due to people inappropriately posing with the display model at CES, including YouTube channels covering the showcase.
When shown at CES, the version of Pac-Man used on the Giant Joystick still featured a Bally Midway copyright byline in-game, and was displayed in stretched 16:9 resolution.
The Pac-Man Collection plug & play was originally planned to release under the name "Pac-Man Plug & Play Wireless Controller", and featured a different game list to the final unit. This original plan for the console used a form factor similar to the AtGames "Flashback Blast!" systems, consisting of an "HDMI dongle" that plugs into the TV. This design was later changed to be housed in a separate, miniature box, likely due to AtGames owning a loose patent on the "Blast!" design.
The Arcade1Up Classic SE systems feature black, pixelated effects on the sides of the machines, extending to the bottom of the cabinet. It is theorized (albeit unconfirmed) that this effect was added to avoid using designs created by ThinkUp, presumably for legal reasons.
Several Arcade1Up releases feature erroneous use of incorrect menu or artwork assets for their respective games:
The background image on some TV-based Arcade1Up systems appears to be a blurred screenshot of the fan-made Tandy Color Computer 3 port of Pac-Man, rather than the arcade version included on the consoles.
The Arcade1Up XL release of Pac-Man erroneously depicts a screenshot of the Amiga port of Pac-Land rather than the Bally Midway version used on the cabinet.[11]
The "Classic SE" Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man models appear to use a piece of Pac-Man Plus fanart by CosmicToons for its menu selection icon.[12][13][14]
Tastemakers was sued by Atari Interactive in March of 2024 (a former business partner and licensee), with Atari alleging that they had not been paid royalties for Arcade1Up products.[15] The outcome of this lawsuit is unknown, and may still be ongoing.
Several of Atari's submitted filings reveal various Arcade1Up concepts that never came to fruition; including machines with built-in mini fridges (similar to Pac-Man's Pixel Bash and Pac-Man Red Bull cabinets), and an attempt to license the infamous Atari E.T. game for Arcade1Up products.[15]
Following the company layoff(s), John D. would form a competitor company to Arcade1Up known as Media1UP. Somewhat more akin to ThinkUp in operation, Media1UP is an entity that creates machine designs for other manufacturers, such as Unico and Iconic Arcade.
On the Arcade1Up Deluxe cabinets themed after Ms. Pac-Man, the control panel erroneously colors Ms. Pac-Man's bow as yellow instead of pink next to the One Player button.
Gallery[]
Released systems[]
The first model of the Pac-Man Arcade1Up.
Pac-Man Collection
Pac-Man Giant Joystick
Pac-Man Projector-Cade
Pac-Man Partycade (version 4, black artwork)
Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga Class of '81
Pac-Man Plus
Pac-Man (Neon Edition)
Unreleased/prototype systems[]
Early picture of the Pac-Man Giant Joystick with a different design.
Early picture of the Pac-Man Giant Joystick with a different design.
Image of the Pac-Man Plug & Play Wireless Controller, which was reworked into the Pac-Man Collection system.
