Buttons are the most-pressed part of any cabinet — millions of actuations if you build something people actually play. The differences between a great button and a mushy one come down to the switch, the plating, and the mounting. Here's what matters.
What to look for
- Switch quality — crisp actuation with a fast reset; rated in millions of presses. This is where cheap buttons die first.
- Contact plating — gold-plated contacts resist oxidation, so response stays consistent for years. That's the spec behind our GRS Ultimate gold-plated pushbuttons.
- Terminal type — .187" or .110" spade terminals determine which wiring harness you need. No soldering either way.
- Mounting — standard 28–30mm holes fit custom panels, Arcade1Up decks and MAME builds alike.
Special buttons worth knowing
The TOS GRS 2-in-1 button kit puts two switchable inputs in a single button hole — push and pull — which saves panel space and covers games that expect paired actions. Pair any buttons with the Zero Delay Encoder V2 or Encoder Hub and the whole panel becomes one USB device.
Layout tips
- 6-button Street Fighter layout covers fighters; 8 buttons + start/coin covers everything in MAME
- Curve the button arc to your fingers (Japanese "Vewlix" spacing) rather than a straight row
- Color-code by function — players learn a panel faster than you'd think
FAQ
How many buttons do I actually need?
For a MAME cabinet: 6–8 per player plus start and coin. For a dedicated classic (Pac-Man, Centipede), one or two.
Are gold-plated buttons a gimmick?
No — plating is about contact corrosion, not looks. Gold contacts keep actuation consistent over years of play, especially in garages and basements where humidity kills bare contacts.
Shop the button collection, wire them with the encoder guide, or plan the whole panel in the MAME cabinet parts guide.
