Build a hockey arcade machine

Updated October 9, 2026

A hockey arcade machine doesn't need a cabinet full of custom parts. A TV, a cheap computer, a USB hub and four USB controllers get you four-player arcade hockey that runs itself, plays a demo when nobody is on it, and costs about a hundred dollars if you already have the TV.

The parts

• A TV or monitor with an HDMI input. Whatever you have.
• A cheap computer that runs Chrome. A used business mini PC is the best value and hides behind the TV. See the cheapest computer that can run it.
• A four-port USB hub, like the vienon 4-port hub.
• Four USB controllers, like two packs of Rii retro USB controllers, or any Xbox or PlayStation controllers.
• An HDMI cable and a power strip.

Putting it together

1. Mount the TV on a wall or a rolling stand at eye height for whoever will play: lower for a kids' room.
2. Hide the computer. Most mini PCs fit a VESA bracket on the back of the TV. Out of sight, out of pocket.
3. Run the hub to a shelf under the TV and plug the controllers into it. Short cables keep the controllers from wandering off; a zip tie through a cable loop and around the shelf works too.
4. Open Rink Lobby Mode. In Chrome go to brudvighockey.com and press Rink Lobby Mode, or go straight to brudvighockey.com/?bar=1. Press A on each controller once to check it joins.
5. Remap the buttons if they feel wrong. In the lobby, press the button that opens the button setup (Y or △ on most controllers) and press each one in turn. It's saved for that kind of controller.

The diagram and every step are in the setup guide.

Making it run itself

• Sleep off. In the computer's power settings, set the screen and sleep to Never when plugged in.
• Back on after a power cut. Many mini PCs have a setting in the BIOS called something like "Restore on AC power loss" or "Power on after power failure". Turn it on and the machine starts when the power comes back.
• Open the game on startup. On Windows, put a shortcut in the Startup folder that opens Chrome in kiosk mode: chrome.exe --kiosk https://brudvighockey.com/?bar=1. It opens full screen with no address bar.
• TV settings. Turn off eco mode and auto power off, and turn on game mode if the TV has it.

What players see

A demo game with PRESS A TO PLAY. Any button joins. Stick left or right picks a side, A is ready, and the puck drops. After each game the score shows for 20 seconds and it goes back to the lobby. Leaving Rink Lobby Mode takes holding Back or Esc for three seconds, so a bored kid won't find the desktop.