The #NoticeMe Game Jam set out to find new games that could eventually work in physical arcade cabinets. Organised by Yoyo Games and Opera GX, the competition was held among indie developers using Game Maker Studio 2 and used the theme “Then the Night Changed Everything.”
More than 300 games entered, but only 10 reached the public vote. The competition also raised an appealing possibility for arcade fans: some of the winning games could be adapted for physical cabinets. It was not clear whether those cabinets would be produced specifically for the event or use an existing platform such as Polycade, but the prospect still represented a potential source of fresh content for the arcade scene.
I examined the 10 finalists during a livestream, approaching them as an arcade operator rather than simply as a home player. The key question was whether each game could attract and hold players in a coin-operated environment.
Public voting remained open until 5 April 2022, with the winners announced on 11 April. The results are listed below, beginning with fifth place. For the official announcement, the top five games were:
Of the finalists, Soulvester VS Lil Beezey and Moonleap appeared to need the fewest changes for commercial coin-op use. My personal vote went elsewhere, however: High Moon was my preferred choice, despite not appearing among the five winners.
What makes a good arcade game?
Evaluating these entries required a different mindset from reviewing a typical console or computer game. After almost 14 years in the arcade business, and experience with new manufacturer releases, retro titles and independent games, I use several practical tests. They are the same considerations I would apply when choosing an arcade machine for a venue or assessing software for an existing cabinet.
Can players understand it immediately?
A player should be able to approach the machine, insert a credit and quickly understand the basic objective. A steering wheel clearly suggests driving, while a joystick and buttons can support almost any genre, so the game must communicate its purpose through play rather than lengthy instructions.
Pac-Man remains an excellent example. Even someone unfamiliar with the game can work out the central idea through the visuals and the movement of the characters. Arcade audiences often do not want to read, and some players may be children or may not speak English. Even experienced adults can struggle with apparently simple tasks such as starting a pinball machine or navigating a game menu. The cabinet therefore needs to demonstrate what to do as quickly as possible.
Are tutorials and menus brief?
More complicated mechanics can benefit from a tutorial, but it should be short, optional where possible and easy to understand. Players usually expect to get into the action immediately, so character, stage or vehicle selections need to remain simple. Long menus and blocks of story text can send players away before they have experienced the game.
If a game needs to explain a story, visual direction and narration are generally more effective than forcing players to read. A coin-operated title also should not leave players at a static title screen filled with options. Any advanced settings should be hidden behind a quick prompt or a timed menu. Gimmick! Exact Mix, for example, tells players to hold Start at the beginning if they want additional options, then presents a menu with a timer.
Does it feel like an arcade game?
A game intended for a cabinet must be designed around the pressure of every paid play. That is different from a console or mobile title, where players can take their time, pause freely and explore menus without worrying about another credit. Several of the jam entries came close to the arcade format without fully embracing that distinction.
Is it enjoyable and replayable?
Immediate fun is essential, but a successful arcade game must also encourage another attempt. The classic catalogue demonstrates the value of strong, repeatable mechanics: decades after its release, Ms. Pac-Man continues to attract players because its basic loop remains compelling.
Is there meaningful depth?
The best games offer more than an understandable first play. Street Fighter II provides an obvious fighting experience, then rewards skilled players with deeper control combinations. Dariusburst Another Chronicle applies a similar idea to shooting games through features such as the Burst Laser and Chronicle Mode.
Secrets can serve the same purpose. Hidden characters, routes and other surprises give players reasons to return, yet many modern arcade releases do not include enough discoveries to reward repeated play.
Does it have a distinct personality?
Personality comes from the combined effect of characters, presentation, sound and small unexpected details. Games such as Midway’s CarnEvil, NBA Jam and Mortal Kombat are memorable because they have an unmistakable identity. Their characters and secrets make them feel like more than interchangeable action games.
Among the jam entries, Soulvester VS Lil Beezey stood out in this respect. Its personality was one reason I felt it deserved a higher position, alongside its suitability for adaptation to a cabinet.
Will the graphics attract attention?
A deliberately vintage visual style does not automatically work in a modern arcade. On digital storefronts, a game that resembles an early-1980s release can appear stylish. In a venue containing games from many decades, though, a new title with an unrecognised retro presentation may be mistaken for an old game and ignored.
Strong colour and visual energy can overcome that problem. On my exA-Arcadia setup, Gimmick! Exact Mix receives plenty of first attempts because it looks inviting, even though its design draws from the NES era and its difficulty limits extended replay. By contrast, Blazing Chrome AC offers a more forgiving learning curve, but its subdued early-1990s visual style has not attracted the same immediate attention.
Will players remember the audio?
Music and sound effects help establish a game’s identity. Original audio can be far more memorable than generic tracks and effects taken from production libraries. Distinctive sounds can identify a game long after a player has left the cabinet.
Several exA-Arcadia releases demonstrate the value of strong audio, with Vritra Hexa and Gimmick! having soundtracks that remain memorable. The jam did not place as much weight on this area because creating music and effects can be demanding for a solo developer, particularly when musical skills are not available within the team. It remains an important consideration for commercial arcade development.
The operator’s question: will it earn?
All of these qualities lead to the practical question for an operator: will players want to pay for another turn? Players are not responsible for the business side of a venue, but their spending determines whether a game can justify its space. Intuitive controls, immediate fun, replay value, depth, personality and strong presentation all contribute to that decision.
The winning games may require further adjustment before they are ready for the commercial arcade market. They could work well in some retro venues where visitors are not charged per play and can approach a title with a console-style amount of patience. For coin-op locations, however, reducing menus, improving onboarding and sharpening the short-session loop would make operators more likely to install them.
That is not a criticism of the developers’ effort. Adapting a browser or computer game for an arcade cabinet involves different priorities, and those refinements could help more players experience the titles in a real venue. Until then, the games remain available to play in a browser.
Congratulations to everyone who submitted a game. More than 300 entries show the level of interest in the event, and the finalists provide useful examples of both the promise and the challenges involved in bringing indie development to arcade hardware. For readers considering a custom cabinet, the same principles are worth keeping in mind when exploring DIY arcade kits, arcade parts or a complete home setup.
Which of the five winners would you most like to see in a cabinet? Do these arcade design tests match your own experience?
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