How High Score Save Kits Work on Original Arcade PCBs
HighScoreSaves arcade upgrade kits add modern features to compatible original arcade PCBs without replacing the game board or converting the cabinet to emulation. Depending on the game and kit, those features may include permanent high-score saving, free play, optional attract sounds, game settings, Wi-Fi leaderboard support, multigame functionality, and other game-specific options.
The original arcade PCB remains the foundation of the machine. The cabinet continues to use its original controls, monitor, sound system, wiring, and gameplay hardware. HighScoreSaves kits are designed to preserve the game exactly as it plays on the original board.
This article explains the general design shared by many HighScoreSaves kits. Exact compatibility, included features, CPU requirements, installation steps, and supported settings vary by game. The specific product page and installation guide for each kit are always the final authority.
Quick Summary
- The kit installs on a compatible original arcade PCB.
- The original CPU is normally removed from the PCB and installed on the kit.
- The kit plugs into the original CPU socket.
- Scores and settings are stored in a battery-free 93C86 serial EEPROM.
- Gameplay, timing, controls, sounds, and difficulty remain original.
- Free play or normal coin operation can be selected in the settings menu.
- Wi-Fi kits submit scores over a 2.4 GHz internet-connected Wi-Fi network.
- Multigame kits use an on-screen game-selection menu.
- The upgrade is reversible when the original CPU and any removed ROMs are retained.
HighScoreSaves kits are plug-and-play upgrades. No soldering is normally required, although a CPU location may need to be socketed or an existing socket may need repair when stated on the product page and installation guide.
What Is an Arcade High Score Save Kit?
A HighScoreSaves kit is a game-specific daughterboard that installs on a compatible original arcade PCB. It adds features the original game may not have included, such as permanent score retention, free play, initials entry, attract sounds, settings storage, Wi-Fi score submission, or multigame support.
The kit does not replace the original arcade PCB. It works with that board and continues to use the cabinet’s original controls and hardware. HighScoreSaves kits always run on original arcade PCB hardware and do not use emulation.
Why Many Original Arcade Games Lose Their Scores
Many classic arcade games stored scores only in volatile memory. When cabinet power was turned off, that memory was cleared and the scores disappeared. Other games had no built-in way to retain scores at all.
A HighScoreSaves kit adds nonvolatile storage so qualifying scores and supported settings remain available after the cabinet is powered down and turned back on.
How the Kit Connects to the Original Arcade PCB
A typical HighScoreSaves kit installs in the original CPU socket. Supported processor families include the Z80, 6502, and 6809E, along with certain Konami custom processors used with a game-specific adapter.
The original CPU is removed from the arcade PCB and installed on the HighScoreSaves daughterboard. The daughterboard is then installed into the original CPU socket on the PCB. This allows the original processor and original game hardware to continue operating while the kit adds its supported features.
One notable exception is the Donkey Kong Rearranged 3DK Multigame Kit. That kit includes a 20 MHz Z80 processor to accommodate Donkey Kong 3 gameplay.
Cabinet power is supplied to the arcade PCB through the cabinet’s existing wire harness. The HighScoreSaves daughterboard receives operating power through the original PCB and CPU socket, so no separate kit power connection is required.
How Scores and Settings Are Saved
HighScoreSaves kits use a 93C86 serial EEPROM to retain persistent data. Depending on the kit, that data can include high scores, player initials, free-play and coin-play settings, difficulty and lives settings, attract-sound and screen-orientation settings, bookkeeping information, and Wi-Fi configuration data.
The 93C86 stores this information without a battery. That eliminates future battery replacement and removes the risk of battery leakage damaging the arcade PCB.
The EEPROM is rated for approximately 10 million read/write cycles, so failure should be extremely rare in normal arcade use. If the device eventually fails, the kit would require repair or replacement.
Scores and settings remain with the kit even if it is temporarily removed from the PCB. When moved to another compatible original PCB for the same supported game, the saved data moves with the kit because the storage is located on the daughterboard, not on the original arcade PCB.
How Many High Scores Are Saved?
Score capacity varies by game and kit design. Many Nintendo kits save approximately five scores, while many Atari kits save approximately ten scores. Some kits save considerably more.
The Bump ’n Jump kit, for example, can retain as many as 150 all-time player scores.
Some kits also maintain separate score tables for different combinations of lives or difficulty settings. This helps prevent scores earned under different game configurations from being mixed together. Exact score capacity and table behavior are listed on each kit’s product page.
Player Initials and High-Score Displays
When a player earns a qualifying score, the kit can add an initials-entry screen even on a game that did not originally support initials. The number of initials varies by game, but three initials is typical.
Saved high-score tables appear automatically during the attract screen. The original attract sequence otherwise remains the same, except that optional attract sounds may be added when that feature is supported by the specific kit.
How Free Play Works
Free play allows the player to start a game without inserting a coin while preserving normal gameplay and operation. It does not change the game’s timing, controls, difficulty, or scoring.
The cabinet can be set for either free play or normal coin operation. Coin play can be re-enabled at any time through the settings menu without removing the kit.
Does the Kit Change Original Gameplay?
No. HighScoreSaves kits do not change original gameplay. Game timing, cabinet controls, sounds, difficulty, scoring rules, and core behavior remain authentic to the original arcade game.
Optional features such as attract sounds, rapid fire, screen flip, initials entry, diagnostics, or alternate settings are included only when listed on the specific product page. Exact features vary by game.
Common Game-Specific Features
Depending on the supported game, a HighScoreSaves kit may include attract sounds, diagnostics, screen-flip options, difficulty settings, lives settings, rapid fire, initials entry, and other game-specific options.
Original test mode and service functions are not guaranteed to remain available after installation. They should be considered supported only when the product page specifically says they are available.
How to Open and Use the Settings Menu
On a typical single-game kit, the settings menu is opened by holding the Player 1 button while turning on the cabinet. Release Player 1 when the on-screen message instructs you to do so.
Customers can change supported settings at any time. Changes are written to the 93C86 serial EEPROM after selecting Save on the settings screen.
After saving, a single-game kit returns to the attract screen. A multigame kit returns to the game-selection menu.
The settings menu also includes Reset HST Table, which clears all saved high scores, and Reset to Default, which restores the settings used when the kit was shipped.
Reset changes apply immediately. No additional power cycle is required.
Standard Kits, Wired CAT5 Kits, and Wi-Fi Kits
Standard and Wi-Fi versions use the same basic daughterboard design and provide the same local score-saving and settings features. The Wi-Fi version includes additional hardware components needed for wireless connectivity.
Because those additional components are not present on a Standard Kit, Wi-Fi cannot be added later to an offline kit. Customers should choose the version they want before ordering.
Earlier HighScoreSaves connected-scoring products used a Wired CAT5 Kit. Those versions had the same local save features, but score submission used an Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi. HighScoreSaves transitioned from wired CAT5 connectivity to Wi-Fi in May 2022.
For a focused comparison, see Standard Kit and Wi-Fi Kit differences.
How Wi-Fi Score Submission Works
A Wi-Fi kit connects through the customer’s 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network with active internet access. Five-gigahertz-only networks are not supported. Customers using a 5 GHz-only router must enable or provide a 2.4 GHz network for the kit.
Setup is completed with a phone or tablet by following the HighScoreSaves Wi-Fi instruction page. The network name and password are stored on the kit, allowing it to reconnect automatically whenever the cabinet is powered on. If the network name or password changes, the same setup process can be used to update the stored credentials.
After a player finishes a game and enters initials, the kit immediately submits approximately 2–3 KB of data. The submission includes the score, initials, game settings, cabinet identification, and date/time information.
Scores always save locally on the cabinet whether Wi-Fi is available or not. If Wi-Fi or internet access is unavailable when initials are entered, that score will not upload later. There is no delayed upload queue.
When internet access is unavailable, the kit can continue to operate normally for local play, score saving, free play, and settings. The Wi-Fi option should be changed from ON-T to OFF in the settings menu. ON-T turns on the kit’s Wi-Fi function. OFF stops online connection attempts while local features continue to work.
Wi-Fi leaderboard service is free after the cost of the kit. There is no subscription or ongoing service fee.
Personalized High-Score Web Pages
Wi-Fi kit customers receive an email questionnaire used to create a personalized public high-score page. Requested information can include optional background wallpaper, customer name for internal use, arcade name, country, city/state, time zone, kit type, desired page URL, and optional registered player initials.
Customers can optionally register player initials with display names. An email address can also be provided so the site can send a notification when one of those scores is beaten.
One personalized page can display scores from multiple Wi-Fi kits owned by the same customer. When another Wi-Fi kit is ordered, HighScoreSaves adds it to the customer’s existing page before shipment. Returning customers reuse the PK and SK keys already assigned to their personalized page.
Personalized score pages are public. Customers should avoid using private or sensitive information in an arcade name, page URL, wallpaper, location details, or registered player name.
How Multigame Kits Work
Every HighScoreSaves multigame kit uses an on-screen menu to select the desired game. The selected game then runs on the original arcade PCB and uses the cabinet’s original controls.
Each included game has its own separate high-score table and settings. While the cabinet is powered on, holding the Player 1 button for approximately four seconds returns to the game-selection menu. This works from active gameplay or from the attract screen.
Exact included games, controls, settings, and score capacities vary by multigame kit and are listed on the product page.
What Happens to the Original Program ROMs?
Removing the original program ROMs is optional. When the ROMs remain installed, the HighScoreSaves daughterboard bypasses them and runs the supported game code from the kit.
Customers may choose to remove the original program ROMs to reduce power consumption and heat. Any removed ROMs should be labeled, stored safely, and retained so the original board can be returned to its factory configuration later.
Plug-and-Play Installation and Possible Socket Work
HighScoreSaves kits are designed as plug-and-play upgrades and require no soldering during normal installation.
The only soldering-related exception is when the original CPU location is not socketed or when an existing CPU socket is damaged and requires repair or replacement. When socketing is required, that information is stated on the product page and in the game-specific installation guide.
Installation time is not estimated because socket condition, PCB condition, cabinet access, and kit design vary from game to game.
Important Installation Precautions
- Disconnect cabinet power before working on the arcade PCB.
- Confirm the correct Pin 1 orientation before installing any CPU, adapter, or daughterboard.
- Inspect all pins carefully for bending or misalignment.
- Inspect the CPU socket for corrosion, damage, weak contacts, or previous repair work.
- Use appropriate anti-static handling procedures.
- Never force a CPU, adapter, or daughterboard into a socket.
- Follow the exact installation guide written for the game and kit being installed.
Pin 1 orientation is critical. Installing a processor or daughterboard backward can damage the kit, CPU, or arcade PCB.
Compatibility and What to Verify Before Ordering
Before ordering, verify the exact game title, PCB version or revision, installed CPU type, whether the CPU is socketed, CPU socket condition, monitor orientation, and whether a Standard or Wi-Fi version is preferred.
HighScoreSaves kits are intended for verified original arcade PCBs unless the specific product page explicitly states compatibility with a bootleg, conversion, reproduction, or modified board.
Each kit is specific to its supported game or multigame configuration. Do not move a kit to an unsupported game.
A Fully Reversible Upgrade
HighScoreSaves kits are fully reversible. If the kit is removed and the original CPU is returned to its socket, the original arcade PCB returns to its factory configuration and operation.
If original program ROMs were removed, they must also be retained and reinstalled correctly to restore the complete original configuration.
Product Pages and Installation Guides Are the Final Authority
The information in this article describes the general operation of HighScoreSaves kits. Exact features vary by game. A product page may list attract sounds, diagnostics, original test-mode support, screen flip, rapid fire, initials, difficulty options, lives settings, score capacity, special adapters, or other game-specific features.
Always follow the exact product page and installation guide for the kit being installed. Browse the HighScoreSaves game-specific installation guides.
You can also review the HighScoreSaves arcade kit development and release history to see how the supported kit collection has expanded since the first development work in 2013.
Technical Support
HighScoreSaves technical support is available before ordering and during installation. Contact support before ordering when you are unsure about PCB compatibility, CPU type, socket condition, monitor orientation, or the correct kit version.
Email is the preferred support method. Clear photos or short videos can greatly help diagnose PCB, socket, installation, or gameplay issues. Contact sales@highscoresaves.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a HighScoreSaves kit replace the original arcade PCB?
No. The kit installs on and works with a compatible original arcade PCB.
Does the kit use emulation?
No. HighScoreSaves kits always run on original arcade PCB hardware.
Will scores remain after the cabinet is turned off?
Yes. Scores and supported settings are stored in a battery-free 93C86 serial EEPROM.
Does installing the kit change gameplay?
No. Original gameplay, timing, controls, sounds, difficulty, and core behavior remain unchanged.
Can the cabinet still accept coins?
Yes. The kit can be set for free play or normal coin operation through the settings menu.
Does installation require soldering?
No soldering is normally required. The only exception is when a CPU location must be socketed or an existing socket needs repair, as stated on the product page and installation guide.
Can Wi-Fi be added later to a Standard Kit?
No. Wi-Fi kits contain additional hardware components that are not present on Standard Kits.
What Wi-Fi network does the kit require?
A 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network with active internet access is required for online score submission.
Do scores still save if Wi-Fi is unavailable?
Yes. Scores always save locally. A score will not upload later if Wi-Fi was unavailable when initials were entered.
Is there a Wi-Fi leaderboard subscription fee?
No. Leaderboard service is free after the cost of the Wi-Fi kit.
Can a kit be moved to another PCB?
Yes, but only to a compatible original PCB for the same supported game. Scores and settings move with the kit.
Can the original arcade PCB be restored?
Yes. Remove the kit, reinstall the original CPU, and reinstall any original program ROMs that were optionally removed.
Where can I confirm the exact features for my game?
Use the specific product page and installation guide for the exact kit. Those pages are the final authority for compatibility, features, CPU requirements, socket requirements, and installation steps.
Learn More
View HighScoreSaves Installation Guides
Learn About Standard and Wi-Fi Kits
View HighScoreSaves Global Wi-Fi High Scores
Installation methods and supported features vary by game, PCB revision, and kit design. Always use the installation guide written for the exact game and kit being installed. Disconnect power before working on an arcade PCB, confirm Pin 1 orientation, inspect all sockets and pins carefully, and never force a daughterboard or processor into place.