In the videogame arcades of the '80s, the rank-and-file games were pushed up against the wall. But in the middle of the room were the special ones--larger, immersive cabinets that you climbed into, paying 50 cents rather than 25 for the privilege. For an extra quarter you got to sit in a cockpit, in a driver's seat or on a superbike.

In the early 1980s, Yu Suzuki, a young videogame developer working at SEGA developed a series of groundbreaking arcade games – physically impressive, custom-built cabinets that utilised motion control, hydraulics and frenetic pseudo-3D visuals. These games provided players with immersive, heart-pounding simulations of motorcycle racing, air-to-air combat, and high speed driving.

"Nicknamed 'taikan' or 'body sensation' games, these cabinets remain high water marks for the once-vibrant arcade game scene," reckons UK-based art director and videogame historian Darren Wall. "[They were] seductive, gaudy fusions of industrial design and 1980s graphic art."

Now wall's publishing company, Read-Only Memory, has put together a book detailing the development history, game artwork and context of six notable Sega cabinets: Hang-On, Space Harrier, OutRun, After Burner, Thunder Blade and Power Drift.

Incredibly, the book contains detailed pop-up models of all six cabinets.

The book, SEGA Arcade: Pop-Up History was Kickstarted in 2018 and is now available here.