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Stimulating Creativity through an Arcade Machine

As someone who loves intellectually stimulating work that brings a vision to life, I always look for opportunities to outlet my creative energy into a project, whether that be through creating a stock pitch, or even building a full-size arcade machine.

In fact, a study conducted by San Francisco State University found that "employees who pursue creative activities outside of work may find that these activities boost their performance on the job." I champion this philosophy and practice to my life to help me produce my best work both in and outside of the workplace.

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For example, one of my highlight accomplishments as a senior in high school was building a custom arcade cabinet. As someone who likes video games, I always wanted my own arcade machine in my house, and with my woodworking background, I knew that I could turn that dream into reality.

About the Project

One of the coolest parts about the build is that the entire side actually opens up and functions as a large storage space, as the entire system itself is powered by a microcomputer that is about the size of a hand. The entire project was custom built, and I had the help of a graphic designer for the sides to make the cabinet truly come to life.

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The project itself roughly took 200 hours to make, and challenged me to learn how to plan out such a complex project and develop new skills and techniques as a hobbyist woodworker. Everyone who sees it always wants to play it, so it is great conversation starter while also presenting an opportunity to play some of our favorite childhood games.

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It was a great experience to build, not only to make a cool new centerpiece for my family's house, but also to develop learn project management skills, which is a competency I have been improving through both my creative work and involvement at Penn State to better prepare myself for a career in finance.

Project Build Timeline

All pictures/videos on this page relate to the process and completion of my arcade cabinet project and sourced by myself.

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