Where Cabinet History and Joystick Lore Live On
A Sharm El Sheikh archive dedicated to preserving arcade heritage, one restored cabinet and one control panel at a time.
Browse ArchiveWhat the Community Says
Found this place while researching Egyptian arcade import history for a university paper. The write-up on regional cabinet distribution routes through the Red Sea ports was something I couldn't find anywhere else.
I sent them photos of a joystick I inherited and within a week got back a detailed rundown of its likely manufacturer and era. Genuinely felt like talking to someone who's spent decades with this stuff.
Their piece comparing Taito and Sega cabinet wiring diagrams cleared up a mess I'd been stuck on for months. Not flashy writing, just people who clearly know the PCBs inside out.
Visited during a trip to Sharm El Sheikh and ended up spending three hours reading through the joystick lore section instead of going to the beach. No regrets honestly.
The archive on cabinet marquee art from the early 80s gave me exactly the reference material I needed for a restoration project. Detailed, sourced, and refreshingly free of fluff.
What stood out was how they traced a single cabinet's journey from a Cairo arcade closure to its current home. Small details, but that's the kind of history that usually gets lost.
Common Questions From Visitors
A few things readers often ask about the archive and what we cover
What kind of cabinets does the archive focus on?
We cover a wide range, from early 1980s golden-age uprights to mid-90s fighting game cabinets, with particular attention to units that passed through Middle Eastern and North African distribution networks.
Do you sell or restore cabinets for customers?
No, this is an editorial archive, not a repair shop. We document restoration techniques, share historical context, and profile cabinets and joysticks as part of our ongoing preservation coverage.
Where is the Cassianie Arcade Museum based?
The archive operates out of Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, where we maintain our reference collection and write about the pieces that pass through our hands or come to us via reader submissions.
Can I submit a cabinet or joystick for research?
Yes, readers regularly send in photos and details of unusual finds. We research provenance where possible and sometimes feature notable submissions in dedicated archive entries.
Is any of the content about playing games rather than history?
Our focus stays on preservation, hardware lore, and cabinet history rather than gameplay reviews. Occasionally we reference specific titles when they're tied to a cabinet's design or mechanical story.
Every Cabinet Has a Story Worth Preserving
Step into the archive and follow the trail of joystick lore, cabinet schematics, and forgotten arcade history.
From the Archive
A look at the cabinets, controls, and stories currently under the microscope
Taito Space Invaders Cabaret
We trace the cabaret-style cabinet's compact design and how it influenced smaller arcade footprints across coastal Egyptian venues in the early 1980s.
Sega Astro City Legacy
A look at the modular cabinet that became a staple of import arcades, and why its control panel layout still gets referenced by restorers today.
Konami Time Pilot Joystick Assembly
An overlooked eight-way joystick mechanism that shaped later rotary-style controls, examined here through original schematics and hands-on teardown notes.
Neo Geo MVS Cabinet Variants
We document the regional differences between MVS cabinet shells that reached North African arcades versus their more commonly known international counterparts.
Williams Defender Control Deck
A deep look at one of the more unusual multi-button layouts of its era, and the restoration challenges collectors still run into with original decks.
Capcom CPS Cabinet Wiring Notes
Archived diagrams and reader-submitted photos help piece together how CPS-era cabinets were adapted for different regional power standards.