Your first week with a cabinet: a starter guide

Insert coin, player one.

This is the issue I get asked to resend every time someone buys their first machine, so here it is again, tidied up. A cabinet in the house is the best thing you can own and the heaviest. You need a van, a friend, a tape measure and a bit of patience.

The checklist

Measure the doorways before you agree to anything. Ask to see the machine switched on and look for a screen that is bright, sharp and steady. Check the coin door, the buttons and the joystick, because those are the parts you will touch most. Make sure there is a manual, or a model you can find one for. The arcade cabinet overview explains the different types, and the JAMMA standard is worth knowing if you ever want to swap the game board.

This week's high scores

• Frogger, in the corner by the fire door: nine frogs home, one left on the road.
• Missile Command, trackball version: 22,780 and a very sore thumb.
• Space Invaders, cocktail table: 18,340, a new record for the Thursday league.

See the full score table

That's the table for this week. Reply with your own best score, I read every one.

Ruth