1942 x Replicade Review: New Wave Toys’ latest 1/6 scale arcade cabinet [Video]

Back with their latest mini-arcade cabinet, the 1942 x RepliCade from New Wave Toys brings all of the attention to detail that we’ve seen on its previous cabinets to another classic title. In true New Wave Toys fashion, the Lowboy cabinet is impeccably designed in a 1/6th scale replica to capture the feel of the full-size cabinet. Be sure to hit the video below to see all of the details. 

Out of the Box

New Wave Toys always includes a few extras in the box for some more authenticity. For the 1942 x RepliCade, New Wave Toys has packed a few of the metal mini arcade tokens, a “Top Secret” sticker, and a 1943 mini arcade stick. 

How does it look? 

Just like its other cabinets, the first thing you notice when getting the 1942 x RepliCade out of the box is the incredible attention to detail. As a ⅙ scale replica, you might think that the graphics would be hard to see or fuzzy, but New Wave Toys creates a high-resolution package with tons of details. 

One update over some older cabinets is that the coin slot has a different design with a rocker button beside it. Pressing the rocker button up will add credits while pushing down will enter the arcade’s operator menu that features customizable dip switches and cabinet settings. 

Beyond settings, you can also boot up 1943 instead of 1942 to play either game. It’s fun to have a bit more variety in the cabinet. 

Looking at the back of the cabinet, let’s start from the top down. Up top, we have a volume dial, power indicator light, and power switch. Moving further down, we have the speakers. Closer to the bottom are the USB-A ports for connecting up to two external controllers, a micro-USB port for charging, and the HDMI output to connect to a TV. 

1942 x RepliCade: Video

How does it feel?

The stock controls on the 1942 x RepliCade cabinet feel quite different than the included 1943 controller. For the controls on the cabinet, there isn’t much sound or tactile feedback, and they feel a little mushy. When using the 1943 controller, you get a little more feel with some satisfying clicks. 

The cabinet also features an HDMI out if you want to connect it to a TV to make playing the game easier. If you’re trying to reach a high score, I would totally recommend this as the little bullets can be hard to see when they are coming at you on the small screen.

After seeing the Street Fighter ii x RepliCade, I wish there was a storage compartment in the back of the 1942 x RepliCade to place the 1943 controller. 

The LCD screen gets bright enough, though I did go into the menu to pump it up all the way when recording with video lights turned on. New Wave Toys also has speakers in the back, which sound great, even if the soundtrack from 1942 is a little harsh on your ears, thanks to that whistle.

Menu Options

Entering the menu provides a ton of options for the cabinet. First off, you can choose between 1942 and 1943 and change the difficultly. Both games have different difficulty options. You can change the brightness or backlight of the screen and turn on or off the marquee light. 

Other Replicade Cabinets

One of the best things about New Wave Toys is the collection they’re creating. We’ve gone hands-on with the Street Fighter II x RepliCade and the Dragon’s Lair x RepliCade, but there are many more than that in the collection. Be sure to follow them to keep an eye out for more upcoming cabinets since they are limited runs. 

Beyond arcade cabinets, they also carry accessories like stylish power banks and pads to make your mini-arcade more life-like. 

9to5Toys’ Take

If you’re a collector, the 1942 x RepliCade is an easy choice to make. It fits perfectly alongside other New Wave Toys cabinets with some incredible attention to detail. At $149, it is considerably more expensive than the Street Fighter and Dragon’s Lair cabinets, but is still a must-have for collectors.

Buy 1942 x Replicade

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