How HighScoreSaves Wi-Fi Leaderboards Work on Classic Arcade Games

By HighScoreSaves Technical Team

Reviewed and updated August 20, 2026

HighScoreSaves Wi-Fi kits add optional online leaderboard functionality to supported classic arcade games while the original arcade PCB continues to run the game.

The Wi-Fi feature works alongside local high score saving. Scores can be preserved on the kit using nonvolatile memory, while supported qualifying scores can also be submitted over a 2.4 GHz wireless network when the online feature is enabled.

This guide explains the difference between local score saving and online submission, what the cabinet sends, what happens when Wi-Fi is unavailable, and what to check when leaderboard uploads do not work.

HighScoreSaves Wi-Fi Leaderboards at a Glance

The original arcade PCB still runs the game.
Supported kits save high scores locally using nonvolatile memory.
Wi-Fi leaderboard uploading is an additional, optional feature.
Supported Wi-Fi kits use 2.4 GHz wireless networking.
A typical leaderboard upload is only a few kilobytes of data.
Wi-Fi can be enabled or disabled through the kit settings on supported designs.
The HighScoreSaves leaderboard does not require a recurring leaderboard subscription fee.
A network problem should be diagnosed separately from a no-boot or PCB installation problem.
Game-specific product instructions are the final authority.

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Local High Score Saving and Online Leaderboards Are Different Features Why the Kits Use 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi What Happens When a Score Is Submitted Wi-Fi Can Be Enabled or Disabled The HighScoreSaves Leaderboard Does Not Require a Subscription What the Cabinet Sends What Happens if the Internet Is Unavailable Wi-Fi Does Not Replace the Original Arcade PCB What to Check When Leaderboard Uploads Do Not Work Wi-Fi Leaderboard Checklist Support

Local High Score Saving and Online Leaderboards Are Different Features

A supported HighScoreSaves Wi-Fi kit can preserve scores locally on the arcade hardware and can also provide an online leaderboard function. These two features should not be treated as the same thing.

Local high score saving uses nonvolatile memory on the kit so supported scores can remain after normal cabinet power-off. The online leaderboard function adds a network path that allows qualifying score information to be submitted from the cabinet when Wi-Fi is enabled and configured.

Because local saving does not depend on the internet connection, a temporary network outage does not erase the locally stored high score table.

Why the Kits Use 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi

Supported HighScoreSaves Wi-Fi kits connect using 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. This frequency is widely supported by home and business wireless networks and is appropriate for the small amount of leaderboard data being transmitted.

The cabinet does not need broadband bandwidth comparable to streaming video or modern gaming. A leaderboard submission is only a small data transfer.

When configuring a cabinet, use the exact Wi-Fi setup instructions for the kit. Network names, passwords, signal strength, router configuration, and local interference can all affect whether the cabinet can connect.

What Happens When a Score Is Submitted

On a supported Wi-Fi kit, the game continues to run on its original arcade hardware. When the player earns a qualifying score and completes the game-specific initials or score-entry process, the kit can prepare the small amount of leaderboard information needed for submission.

A typical upload is only a few kilobytes of data. The Wi-Fi hardware is not streaming gameplay, video, audio, or the contents of the entire arcade PCB.

The exact score fields, initials behavior, ranking rules, and submission timing depend on the game.

Wi-Fi Can Be Enabled or Disabled

Supported kits provide a way to enable or disable the Wi-Fi feature through the kit configuration. On HighScoreSaves designs that use the ON-T and OFF settings, ON-T enables Wi-Fi operation and OFF disables it.

Disabling Wi-Fi does not convert the kit back into the original factory board or remove local score-saving features that the product provides. It simply prevents the optional network function from being active.

Use the product instructions for the exact menu terminology and settings on the kit being configured.

The HighScoreSaves Leaderboard Does Not Require a Subscription

The HighScoreSaves leaderboard is provided without a recurring leaderboard subscription fee for supported Wi-Fi kits.

The owner still supplies the local internet connection and wireless network used by the cabinet. HighScoreSaves does not provide the household or business internet service.

Any future product-specific terms or feature changes should always be checked on the current product page.

What the Cabinet Sends

Leaderboard functionality is designed around score information needed for the supported ranking system rather than continuous monitoring of the cabinet.

The kit does not need to transmit gameplay video or audio to submit a score. The data transfer associated with a normal score upload is small, 2-3kb.

For the exact behavior of a particular Wi-Fi product, use that product's current instructions and settings information.

What Happens if the Internet Is Unavailable

A cabinet can still operate as an arcade game when the network is unavailable. Local gameplay takes place on the original arcade hardware, and supported local high-score-saving behavior is handled by the kit itself.

If a leaderboard upload cannot be completed because Wi-Fi is disabled, unavailable, or incorrectly configured, troubleshoot the network separately from the basic arcade PCB installation.

Before changing hardware inside the cabinet, confirm that the game itself works normally and that the problem is actually network-related.

Wi-Fi Does Not Replace the Original Arcade PCB

The Wi-Fi feature is an additional capability of the upgrade kit. The original arcade PCB remains installed and continues to provide the game-specific video, audio, controls, timing, memory, and custom logic.

On many HighScoreSaves designs, the original CPU is moved to the upgrade daughterboard, and the daughterboard installs into the original CPU socket. The Wi-Fi hardware works with that supported original platform.

This is different from replacing the arcade PCB with a modern emulation computer simply to obtain online connectivity.

What to Check When Leaderboard Uploads Do Not Work

First confirm that the arcade game and local score-saving functions are working correctly. Then verify that Wi-Fi is enabled on the kit, the cabinet is within usable range of the 2.4 GHz network, and the configured network information is correct.

If the game does not boot or behaves incorrectly, treat that as an installation or original-hardware issue before troubleshooting Wi-Fi.

When requesting support, include the game, kit version, what happens after initials are entered, and whether the cabinet can otherwise operate normally.

Wi-Fi Leaderboard Checklist

The exact game and supported Wi-Fi kit have been confirmed.
The arcade PCB operates normally before network troubleshooting begins.
Local high score saving is understood separately from online uploading.
A usable 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network is available.
Wi-Fi is enabled using the exact kit setting.
Network information has been entered according to the kit instructions.
The player completes the required game-specific score or initials entry.
The cabinet is not repeatedly power-cycled to troubleshoot a network-only issue.
The current product page and instructions have been checked for the exact leaderboard behavior.

Product Pages and Installation Guides Are the Final Authority

Features, compatibility, board revisions, CPU requirements, adapters, ROM changes, settings, and installation steps vary by game and kit.

Always use the specific HighScoreSaves product page and game-specific installation guide for the exact kit being installed. Those instructions are the final authority for compatibility, features, and installation.

Technical Support

If the exact PCB, kit configuration, component orientation, or installation requirement is uncertain, stop before applying power or making additional changes.

Email is the preferred support method. Contact sales@highscoresaves.com and include the game title, exact kit, and clear photos of the complete PCB and the area in question.

Disconnect cabinet power before removing or installing arcade PCB components. Verify the exact board, Pin 1 orientation, socket condition, and game-specific instructions before applying power.