Wagner's TechTalk

Tech You Love

AtGames Legends Ultimate Guide

← All AtGames Guides

Last Update: 3/13/2023

Video: AtGames Legends Ultimate (v1.1): The Expandable Home Arcade

My first AtGames product purchase was the AtGames Legends Pinball (ALP). I really love this machine, so much so I began creating the ALP Guide shortly after setting it up. In that guide, it was my goal to document everything I’ve learned to help the community.

Fast-forward four months, I’m excited to say I now own an AtGames Legends Ultimate (ALU)! Huge thank you to AtGames which provided this unit for review and guide development. The goal of this guide is to inform and assist with issues with your ALU. If it’s a machine you’re considering, hopefully you find answers to your questions here. The AtGames platform is very similar between machines. Once you learn one, you’ll feel right at home with the other. There are differences between the two, therefore a new guide specific to the ALU was necessary. There is always something new to learn and this guide will continue to expand over time.

It is a lot of work creating and maintaining the guides on this site. I appreciate support by subscribing to the YouTube channel. Commenting on/and liking the videos all help tremendously in growing the content you’ll find here.

–Jon

How-To link to a specific section on this page: go to the Table of Contents (below) and click a section to reference. Copy the URL from the address-bar of your browser and paste in your video description/post/blog. This will direct a viewer to a specific section in any of the guides you find here.

What is the ALU?

The AtGames Legends Ultimate

The AtGames Legends Ultimate (ALU) is a full-size, connected home Arcade cabinet. It stands 66 inches tall, 28.5 inches wide and 21 inches deep. The ALU includes a 2-player control panel which is unique in that not only does it have two joysticks (+2 sets of 6 gaming buttons) but also includes two spinners and a trackball. This means, that you’ll be able to play the vast majority of games using a controller that was originally intended for that game.

The ALU includes 300 built-in games (see here for a full game list). Many of those games are console games but there are some very good classic Arcade games as well, such as: Asteroids, Tron, Millipede, Elevator Action and more. When you consider the competitors which are typically 12 (or fewer) games in a cabinet, this is impressive! I wasn’t worried about the somewhat limited built-in set of games, I knew from my experience with the ALP that adding more games was as simple as setting up CoinOpsX. After preparing the USB drive, the ALU can now play well over thousands of games including some exciting hits like Dragon’s Lair (the Laser Disc Game from ’83), Golden Tee, Galaga, etc. and quite literally we’d be here all day if I listed them all. Just know, almost every classic game you might ever want to play on the ALU can be played.

While I definitely understand the appeal of some of the competing arcade machines on the market, I can’t see paying 40% more than the cost of an ALU for them. Those machines offer no path for expansion, you’re stuck with a small, pretty cabinet that will never play anything else without some invasive moding. The ALU is very different, it allows you to connect to the internet (firmware updates, on-line leaderboards, Arcadenet), use the control deck over OTG (on the go) or Bluetooth to connect to other devices. Basically, the ALU can act as an Arcade terminal to allow playing games on other machines, including portable retro gaming handheld devices! It also includes hundreds of games, with the potential to add thousands more. The ALU is, without a doubt, the best value for anyone who wants to play classic Arcade games (cabinet form-factor) in their home.

Why the ALU?

I’m no stranger to Retro-Gaming with Raspberry Pi’s (RetroPie, Batocera, Recalbox, etc.), Super Console X devices and other Single Board computers/consoles. I’ve used Raspberry Pi’s in 3 custom-built Arcade machines, designed custom Arcade Control Panels, etc. So why would I be interested in the Legends Ultimate? Below are my reasons:

  • Expandability – I enjoy tinkering and building new gaming rigs. However, when a new Raspberry Pi is released (i.e. going from Pi3b+ to Pi4) this often requires opening the cabinet, setting up new software, re-configuring controllers, tuning the image/theme/artwork, etc. With the ALU you have 300 built-in games, Arcadenet and the option of adding CoinOpsX. With CoinOpsX, you can simply follow the CoinOpsX Guide and install thousands of classic Arcade games without the need to connect anything more than a USB drive to the ALU. Should you want to add other systems such as a Pi4/Retro handheld, etc. all you have to do is connect the HDMI+OTG cable, press a button on the ALU and the ALU acts as a display and controller to the connected device. This makes the ALU an expandable gaming solution.
  • Ease of use/Setup – I wanted a system that was easy to use. One that I could show my wife and kids how to operate in just a few minutes. I don’t want them to have to tinker with controller settings, accidentally enter the MAME configuration menu (happens frequently in RetroPie), complex switching from game-to-game, etc. The ALU delivered on the ease-of-use, they can play the included 300 games or switch to CoinOpsX and play thousands more. The game selection and game-play experience is great!
  • On-line Leaderboards – I had read that the ALU supported the ability to play the included games on-line and submit high scores to their servers. This option works well, I have a few scores uploaded at this point (none particularly close to the top scores). This is a very nice feature. It would be awesome if CoinOpsX had a similar feature for uploading high-scores. Who knows, that may happen at some point in the future.
  • Pinball -The ALP was my first AtGames product purchase and really enjoy playing all the awesome Zaccaria and Taito volumes that AtGames has released. Having them on the ALU is a great way for my family to play on either machine and I was impressed at how fun they are on the ALU. I was expecting a vertically-oriented game, such as pinball, to not play that well on a horizontally-oriented monitor. It wasn’t the case, while I definitely prefer to play pinball tables on the ALP, it is a very nice option on the ALU too.
  • Lobby – The lobby is another reason for picking up the ALU. While I’ve not tried this feature out (yet), I understand how it works and look forward to playing someone on-line very soon.

Assembly

The assembly of the ALU was very easy, below are just a few highlights. The included manual does a good job of stepping you through the process. In total, you should be able to assemble it well within 30 minutes.

  • Install all 16 cam bolts into the two panels.
  • Install the 16 cam heads into the four boards.
  • Tighten the boards to one of the side panels, see the instructions for the board orientation for the bottom panel to slide through.
  • Slide the bottom panel through the slots.
  • Attach the other side panel using the cam heads.
  • Slide in the back/front panels through the tracks.
  • Install the small screw to the back panel.
  • Attach the bar top to the bottom portion of the cabinet.
  • Plug in the 3 cables (Output, USB and Power), the cables are tucked up under the bar top.
  • Install the x2 top screws and x6 side screws into the cabinet.
  • You can install the safety brackets, especially if you have small children.
  • Plug in the power and you’re ready to play!

Specifications

Specifications taken from the Sam’s Club product page.

  • Worlds first connected arcade
  • Full-size arcade machine
  • Designed for players of all ages, skill levels and play preferences
  • 300 built-in games
  • Authentic virtual pinball fun
  • Games can be enjoyed from the authentic arcade-style control panel
  • Includes 2 joysticks, 6 action buttons per player, high-performance trackball and 2 spinners
  • Replicates look and feel of full-size arcade machines
  • Modern user interface, intuitive and customizable menu themes, network play
  • Internet connectivity, leaderboards, cloud gaming streaming and more
  • Top licensors include Atari, Disney, Star Wars, The Tetris Company and more
  • Open-API interface
  • Save, rewind and load games
  • Custom software found on Legends Ultimate
  • HDMI/USB connectors allow users to connect to AtGames devices like the Blast!™ and Boom!™
  • Games from Blast! dongles and Boom! consoles play directly on Legends Ultimate
  • Non-AtGames HDMl-based devices can use existing controls

Control Panel

The control panel has an impressive assortment of controllers which will allow you to play most games the way they were meant to be played. For example, there are two spinners which is great for games like Tempest and Arkanoid. A trackball which works very well for games like Centipede and Millipede as well as a set of buttons and joysticks for player-1 and player-2. The following image describes the location of each of those buttons and control options.

2-Player Control Panel

2-Player Arcade Control Panel Features

AtGames News Updates

For the latest AtGames News, visit the AtGames News Updates page.

The new AtGames News Page

Purchase Locations

The AtGames Legends Ultimate may be found at the following locations:

(New)

Resources

The following are a collection of ALU resources that may be helpful to you :

More ALU Reviews

If you’re considering the AtGames Legends Ultimate, always a good idea to get opinions from others. Here are some videos from fellow content creators that I recommend watching (don’t forget to subscribe to their channels) :

Manuals

The following are the official manuals from AtGames, incase they go missing or are lost:

  • ALU Instruction Manual – This is the same manual that was included with the ALU when it shipped.
  • Full ALU Game List – The full list of included games that ship with the ALU. Don’t see the one you’re looking for, you and add thousands more with a single USB stick (See the CoinOpsX Guide for more details).

Game Play

There are 300 included games that ship with the ALU version 1.1. These games include some very popular hits from well-known companies such as: Disney, TAITO, Atari, Data East and others. Games include familiar titles such as: Centipede, Fix-It Felix, Tron, Bubble Bobble, Burger Time, Super Star Wars Trilogy and many more. A full list may be found here.

Upload High Scores

Many of the included games support the ability to upload your high-score to the on-line leaderboards. Here’s how:

  • Once your game is finished, click the AtGames/Menu button and select Save High Score.
  • You’ll then see the results of your game with your score highlighted, press A to Proceed.
  • Use the Joystick to enter your initials (left/right and up/down).
  • Press A to submit your score. When you exit the game, your score will be uploaded to the AtGames servers.
The Games menu

CoinOpsX

Detailed CoinOpsX Guide

CoinOpsX allows you to play those classic Arcade Games that may not be available from AtGames. There are thousands more games that may be downloaded to a USB drive and installed to your ALU and run using the CoinOpsX application. The good news is, a single USB stick can be used for both pinball tables (or other game packs/volumes available from AtGames) and your CoinOpsX games. For a full guide on how to setup CoinOpsX, visit the AtGames CoinOpsX Guide.

Guide: Detailed Coin Ops X guide

KODI

Kodi is an open-source media package that is available on a number of platforms and is now in beta for the ALU! You will need to have v 5.46.0 firmware (or higher) installed to use this new option. Kodi may be found within the AppStoreX menu option. As of its current release, it is limited to only accessing media from a USB drive and supports: video, pictures and music playback. Ad-On’s are not currently supported for download nor as installable archives.

Navigation

  • Cursor Navigation – Mouse cursor navigation is performed using the Trackball.
  • Selecting – Selecting or left mouse click of the options may be performed using the A button.
  • Go Back – Press B to go back to the previous menu.
  • List Scrolling – To scroll a list of folders, media, etc. simply roll the trackball up/down the list.
  • Exit Kodi – To exit Kodi, hover the mouse cursor over the power icon and press the A button. Then, select the Exit option to exit Kodi.

Bring your own Games (BYOG)

VIDEO: Setup and Play Vertical MAME Arcade Games (works on ALU as well)

Legends ALP/ALU: MAME Game Guide – detailed guide on how to set it up. *NOTE: The video to the right was created prior to receiving an ALU. However, the steps are the same.

The Legends Ultimate will allow adding your own classic Arcade games to the machine using a USB Thumb drive. That is, you can play games such as Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Galaga, 1943 and thousands of others directly on your ALU! However, you may also want to check out CoinOpsX. It’s another option with thousands of games already in .UCE format for your ALU.

When generating the .UCE files for your games, you will be missing the samples. For some games like Donkey Kong (Mario walking), Galaga (explosion) and others this will be noticeable to those of us that grew up playing those arcade games. However, the samples are available if you use CoinOpsX!

Legends Gaming

For details on all the latest available Gaming Packs (Arcade and Pinball), Flash Drive X Setup, Code Redemption, Installing/Uninstalling games, check out the Legends Gaming Guide.

Settings

For an explanation of each of the options that are available in the Settings tab, please see the Settings Guide.

Operation

Mastering the settings on the ALU isn’t difficult. Though, when you’re first getting started knowing how to navigate the UI may be a little challenging. Below we’ll cover some basics to get you going.

Filtering Game Lists
  • Navigating the Menus – Use either joystick to move up/down/left right to select the tiles or the menu/tabs at the top. You will typically press A to select an option or B to go back. However, check the bottom of each screen as it will provide more tips on other options/buttons that are available.
  • Favorites List – You can create a favorites list of all your favorite games using the following:
    • Select the game from the list and press A (don’t launch it, just browse to the game menu).
    • Then press the C button to toggle the Favorite selection.
    • Press B to go back to the Game selection.
    • Press the AtGames/home button.
    • Using the Joystick move down into to the Favorites option and press the A button.
    • Now you’ll only see your favorite games (if nothing is there, you didn’t add a game to the Favorites list).
  • Return to All Games (from Favorites) – To return to seeing All Games:
    • Highlight one of the games in the list.
    • Press the AtGames/Home button.
    • Select All Games and press A.
    • Now you should see All Games.
  • Filtering Game List – Using the same technique shown above for Return to All Games, you can also filter by other categories: All Games, Featured, Favorites, Leaderboard, Recent, Channels (Atari, Data East, Disney, etc.), Platforms (Arcade, Atari 2600, Genesis, etc.), Inputs (Joystick, Spinner, Trackball).
  • Updating the Firmware – Login using your ArcadeNet account first, then: On the top tab bar, go to Settings → Version (x.y.z) and press the A button. If no update exists, press the B Button to exit. Otherwise, select the Download option. Once complete, select the Update option (this may take ~10+ min. to apply the firmware update). The machine will restart and display the status while updating, then reboot once more when the firmware update has completed.
  • Factory Reset the ALU – Power off the device. Press and hold the recovery button with a pin. Power on, then press and hold the P1 START + MENU buttons while you continue to hold the recovery button. Once you see the factory reset prompt, release all buttons. Follow the on-screen instructions.

ArcadeNet

ArcadeNet is a service provided by AtGames for your ALU which lets you stream Arcade games from a virtual server in the cloud down to your machine. There is no need to install anything, it’s all streamed to your machine. For the best results, you’ll want to connect an Ethernet cable to the back of your ALU instead of WiFi. While both will work, you’ll get much better performance with an Ethernet cable attached. When you play a multi-player game from the Lobby, you’re accessing a remote server to play your opponent.

1st Party Expansion

Below are expansion options provided by AtGames that will allow you to get more out of your AtGames Legends Ultimate. Including:

  • Arcade Play Link (APL) – allows you to easily connect and play prior AtGames products directly on your ALU.
  • Legends BitPixel (LCD) – provides a colorful image (many animated) of the selected game or option. This slick accessory replaces the existing Legends Ultimate marquee.
  • Pinball Kit – There is a huge library of pinball tables that you can also play on your ALU. You can use the buttons on the control panel, but for a better experience you can use the Pinball Kit. This kit is easy to assembly, just 2 screws per button assembly and you’ll have a much more pleasant experience playing pinball on your ALU.

Arcade Play Link (APL)

The ALU is backwards compatible with prior AtGames products such as the Legends Flashback, Blast!, etc. that utilize the Arcade Play Link (APL). Using APL with the ALU, you can instantly upgrade the ALU by connecting the device.

Legends Flashback and Blast! products

Legends QuadPlay 4-Player Control Panel

The Legends Quad Play is an accessory you can add to your Legends Ultimate to provide 4-play Arcade gaming. A detailed guide on this product may be found here. See below for a first look at the QuadPlay!

Video: Legends QuadPlay

Features include:

  • Drop-in arcade control panel for Legends Ultimate 1.1/1.2 (300 games version). Not compatible with the ALU 1.0.
  • USB and Bluetooth support for use with all Legends Arcade Family and other devices
  • Four eight-way digital joysticks
  • P1 and P2 feature six action buttons each
  • P3 and P4 feature four action buttons each
  • Optional center-mounted arcade-quality trackball (not included/optional)
  • See here for a dedicated guide on the QuadPlay!

Legends BitLCD

Video: Legends BitLCD Arcade Marquee Setup and Review

The Legends BitLCD Arcade Marquee is an impressive upgrade for the Legends Ultimate 1.0, 1.1 or 1.2 cabinet. The BitLCD brings back the original arcade experience by providing an high-resolution representation of the original Arcade marquees you remember. For a dedicated, detailed guide, please see here.

Legends BitPixel

Video: BitPixel LED Marquee Unboxing, Setup & Demonstration

The Legends BiPixel is an accessory available from AtGames which provides an LED marquee to change artwork as a new game is selected from the interface and during game play. The marquee images may exist as static or animated representations of the game artwork and varies based on the selected game. Huge thank you to the excellent community support at the Legends Ultimate subreddit who helped guide me in the right direction. This is a great accessory for the ALU and one I highly recommend.

In addition, you may be interested in the Legends BitPixel Accessory (LBPA) which allows you to connect the BitPixel internally to the ALU. For more information on the Legends BitPixel Accessory, please see here.

If you would like to use your Legends BitPixel in different ways (i.e. with a PC, Raspberry Pi, etc.), please visit the Pixelcade website for more information.

What’s included:

Legends BitPixel LED Marquee
  • The BitPixel Marquee
  • 12V 5000mA power supply
  • Wall Mount / x2 Screw Types
  • USB 3.0 cable
  • User’s Guide

Things you may need

Installation

The installation is relatively easy and you should be able to do so within 30 minutes. Below are the steps I took for installation to an ALU v1.1 machine (see note below if you’ll be installing the ALU to a version 1.0 machine):

*NOTE – Installation on an ALU 1.0 machine will differ, see next section for more if using an ALU v1.0

  • Power off the ALU and disconnect the power cable from the back.
  • Remove the 6 screws from the existing marquee and remove it.
  • Plug in the power cable into the back of the BitPixel (not the end that plugs into a power outlet).
  • Plug in the USB cable into the BitPixel.
  • Verify that the switch is positioned towards the USB port.
  • Remove the screws on the back panel of the ALU.
  • Gently remove and hold onto the back panel, disconnect the two power cables and Ethernet cable from the back panel. Take note of the locations where each wire is coming from to make re-installation easier.
  • Install 3 Type 1 or Type 2 screws using either of the two orientations shown in the manual (I used pattern B).
  • Gently slide the Power supply in through the empty marquee area as well as the USB cable (all connections to the BitPixel itself should have already been made at this point).
  • Slide the BitPixel marquee over the 3 screws that were installed in the marquee area.
  • From the back of the cabinet, disconnect the USB cable to the left of the main assembly (the one where all wires are connecting) and plug that end into one of the available ports on the USB hub.
Disconnect USB cable and plug in 4-port USB hub
  • Plug the end of the USB hub into the USB port in the main assembly.
  • Plug the BitPixel USB cable into one of the available ports on the USB hub.
  • Use two strips of velcro and attach it to the bottom of the USB hub and affix it to an accessible location inside the cabinet. You may also install a USB drive inside the hub, if you prefer. I chose to use to front-panel USB ports instead but you can install it according to your preference.
  • Locate the wires going from the LED strip lights (mine were 2 wires, black and white) at the top and disconnect the connection going into the main unit.
  • Re-install the RJ-45 Ethernet cable and two power cables back to their original locations on the back panel.
  • At this point, you can choose to drill a hole or not in the back panel for the BitPixel power supply. Instead of drilling, I loosely screwed the top screw and allowed the power supply cable to run over the top of the panel. I then applied x2 more velcro strips to make sure there was no stress on the power cable itself.
  • Re-install the remaining screws into the back panel.
  • Plug in the power to the BitPixel, back of the ALU and power-on the machine.
  • This completes the installation steps!

BitPixel ALU 1.0

The BitPixel will install differently to the ALU v1.0. While I don’t have an ALU 1.0 to create any detailed sequence of steps. Special thank you to Dave K. who provided the following assistance for ALU 1.0 owners after his installation success:

  • The BitPixel will connect via USB to the front panel, not internally as shown above for the ALU v1.1. You will feed the USB cable and power cable through the openings in the middle of the BitPixel (either up/down depending on your preference). When powered-on and connected to the front USB port the BitPixel will boot and work fine.
  • Using a non-powered USB Hub when plugged into the ALU 1.0, the boot will fail with a No Signal message. To correct this, unplug the USB hub from the front panel, power up the ALU 1.0 and wait for the Legends Ultimate screen. Then, plug the HUB into the front panel.
  • Using a powered USB Hub when plugged into the ALU 1.0 will display a No Signal message. Basically, don’t use a powered USB hub with the ALU 1.0.

Software Setup

The following will describe how to prepare your USB drive and install PixelCadeX. If you plan to use CoinOpsX to play many more games, you may want to check out the CoinOpsX Guide first.

If you will be using a new USB Drive, you’ll want to format it with Flash Drive X (FDX) first. Please see the Prepare a Flash Drive section for guidance.

To install PixelCadeX, please see the following steps:

  • Go to the AppStoreX menu.
  • Scroll until you see PixelcadeX, press A to select it and A on the Install button.
Install PixelCadeX
  • Make sure the switch that states Allows PixelCadeX to start automatically upon next reboot. is in the ON position.
  • You can also make additional changes such as pressing the Home/Menu button to select games that will show the leaderboard, your score, change the frequency of updates and more.
  • Now power off the ALU and power it back on.
  • You should now see the marquee showing “Welcome to PixelcadeX“.
  • The software installation is now complete, start selecting games and have fun!

OTG Mode and BitPixel

If you install the BitPixel as described above, there is one known limitation and that is that you won’t be able to use OTG mode to connect to other devices (BitPixel blocks the use of OTG Mode). However, there is one simple solution that you may like and only requires a few simple steps (in addition to the above).

Now, anytime you want to switch to OTG mode, just flip the switch and it will disconnect the BitPixel without having to open the back of the ALU. Flip the switch in the opposite direction and power-cycle the ALU for the BitPixel to work again. It’s that easy!

Pinball Kit

Pinball Kit

The Legends Pinball Kit makes playing pinball games on the ALU much more enjoyable. The top buttons control the left/right flippers, the bottom buttons are your left/right nudge buttons. To launch a ball, press/hold either joystick in the down position -then release.

Installation of this kit is extremely easy, just four simple screws to install. However, before installing it to your ALU you’ll want to power-off the ALU first. On each side of the control panel, you can see 3 conductive pads which are used to attach this accessory. Each button assembly has 3 spring-loaded prongs which make contact to the control panel. Simply insert the button assembly, using the x2 included screws secure the assembly on both sides of the control deck. Then power-on the ALU, have fun!

Arcade Cabinet Art Kit

Video: Arcade Cabinet Artwork for the AtGames Legends Ultimate is Swappable

If you want to customize your Legends Ultimate cabinet with different side art (version 1.1 only), AtGames has you covered –pun intended. At present, the styles available are:

There is also an acrylic side panel kit. If you plan on swapping the side art, I highly recommend the acrylic side panels. Without them, the artwork will look dull and may bubble up. The acrylic panels will keep the artwork flush with the cabinet and look much better than without them.

Legends Arcade Cabinet Art Kit

3rd Party Expansion

This section will discuss 3rd Party expansion options that you may be interested in trying.

Accessories

The following are some accessories that you may find interesting or to enhance your experience with the ALU:

AimTrak Light Gun

Video: AimTrak Light Gun Setup Guide for the AtGames Legends Ultimate

You can also connect the AimTrak light-gun(s) to your Legends Ultimate. The details on how to do this are on the dedicated AimTrak Light Gun Legends Guide.

Legends BitPixel Accessory (LBPA)

Video: Power the Legends BitPixel inside the Legends Ultimate with the LBPA

Power the Legends BitPixel inside the Legends Ultimate using the Legends BitPixel Accessory (LBPA). This 3rd party kit (created by Dudemo and jrebeiro) will allow you to eliminate the need to drill a hole in the cabinet or run the BitPixel power adapter out the back of the cabinet. With the LBPA, when you press the power button on the Legends Ultimate, the BitPixel turns off with it! You no longer need an external manual power switch, voice-controlled Wi-Fi adapter, etc. It can all be done with the LBPA!

More details on the LBPA:

Connect External Devices

You can also connect other devices such as a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B or a Super Console X to your ALU, or pretty much any other device with an HDMI and USB adapter. Here are the basic steps:

  • Connect the HDMI cable from your device (Pi4, Super Console X, etc.) to your ALU, then power on the device. Give the device time to boot.
  • Plug in the USB (OTG) cable from the device to your ALU into the USB 2.0 port (the far-left port)
  • On the ALU, go to the Settings tab.
  • Select the tile, OTG Mode.
  • You’ll then see a message USB connected, LEGENDS ULTIMATE can not be used.
  • Press the Channel button on the top panel (near the USB ports on the ALU).
  • At this point, you should be able to map your controls on the ALU to the device you connected. I used Rewind for the SELECT/Hotkey button and P1 for Start. For assistance with the Raspberry Pi 4 running RetroPie, please see the Pi4/400 Retro Gaming Guide. For general operation of the Super Console X, please see the video here (or the Super Console X Stick).

Retroid Pocket 2 Pinball

Zen Pinball from the Retroid Pocket 2 on the ALU

If you want to play Zen Pinball (or others) on your ALU, you don’t need a high-end PC to do it. If you own a Retroid Pocket 2, simply install Zen Pinball (more info and video here), then follow along below:

  • Connect a Micro HDMI to HDMI cable from your Retroid Pocket 2 to your ALU, then power on the RP2. Give the device time to boot.
  • Press the Channel button on the top panel (near the USB ports on the ALU) to switch to the RP2 display.
  • On the ALU, hold down the P2 (player 2) button for 8-10 seconds to turn on Bluetooth.
  • On the RP2, go into Settings → Bluetooth and Pair both Control deck-P1 and Control deck-P2.
  • Press the B button to back out, you can now use the Joystick to navigate the RP2. Use A to select and B to go back.
  • Launch Zen Pinball on the RP2.
  • Select and load the table pressing A. Below is a chart of how the buttons are mapped.
Left-sideRight-Side
A Button – Launch ball / SelectC Button – Right Flipper
Z Button – Left Flipper X Button – Change View
X Button – Change View

GRS Arcade Steering Wheel

GRS Arcade Steering Wheel on an AtGames Legends Ultimate (v1.1)

Glen from Glen’s Retro Show sent a GRS Arcade Steering Wheel for review. It is very high-quality and made of machined aluminum and plastic grips. It feels like a solid wheel. The wheel was designed for the GRS line of spinners but can also be used with the spinner included with the AtGames Legends Ultimate v1.1 with larger adapter in the package. However, the clearance between the joystick and the rim of the wheel is very close. It is for that reason that the adapter kit was created below.

Glen has created an excellent video to demonstrate the GRS Driving Wheel for the GRS line of spinners. In his video, he used OpenCADE to demonstrate how the wheel functions. At the time of this writing, the ALU did not have drivers to support the GRS Spinner, so the following assumes you’ll be using the stock ALU v1.1 spinner included with the machine.

The GRS Steering Wheel will be available exclusively from Microcenter, however at the time of this writing it is not yet currently available. Pricing is also unknown at this time. Once this information is available, I’ll provide a direct product link.

Download

Download the GRS Arcade Steering Wheel ALU 1.1 Adapter Kit from Thingiverse.

Basic Assembly

  • Remove the spinner top on the ALU v1.1.
  • Place the metal insert from the GRS Wheel inside the wheelBase.stl
  • Using the small screws and allen wrench, tighten the metal insert over the notch of the ALU spinner. You can also place the resistorRing.stl between the wheelBase and the control deck if you wish to add additional resistance.
  • Attach the wheelShaft to the GRS Steering Wheel assembly and tighten the two small screws using the allen wrench.
  • Slide the GRS Steering Wheel assembly + wheelShaft into the provided slots on the wheel base.
  • Start up a racing game and have fun!

*NOTE: If you don’t own a 3D Printer, check with your local library. Many do have 3D printers and services to allow printing this kit at little or even no charge. Print time for the GRS_ALU11_FullSet.stl (only one you really need) is about 3 hours 11 min. at 100% infill. I used PLA (plastic) for printing.

3D Printed Items

Below are some 3D Printed accessories that I think you may enjoy:

Restrictor Gate Kit by KevinLeeC
  • AtGames Legends Ultimate Surface Mount Restrictor Gate Kit (for v1.1 ALU’s) – If you want to play a game like Pac-Man which originally had a 4-way joystick, snap in the 4-way gate. When you’re done, remove the gate and put in something else. (A quarter under the raised tab works well for prying the restrictor loose.) These models are a re-mix of my original here, but much improved for the ALU. I fully support KevinLeeC’s remix and think it’s a great solution for the ALU.
ALU Steering Wheel by floridaty
  • Atgames Legends Ultimate Arcade Steering Wheel Spinner – Here is a Steering Wheel designed to attach to the spinner on at Atgames Legends Ultimate Arcade. You will need a M4 screw and washer to attach it. The steering wheel will not impact the use of the joystick. I used a high infill because children use the arcade. It should work fine with a lower infill. This model is a re-mix of my original design for the GRS Spinner (here). I fully support and appreciate this re-mix. I have not, however, printed this specific model for my ALU 1.1. If you do, please comment in one of the videos above and let me know how it worked out for you.

*NOTE: If you don’t have a 3D printer, check with your local library. They may be able to print some items for you and often for little to no-charge. However, for more complex models, they may deny printing if the print-time is beyond 4+ hours.

Modding

  • ALU Main Component Overview – This guide was created by Dudemo and provides a great overview of the key components within the ALU including the: Encoder, Joysticks, Buttons, Spinners, Power Button and Trackball.
  • AtGames Supported Controllers – List of potentially supported controllers by Dudemo. If you’re curious if a specific controller has the drivers on the ALU, definitely check out this page.

Troubleshooting

  • Difficulty Connecting OTG Devices – If you find that the OTG connection to your device isn’t working, make sure that you followed these instructions. I initially had difficulties until I realized I needed to use the OTG Mode tile in Settings, then switch to the device by clicking the Channel button.
  • Game or Pinball Table xyz can’t be launched or loses video signal – If you are experiencing any games or tables that exit or lose video signal, try this: If you have an application set to auto-start when the ALU boots, set it to the Default by clicking the button from the Settings → Startup Page. Then, power-off / on your machine. Try to launch the game or table and see if this corrects the issue. It did for me when I had CoinOpsX as my startup application.

If the above Troubleshooting information did not help resolve the issue, you can also contact AtGames for assistance by clicking the image below.

Quick Tips

More tips are coming, this is just a start. If you have your own, please share them by adding a comment in the above video!

  • How to Pause a Game – A quick and easy way to pause a game is to simply press the AtGames/Home button. Just press it again to resume.
  • Firmware Updates – AtGames typically releases new firmware every Thursday. It’s a good idea to download the updates frequently. They often include new features, fixes and overall improvements to the system.
  • Can I add More Games? – Yes you can! If you want to play thousands of classic Arcade Games (in addition to the included 300 games) check out the CoinOpsX guide here. It will step you through how to partition your USB drive, copy the files and run the AddOnX tool. Once done, several thousand games can be easily played and you only need a USB drive (128GB or larger recommended).

Change Log

  • 2023-03-13 – Added AimTrak light-gun on the Legends Ultimate.
  • 2023-02-12 – Various edits.
  • 2022-12-19 – Removed APL video link which is no longer valid.
  • 2022-09-30 – Minor Edits.
  • 2022-09-15 – Added the new Legends Gaming guide to replace duplicated sections in this guide.
  • 2022-09-14 – Added BitLCD section.
  • 2022-07-05 – Update broken links.
  • 2022-07-04 – Added Legends BitPixel Accessory (LBPA) section.
  • 2022-07-02 – Updated Purchase locations to include Amazon with FREE International delivery.
  • 2022-06-11 – Updated Resources with CS information.
  • 2022-06-03 – Updated News heading; Added Arcade Cabinet side-art and video.
  • 2022-04-05 – Added AtGames support graphic and link.
  • 2022-03-31 – Added additional 3rd party accessory.
  • 2022-02-07– Minor updates; Added more ALU Reviews section; added Settings Guide.
  • 2021-10-04 – Misc. updates, harmonized the Operation section with the latest information.
  • 2021-09-14 – Added assistance for ALU v1.0 owners for BitPixel installation.
  • 2021-09-12 – Added new kit for attaching the GRS Arcade Steering Wheel to the ALU v1.1.
  • 2021-09-01 – Added info. on the Arcade Play Link (APL)
  • 2021-08-31 – Minor edits and added USB Switch to the BitPixel.
  • 2021-08-22 – Add guide & video for the Legends BitPixel.
  • 2021-08-20 – Added Dudemo’s ALU Main Component Overview guide.
  • 2021-08-19 – Added the beta implementation of Kodi to this guide.
  • 2021-08-15 – Release preparation and ALU Video added. Add new news page.
  • 2021-08-01 – 2021-08-12 – Continuation.
  • 2021-07-31 – Start to this guide.