Tempest Arcade PCB Upgrades for Original Atari Hardware
Original Atari Tempest arcade machines use dedicated vector hardware that collectors often want to preserve rather than replace. A compatible Free Play and High Score Save upgrade can add modern convenience while keeping the original Tempest PCB, controls, vector display system, and classic arcade experience in service.
HighScoreSaves offers a Tempest multigame upgrade for compatible original Atari hardware that adds support for both Tempest and Tempest Tubes. Before ordering, confirm the PCB and processor configuration inside your cabinet rather than relying only on the cabinet artwork or game title.
Confirm your original PCB and processor configuration before selecting an arcade upgrade.
Understanding Tempest Arcade Hardware Upgrades
Atari Tempest is built around dedicated original arcade hardware rather than a modern emulation platform. For restorers and collectors, preserving that PCB keeps the cabinet operating around the hardware architecture for which the game was originally designed.
A daughterboard-style upgrade works with the original PCB instead of replacing the game with a multicade computer or reproduction system. This approach is especially useful when the goal is to add conveniences such as score retention or additional supported game content while keeping the original board at the center of the cabinet.
Tempest and Tempest Tubes on Original Hardware
The compatible HighScoreSaves Tempest upgrade supports both the standard Tempest game and Tempest Tubes. Tempest Tubes provides alternate tube layouts and additional challenge while using the Tempest hardware platform as the foundation.
For owners who want more variety from an original cabinet without converting it to a general-purpose multicade system, this provides a way to expand the playable Tempest experience while retaining the original Atari PCB.
What to Check on a Tempest PCB Before Ordering
Arcade boards that have been in service for decades may have been repaired, modified, converted, or fitted with replacement components. Two Tempest cabinets can therefore look identical from the outside while having different PCB conditions inside.
- Confirm that the cabinet contains a compatible original Atari Tempest PCB.
- Locate the 6502 processor and determine whether it is installed in a socket.
- Inspect the processor socket and surrounding PCB area for previous repairs or modifications.
- Verify processor orientation before removing or installing any device.
- Review the installation guide before purchasing if you are unsure about your board configuration.
Why the 6502 Processor Socket Matters
The Tempest upgrade interfaces with the PCB at the 6502 processor location. If the processor is already socketed, the CPU can be carefully removed so the upgrade can be installed at that location.
If the processor is soldered directly to the PCB, a compatible socket must first be installed. That is a PCB modification and should be performed by someone experienced with arcade-board soldering and component removal.
Preserving the Original Atari Vector Hardware
Tempest is part of Atari's vector arcade hardware family. Unlike raster games that draw images as rows of pixels, Tempest relies on a vector display system to draw its distinctive geometric graphics.
Keeping the original PCB and vector hardware together preserves an important part of how the cabinet operates. A compatible upgrade can add useful functionality without changing the cabinet into an unrelated emulation platform.
Choosing the Correct Tempest Upgrade
Choose the Tempest | Tempest Tubes product when you have confirmed compatible original Atari Tempest hardware and want to add the supported multigame and save-kit functions to that PCB.
The product page contains the current ordering options, kit features, Standard versus Wi-Fi choices, installation requirements, and other purchase-specific information. The installation guide should be reviewed before working on the PCB.
HighScoreSaves arcade upgrades are designed around specific original PCB configurations, so always identify the hardware inside the cabinet before ordering.