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Arcade gaming expert Andy Pickerill gives his tips for aspiring Flatpac-Men and Kings of Kong 1/ Monitor maketh the man – Both open frame and CRT displays connect easily to PCs. If using an open frame, attach a couple of wooden batons to your cabinet to bolt it on to; if it’s a CRT, make a shelf, as it will be much heavier. But remember: while horizontal mounting suits most games, if you like shooters such as Galaga, you’ll want it vertical. 2/ Joystick-gate – Your handle aesthetic is a matter of preference, but the gate is key: it controls how you can control the stick. A four-way lets you move up, down, left and right, for something as simple as Pac-Man, but if you’re playing something a little more modern, particularly three-dimensional fighters like Tekken, an eight-way is essential. 3/ Button bashing – The main choice is between concave and convex styles. The former were used in many classic 80s machines, but again, convex buttons are usually preferred by modern fighting fans. Another important factor is the microswitch: high-actuation switches sound quite clicky, whereas Cherry microswitches are the quietest. 4/ Keyboard encoding – If the lazy man in you can’t resist using MAME emulation rather than original JAMMA boards, the I-PAC2 (Interface for PC to Arcade Controls) will translate button and stick moves so your PC can understand them.