The Home Arcade: A Complete Setup Guide

You don't need a dedicated game room to have a home arcade. You need a table, a CHEERIVY machine, and a little planning.

The arcade experience — lights, sound, competition — can live on any table in your home. Here's a complete setup guide to turn a corner of your space into the spot everyone gravitates toward.

Step 1: Choose the space

Home arcades work anywhere there's a flat surface:

A dining table — the easiest start; set up the machine when game night begins
A game room or rec room — permanent placement, always ready
A living room corner — the machine becomes the decorative centerpiece when idle
A desk or side table — for quick sessions and small spaces

Rule of thumb: the space doesn't need to be big — it needs to be reachable. A machine that takes ten minutes to set up gets played less than one that's ready in two.

Step 2: Pick the table

The machines are tabletop-sized, so any sturdy table works. Give players room around the edges — four controllers means four people need comfortable access. A circular or square table where everyone can see the machine works best.

Step 3: Choose your machine

Pinball machine — for score-based tournaments and long sessions. The points system creates rivalries that last.
Air hockey battle — for fast, quick-fire rounds. Three-strikes rules get a party started instantly.
Both — the full arcade corner: one for duels, one for chaos. Most owners eventually end up here.

Step 4: Light it up

The machines bring their own LED show, but a little ambient help goes a long way:

Dim the main lights so the machine's lighting pops
Add a small warm lamp for table visibility between rounds
Keep the area around the machine uncluttered so the light and sound stay the focus

Step 5: Organize the gear

Nothing kills a game night like hunting for controllers:

Store controllers together — a small bin or drawer keeps all four in one place
Keep spare batteries on hand — wireless controllers run on batteries; have backups ready
Designate a "game night box" — machine, controllers, and a printed bracket sheet in one spot means setup in minutes

Step 6: Make it a ritual

The final step isn't physical — it's scheduling. Pick one night a week, set up the machine, run a quick bracket, and protect that slot. A home arcade isn't the furniture; it's the habit.

The quick checklist

✅ Table with room for four players
✅ CHEERIVY machine (pinball, air hockey, or both)
✅ Controllers stored together, batteries fresh
✅ Lighting that makes the LED show pop
✅ One weekly game night, protected

Your table is ready

Five steps, and the corner of your home becomes the room everyone wants to be in — lights on, controllers out, scores to settle.

Set up your home arcade — shop the CHEERIVY collection now →