Ready player one?
A chance to study the classics at Toledo Public Library
The tiny machines with endless entertainment possibilities that fit into our pockets are fine. But for those from the era when we gathered around an arcade cabinet to cheer, jeer and mentally plan the moves for our next turn, some of the old magic of arcade game play has been lost.
Recapturing some of that old magic is the aim of Toledo Public Library’s new two-player upright arcade cabinet named Tolybius, loaded with more than 60 arcade games dating from the 1970s to the 1990s.
A grand opening is set for Thursday, June 12, but until then fans of Pac Man and Ms. Pac man can compete in an all-ages tournament, any time the library is open.
The cabinet was designed and built as a collaborative effort between the library and local Eagle Scout Alec Weber. The City of Toledo’s Public Works department also pitched in to put some finishing touches on the control panel and cabinetry hardware.
Tolybius joins the library’s growing collection of games of all kinds, from board games to card games to tabletop roleplaying games, just in time for the game-centric 2025 Summer Reading Program theme: “Level Up at Your Library.”
The curated roster of games playable on the cabinet constitute the library’s first-ever historic software collection. In addition to providing nostalgic entertainment for those who recall the
glory days of the American arcade, this collection furthers the library’s efforts to preserve and share cultural works.
“Video games have matured rapidly over the past few decades, both artistically and technologically,” said library director Harrison Baker. “It’s important for us to preserve not just
the software, which can itself become lost or forgotten, but also the cultural and physical experience of playing these games before digital devices were ubiquitous.”
Tolybius takes nominal inspiration from the well-known Portland-based urban legend of Polybius. According to the apocryphal tale, a mysterious arcade cabinet called Polybius haunted the suburban arcades of the Rose City in the early 1980s, exerting a strange hypnotic power over its players, occasionally maintained and relocated by a team of silent men in black.
Fortunately for the library’s patrons, there will be nothing mysterious about Tolybius.
Everything from software history to the details of arcade wiring will be shared through educational programming and materials, from informal tournaments and game info sheets to one-on-one instruction for volunteers.
“This is an emulation cabinet, so experienced players might notice some differences in performance and controls compared to the original hardware,” Baker said. “For those seeking the experience of playing a game in its natural habitat, on the original cabinet, we absolutely recommend you visit your local arcade.”
Just like a traditional video arcade, Tolybius includes games intended for a wide range of ages and abilities, so parental guidance is strongly suggested.
The June 12 grand opening will begin at noon at Toledo Public Library, located at 173 NW 7th Street. For more information, go to cityoftoledo.org/library or call 541-336-3132.