The Arkeg would seem to have almost everything a Wired reader (or editor) would like: Beer. And videogames.
What else is there?
Indeed, we’ve enjoyed playing (and drinking) with the Arkeg for the few short weeks that it has been in our offices for testing.
It’s a big, vertical arcade-style console. Inside, there’s a Windows XP computer running an emulator, and it’s loaded up with arcade classics like Asteroids, Joust, Street Fighter 2, Mortal Kombat, Rampage and lots more. All that is wrapped up in a friendly interface that’s easy to navigate using the classic controls on the front (two joysticks, two trackballs and an array of highly mashable buttons). One- or two-player games are as fun to play as they were in the videogame arcade back in the day. Only, instead of putting quarters into it, you’re getting beer out of the Arkeg’s convenient side tap.
Unfortunately, there are a few downsides. There’s no place to put your beer — a cup holder or a flat shelf would have been nice. The Arkeg seemed to have some trouble keeping our test keg cold (it required some fiddling and some troubleshooting from the manufacturer). It only holds a paltry 5-gallon “Corny keg,” not a full 15.5-gallon half-barrel. And it costs about $4,000.
But hey: These are quibbles when it comes to the facts: The Arkeg offers both videogames, and beer, and what’s not to like about that?
See Also:
- How Wired.com Built Beer Robot, Our DIY Kegerator
- Extreme, Custom and Pimped-Out Kegerators
- How to Build a Kegerator – Video – Wired
- Head-to-Head: Kegerators — Sanyo vs. Edgestar
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