The Torontrons are classic arcade cabinets retrofitted to play contemporary games by local indies.
Unlike the digital nature of games themselves, the arcade cabinet has weight. It takes up space. It catches the eye from across the room. Not hidden away in basements or nested directories, it protrudes into the real world. Both historical reference and mobile gallery for our nascent art form, a Torontron challenges you to stand up and approach it, to engage with it, to do your best in front of friends and strangers: to play in public.
Inspired by MAME cabinet makers, the first Torontron was released in November 2009. It was cited as inspiration for the Winnitron, released in Winnipeg about a year later, which in turn went on to spawn an international arcade network. There now are active indie arcade cabs in the Netherlands, Belgium, New Zealand, Italy, New York, Australia, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Shanghai, Austin, and Oakland. If you know of other active cabinets please drop us a line!
There’s a world map of the Spread of the Indie Arcade Cabinet.
The Torontron cabinets were engineered by Jph Wacheski (who has written a how-to), and the current deployment officer is Adam Axbey.
The project is produced by Jim Munroe.
Most Recent Exhibit: Curious Cabinets, Summer 2017
CURIOUS CABINETS: ARCADE EXHIBIT LAUNCH!
Curious Cabinets is a free 1-month exhibit devoted to the exploration of video game arcade hardware and public play. A collaboration between the Hand Eye Society, Electric Perfume, and Spritebox Arcade with funding from the Toronto Arts Council., the exhibit will feature seven games created for two custom arcade machines — the One-Button Torontron and the SpriteBox.
The exhibit will kick off with an all-ages launch event which will feature presentations by the game artists about their creative process, a peek inside the technical aspects of both machines, and the chance to interact and play the featured games. Also, remember to bring a small trinket, memento, candy, or other curiosity to activate the SpriteBox: It has been modified to accept any small object (max 2 inches) instead of quarters!
LAUNCH PARTY INFO
Sunday July 9
1 to 4 PM
Electric Perfume (805 Danforth Ave., steps away from Pape Station)
Facebook Event RSVP
Free/PWYC. All ages. Light food.
Thank you to TOJam, Vector Festival and Maker Festival for cross-promoting this event! Please check out our community partners for more maker and media arts of all kinds.
The Cabinets
Torontron
Place and Date of Birth: Canzine, Nov. 2009Special Power: The Original Indie Arcade Cabinet
Previous Life: Magic Maggot, an Italian Centipede bootleg
Curator: Jim McGinley
Designer: Nadine Lessio
Financial Support: Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council
Games: Albacross, LockON 2, Mondrian Provoked, Monster Puncher, Heavy Weather, & Night of the Cephalopods.
Current Location: Brandscape
Torontron High Roller
Place and Date of Birth: Toronto Comic Arts Festival, May 2011Special Power: Trackball enabled
Previous Incarnation: Gimmie a Break! pool game
Curator: Miguel Sternberg
Designer: Miguel Sternberg
Financial Support: The Ontario Media Development Corporation Games: Shlongg, Gesundheit!, Airshot Scott, Strategic Oil Reserve, Star Fall High Roller & international guest Calamity Annie.
Current Location: City Pool
Torontron Twinstick
Place and Date of Birth: Toronto Animated Arts Film Festival launch party, Nov. 2011Special Power: Dual joysticks
Curator: Jim McGinley
Designer: Craig D. Adams
Financial Support: Toronto International Film Festival
Games: Amici Exeunt, Cephalopods Co-op Cottage Defence, N Arcade, A Friendship in 4 Colours, Seeds of Descent, & international guest Forget-Me-Not
Current Location: The Hive
Past Appearances
Academy of the Impossible
Mar-Nov. 2013
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra at Roy Thompson Hall
Mar. 2 2013
The Monarch Tavern
Nov-March 2013
Canzine DIY Games Room
October 21st
Site 3
October 2012
Toronto Underground Cinema
September 2011-Sept 2012
Mississauga Celebration Square
September 2, 2011
Centre for Social Innovation
June 2011
George Brown
May 2011
Toronto Comic Arts Festival
May 7-8th 2011
Gamercamp
November 13-14, 2010
Fan Expo
Aug 28, 2010
Nuit Blanche at TIFF Bell Lightbox
October 2, 2010
InterAccess
June -September, 2010
Function 13
May, 2010
Toronto Comic Arts Festival
May 8-9, 2010
Flash In The Can
April 24-27, 2010
Canzine Artcade
November 1, 2009
