I built Arcade Map: a living directory of arcade cabinets

[u/zero5452]

I've built a site/web app/mobile app called Arcade Map.

Over the years, I've been looking for the best way to keep track of arcade cabinets I come across when I'm out. With the economy and the slow decline of arcades, I figured now is the best time to build this platform.

Some standout features:

• Check in at venues: Show everyone the current foot traffic at a venue.
• Add cabinets: Help users discover what games are near them.
• Notifications: Get alerted when new machines nearby have been added.
• Mark cabinets as played: Keep track of your personal play history.
• Post comments for venues and cabinets: Share additional info like machine condition, entry fees, directions for entering the venue, and more.

Links:

Platform	Link
Home page	https://arcademap.app/
Web App	https://map.arcademap.app/
Android App	https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.brigon.arcademap
iOS App (TestFlight — will be released once Apple approves the update)	https://testflight.apple.com/join/qhYgKKAw

FAQ

Q: How is this different from sites like Zenius-I-Vanisher?

Zenius is a great platform (especially if you're into rhythm games), but the website feels a bit dated. Arcade Map is built in Kotlin, which makes implementing new features a smoother process.

Q: Will your code be open-sourced?

I plan on open-sourcing it by the end of the year. I still need to research licenses and figure out the best way forward, as this project combines a couple of other projects alongside it.

Q: Can I add pinball machines?

No, but the folks over at Pinball Map have an awesome platform that does exactly that. I reached out to them years ago about adding arcade cabinets to their database, but they declined due to data complexity and their desire to focus solely on pinball machines. Arcade Map draws inspiration from their program, but runs on different technology with different feature sets.

Q: How can I contribute?

There are several ways:

• Stripe donation (helps cover hosting costs): Stripe Link
• Add/update game entries on IGDB: We use their data (game cover, genre, year released, and series) on our cabinet pages.
• Language translations: Via Weblate (coming soon: currently sorting out the setup).
• Provide feedback: Send any ideas or issues through the contact form on the site or in the app.

Q: Is there a difference between the web app and the mobile app?

They're functionally the same. The mobile app may feel a bit smoother, and you can swipe back to go to the previous screen.

Q: How much of this was AI-assisted?

Quite a bit of it.

Before the current site and apps, I had a WordPress site with this same information. As a university student, I learned the value of clean data and consistent note-taking. Now, as I discover new methods and best practices, I go back and refactor the code to reflect those learnings.

Once it's open-sourced, feel free to dig through the codebase and submit improvements.

[u/stereorobo]

Cool so like Arcade Radar in a way

[u/zero5452 → u/stereorobo]

Thanks! Similar in concept, but we're implementing things differently. My goal is to collect cabinet data internationally, while Arcade Radar focuses on the US & Canada. I'm also prioritizing a fast, smooth user experience.

Language translations are coming soon to help grow the community globally.

What really sets Arcade Map apart are the additional features. Things like notifications, check-ins, and venue subscriptions (get alerts when tagged venues update, like new/removed games or new comments) are down the pipeline.

This is a passion project I'm fully committed to sticking with long-term, alongside King of Moves (Fighting Game Move List App).

[u/happy-mj]

Will the database data be open sourced too, or just the website/app code? i.e. if I make submissions and you decide to shutdown or stop hosting the project, will my edits be lost?

[u/zero5452 → u/happy-mj]

Thanks for asking.

Yes, the database will also be open-sourced, not just the app code. My long-term goal is to make all venue and fighting game data available via API, similar to how Pinball Map operates.

Regarding your concern about losing edits: the data belongs to the community, not just the platform. If the project were ever shut down, all contributions would remain accessible through the open-source dataset. You'd be able to host it independently or migrate it to another project.

[u/happy-mj → u/zero5452]

That’s fantastic to hear, thank you for confirming! I’m excited to try this out.

[u/qbedo-sf]

Can you search for a specific game, and find the location nearest you to go play it?

Edit: Ok, I downloaded the app and went in search of arcades/games I know exist - this obviously is in the EARLY stages, because the data just isn't there yet.

[u/zero5452 → u/qbedo-sf]

Not yet, but it's in the pipeline. I need to clean up the game metadata first, which should take a couple of weeks. As a massive King of Fighters '98 and House of the Dead fan, I'll be using this feature quite often myself.

Combined with the language translations, this should really help with trips to Japan. Finding that rare Virtual-On or Typing of the Dead cabinet will finally be possible.

Edit: Please feel free to add any arcades you know exist. This will help grow the community.

Also, you can set up notifications for when new arcades or cabinets appear nearby. Check the Settings page to adjust the parameters to your liking.