Arcade system board
An arcade system board is a dedicated computer system created for the purpose of running video arcade games. Arcade system boards typically consist of a main system board with any number of supporting boards.[1]
Design
The earliest non-microprocessor based arcade system boards were designed around codeless state machine computers with the main board and any support boards consisting of discrete logic circuits comprising each element of the game itself.[2] The next generation of arcade system boards, with the inclusion of microprocessor based technology, incorporated the game program code directly on the main system board via game code stored in ROM chips mounted on the main board.
Later arcade system boards, including the DECO Cassette System, SNK's Neo-Geo, Capcom's CPS-2, and Sega's NAOMI, separated the system board from the game program itself, akin to a home video game console and cartridge/hard disk drive/disc. This method benefited both manufacturers and the arcade game cabinet owners. Once the system board was purchased, the owner could switch out the games with ease at a more affordable price while the manufacturer could produce fewer of the costly system boards.
Currently, the company with the record of the highest number of original arcade system boards is Sega.
List of arcade system boards
Atari
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Bally
- Bally Sente Sac 1 (1984-1987)
- Bally Sente Sac 2 (1987)
BrezzaSoft
- Crystal System (2001-2003)
Capcom
- Capcom Commando Hardware (1985-1988)
- Capcom Section Z Hardware (1985-1987)
- Capcom Side Arms Hardware (1986-1989)
- Capcom Tiger Road Hardware (1987-1991)
- CP System (1988-1995)
- CP System II (1993-2003)
- CP System III (1996-1999)
- Capcom Medal (2003-2008)
Cave
- Cave 1st Generation (1994-2001)
- Cave Variant PolyGame Master (2002-2003)
- Cave CV1000B (2004-2007)
- Cave CV1000D (2008-2012)
- Cave PC Based (2009)
CD Express
- Cubo CD32 (1995-1999)
Data East
- DECO Cassette System (1980-1985)
- DECO Laserdiscs (1983-1985)
- DECO 8-bit (1986-1988)
- DECO 16-bit (1987-1990)
- DECO 32-bit (1991-1995)
- DECO Simple 156 (1993-1996)
- DECO MLC System (1995-1996)
Eolith
- Eolith System (1998-2001)
- Eolith 16-bit (1999)
- Eolith Vegas (2002)
- Eolith Ghost (2003-2005)
EXA
- eXA-Arcadia (2018-)
Fuuki
- FG-2 (1995-1996)
- FG-3 (1998-2000)
Gaelco
- Gaelco GAE1 (1994)
- Gaelco GAE2
- Gaelco GG-1v (1998)
- Gaelco 3D (1996-1998)
- Gaelco PowerVR Based (1999-2002)
- Gaelco PC Based (2003-2005)
ICE
- VP101 (2002-2004)
International Games System
- PolyGame Master (1997-2005)
- PolyGame Master 2 (2007-2011)
- PolyGame Master 3 (2012)
- IGS PC Based (2004-)
Incredible Technologies
- Incredible Technologies 8-bit Hardware (1988-1992)
- Incredible Technologies 32-bit Hardware (1992-2002)
- Incredible Technologies Eagle Hardware (1999-2005)
- Incredible Technologies PC Based Hardware (2005-)
Interpark
- NEXUS 3D (2006-2007)
Irem
- Irem M-10/M-15 (1979-1980)
- Irem M-27 (1980-1981)
- Irem M-52 (1982-1983)
- Irem M-62 (1984-1986)
- Irem M-63 (1984-1985)
- Irem M-72 (1987-1990)
- Irem M-73 (1991)
- Irem M-75 (1988)
- Irem M-77 (1988)
- Irem M-81 (1989-1990)
- Irem M-82 (1989-1990)
- Irem M-84 (1989-1991)
- Irem M-85 (1990)
- Irem M-90 (1991)
- Irem M-92 (1991-1994)
- Irem M-97 (1992-1993)
- Irem M-107 (1993-1995)
Jaleco
- Mega System 1 (1988-1993)
- Jaleco Cisco Heat Hardware (1989-1993)
- Mega System 32 (1993-1997)
- Jaleco Tetris Plus 2 (1997-2000)
Kaneko
- Kaneko AX System (1991-1995)
- Super Kaneko Nova System (1996-2002)
Konami
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Limenko
- Power System 2 (2000-2003)
Metro Corporation
- Metro System 16 (2000)
MicroProse
- MicroProse 3D Hardware (1990-1993)
Midway
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Mitchell
- Mitchell System (1988-1991)
Namco
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Nintendo
- Nintendo Vs. System (1984-1990)
- PlayChoice-10 (1986-1991)
- Triforce (2002-2007)
NMK (Video Game Company)
- Argus Hardware (1986-1987)
- NMK 16-bit Hardware (1989-2001)
Psikyo
- Psikyo 1st Generation (1993-1996)
- Psikyo SH-2 (1997-2002)
RCI
- NEO STANDARD (2011)
Sammy
- SSV (Sammy, Seta, Visco) (1993-2001)
- Sammy Medal Game System (1999-2004)
- Atomiswave (2003-2009)
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Seibu
- Seibu SPI System (1995-1999)
SI Electronics
- Aurora (2004-2008)
- System Board Y2 (2009-2011)
Seta
- Seta 1st Generation (1987-1996)
- Seta 2nd Generation (1993-2002)
- Seta Aleck64 (1998-2004)
Skonec
- SkoPro (2008)
SNK
- SNK Rockola Hardware (1980-1982)
- SNK Marvin's Maze Hardware (1983-1984)
- SNK Main Event Hardware (1984-1985)
- SNK Hall 21 Based (1985)
- SNK Triple Z80 Based (1985-1988)
- SNK Ikari Warriors Hardware (1986-1988)
- SNK Psycho Soldier Hardware (1986-1988)
- SNK Alpha 68K Based Hardware (1987-1989)
- SNK 68K Based Hardware (1988-1989)
- SNK Beast Busters Hardware (1989)
- Neo Geo MVS (1990-2004)
- Hyper Neo Geo 64 (1997-1999)
Sony
- ZN-1 (1995-2000)
- ZN-2 (1997-1999)
Taito
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Tecmo
- Tecmo 1st Generation (1986-1988)
- Tecmo 16-Bit Hardware (1992-1995)
- Tecmo System (1995-1996)
- TPS System (1997-2001)
Terminal[3]
- TIA-MC-1 (1986-<1992)
Photon
- Photon (arcade cabinet) (1986-<1992)
- Photon-IK02 (1986-<1992)[4]
Williams
- Williams 6809 REV.1 (1980-1985)
- Williams 6809 REV.2 (1983-1986)
- Williams Z-Unit (1988)
- Williams/Midway Y UNIT (1990-1992)
See also
- JAMMA
- Arcade cabinet
References
- http://www.computerspacefan.com/ComputerSpace.pdf
- Al Alcorn Interview Archived October 24, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- "About Us -- EXTREMA-Ukraine in English". Archived from the original on 2007-10-23.
- "Фотон-ИК02 — SpeccyWiki in Russian".