Arcade machines, especially classic coin-operated systems, were originally designed for short, high-intensity gameplay sessions. Unlike modern consoles, most early arcade cabinets didn't feature traditional save states due to hardware limitations and their pay-per-play business model.

However, many arcade games implemented "continue" features to extend gameplay. After inserting additional coins, players could resume from specific checkpoints or levels. Some later arcade systems, particularly those using ROM cartridges or hard drives, did incorporate limited save functionality for high scores or progress tracking.

Modern arcade emulators and retro gaming collections often add save state capabilities that weren't present in the original hardware. These allow players to save and load their progress at any point, a feature made possible through software emulation rather than the original arcade technology.

The implementation varies significantly between different arcade generations and manufacturers, reflecting the evolution of gaming technology from simple 8-bit systems to complex 32-bit arcade platforms.