How Classic Arcade DIP Switches Work and What They Control

By HighScoreSaves Technical Team

Reviewed and updated August 22, 2026

DIP switches are one of the most common ways original classic arcade games allow operators to configure game behavior without changing the program stored on the arcade PCB.

Depending on the game and PCB design, DIP switches may control the number of lives, difficulty, bonus-life thresholds, coinage, cabinet mode, attract-mode options, demo sounds, continue behavior, language or regional settings, and other game-specific features.

Although a DIP switch is physically simple, its meaning is determined by the game hardware and software. The same switch position can perform completely different functions on two different arcade games, and unused positions may exist even within the same switch bank.

This guide explains what arcade DIP switches are, how they work, why their settings vary by game and PCB revision, and how they relate to modern HighScoreSaves settings menus and original arcade hardware.

What Is a DIP Switch?

DIP stands for Dual In-line Package. A DIP switch is a small group of individual on/off switches packaged together and mounted directly to a circuit board.

On a classic arcade PCB, a switch bank may contain several individual positions identified by numbers such as 1 through 8. Some arcade boards contain one DIP-switch bank, while others use two or more banks.

Each individual switch represents an electrical state that the game hardware can read. The arcade program interprets combinations of those states according to the software written for that particular game.

For example, one pair of switches may determine how many lives a player receives, while another group may determine the number of coins required for a credit. The physical switch itself does not know what "3 lives" or "1 coin = 1 credit" means. It simply provides an on/off condition that the game program interprets.

Where Are DIP Switches Located on an Arcade PCB?

DIP-switch banks are normally mounted on the component side of the original arcade PCB. They are often easy to recognize because they contain a row of small movable switches inside a rectangular housing.

The board silkscreen may identify them with markings such as:

SW1
SW2
DSW1
DSW2
DIP A
DIP B

Exact naming varies by manufacturer and game.

If you are not certain which switch bank is being referenced, do not guess. Use the original game manual, schematic, operator documentation, or a reliable game-specific reference.

For help identifying the hardware on a board before making changes, see How to Identify Your Original Arcade PCB Before Ordering a Kit .

What Do Arcade DIP Switches Control?

There is no universal list because every game can assign the switches differently. However, several types of settings appear frequently on classic arcade games.

Lives

A DIP-switch combination may select how many lives a player receives when a game begins. Depending on the game, common choices might include two, three, four, or five lives.

The exact available values are game-specific and should always be verified against documentation for the PCB and program version being used.

Difficulty

Many arcade games provide multiple difficulty settings. A DIP-switch setting may affect enemy behavior, game speed, timing, object frequency, scoring opportunities, or other variables defined by the game program.

A setting labeled "Hard" on one game does not necessarily change the same type of behavior as a "Hard" setting on another game.

Bonus Lives

DIP switches may determine when an extra life is awarded. Some games provide one bonus threshold, while others allow multiple bonus schedules or disable bonus lives entirely.

Coinage and Credits

Coinage is one of the traditional reasons operators needed configurable DIP switches. A game might support combinations such as one coin for one credit, multiple coins per credit, multiple credits per coin, or separate settings for different coin slots.

The available combinations depend entirely on the game's original programming.

Cabinet Type

Some arcade boards were designed to operate in more than one cabinet configuration. A DIP switch may select between an upright cabinet and cocktail or table cabinet mode.

On games that support cocktail operation, the setting can affect control handling or screen behavior for the second player.

Attract Sounds and Demonstration Options

Some games allow sounds during attract mode to be enabled or disabled. Others provide different demonstration or presentation settings.

These settings were useful to arcade operators because a machine could attract attention with sound while sitting idle, or remain quieter in a location containing many games.

Other Game-Specific Options

Depending on the game, DIP switches can also control features such as:

Continue availability
Initial high-score values
Game time
Bonus schedules
Starting level
Demo behavior
Cabinet configuration
Regional or language options
Special test or service functions

Never assume a switch function based only on another game from the same manufacturer.

Why Do DIP-Switch Settings Use Combinations?

A single switch has two possible electrical states. By using several switches together, the arcade program can recognize a larger number of combinations.

For example, two switches can represent four possible combinations. The game software can assign those four combinations to four different difficulty settings, coinage options, or another configurable feature.

This is why an arcade manual may show settings as a small table instead of identifying each switch independently.

ON and OFF Can Be Confusing

Do not determine switch position by assuming that the physical direction closest to the top of the PCB means ON.

DIP-switch housings normally include an ON marking that identifies which direction represents the ON state. Board orientation can make this appear upside down, sideways, or reversed when the PCB is installed in a cabinet.

Read the switch-bank marking itself and compare the settings with the correct documentation.

Should the Cabinet Be Powered Off Before Changing DIP Switches?

As a general hardware-handling practice, power the cabinet off before reaching into the cabinet or physically changing switches on an arcade PCB unless the game-specific service procedure explicitly requires otherwise.

Some games read their DIP switches only during startup. In those cases, changing a switch while the board is running may not affect the game until the next power cycle or reset.

More importantly, reaching around a powered arcade cabinet introduces unnecessary risk around exposed PCB components, power supplies, wiring, and monitor circuitry.

Do DIP-Switch Settings Change the Game ROMs?

No. Changing a DIP switch does not rewrite the original program ROMs.

The switches provide configuration inputs. The game program stored in ROM reads those inputs and changes its behavior accordingly.

To learn more about the different types of ROMs found on classic arcade hardware, see Original Arcade ROMs Explained: Program ROMs, Graphics ROMs, and Sound ROMs .

DIP Switches vs. Software Settings Menus

DIP switches are physical configuration inputs on the original PCB. A software settings menu is different.

Some HighScoreSaves upgrades provide a game-specific settings menu that allows supported features to be configured through the kit. Depending on the specific kit, these may include Free Play, attract sounds, high-score options, game selection, boot behavior, Wi-Fi settings, or other supported features.

A software menu does not mean that every original DIP-switch function is replaced or ignored. The relationship between the original switches and the kit settings depends on the specific game and kit design.

Always use the product page and game-specific installation documentation as the final authority.

For a broader explanation of how these upgrades interact with original game hardware, see How High Score Save Kits Work on Original Arcade PCBs .

Free Play and DIP Switches

Some original arcade games provide a factory Free Play setting, while others do not. In other cases, the game's original Free Play behavior may differ from the Free Play functionality provided by an upgrade kit.

HighScoreSaves Free Play functionality is game-specific and is designed around the supported original PCB and game program.

For more information, see Free Play vs. High Score Save Kits for Classic Arcade Games .

Why the Correct Game Manual Matters

DIP-switch settings can vary between games, regional releases, revisions, conversions, and modified software.

A DIP-switch chart found for one version of a game should not automatically be assumed to apply to every board displaying the same title.

Program ROM labels and PCB markings can help identify which hardware and software revision is installed.

If the board is unusual, repaired, converted, or of uncertain origin, also review Will an Arcade Upgrade Kit Work on a Bootleg, Conversion, or Reproduction PCB? .

Record the Original Settings Before Changing Anything

Before adjusting a DIP-switch bank, photograph it clearly enough that every original switch position can be seen.

This creates a reference that allows the original configuration to be restored if a setting behaves differently than expected.

A good photograph should show:

The complete switch bank
The switch-bank identifier
The numbered switch positions
The ON marking
Nearby PCB markings

Documentation is particularly important when restoring an original PCB that may have been configured by an operator many years ago.

Do DIP Switches Affect High Scores?

They can affect the conditions under which scores are earned because settings such as difficulty, lives, bonus lives, or game timing can change gameplay.

However, a DIP switch is not itself a high-score storage device.

High-score retention requires the game or an upgrade system to preserve score data in nonvolatile storage or another supported storage method.

HighScoreSaves kits that provide permanent high-score saving use game-specific hardware and software to preserve supported score tables. Many designs store score and settings information in battery-free serial EEPROM.

Learn more in How Arcade High Scores Are Saved Without a Battery: Serial EEPROM Explained .

Important DIP-Switch Rules

Use documentation for the exact game and PCB whenever possible.
Do not assume another game's switch chart applies to your PCB.
Photograph the original settings before changing them.
Use the ON marking on the switch housing to identify direction.
Power the cabinet off before physically working on the PCB unless a documented service procedure specifically states otherwise.
Remember that some settings are read only when the game starts.
Do not assume a software settings menu replaces every original DIP-switch function.
Do not use trial-and-error switch changes as a substitute for identifying unusual hardware.

Related HighScoreSaves Arcade Knowledge

Learn More About Original Arcade Hardware

DIP switches are only one part of an original arcade PCB. Understanding how the CPU, ROMs, sockets, connectors, daughterboards, wiring, and game settings work together makes it easier to maintain classic hardware without unnecessary modifications.

Visit the HighScoreSaves Arcade Knowledge & News section for additional technical guides covering original arcade PCBs, installation, troubleshooting, hardware identification, High Score Save Kits, multigame upgrades, and arcade preservation.