Classic arcade machines employed ingenious hardware techniques to create dynamic lighting effects that modern games achieve through software. CRT monitors generated real-time lighting through raster beams that could intensify electron guns for bright effects or create bloom by slightly defocusing. Color cycling animation manipulated limited palettes to simulate pulsating lights and environmental changes by rapidly shifting predefined color registers. Voltage-controlled lamps connected to game logic produced physical lighting that dimmed or brightened based on gameplay events. Sprite overlays used multiple graphical layers to create illusion of illuminated elements moving independently. Some premium cabinets featured auxiliary devices like backlit marquees synchronized with game events. These methods relied on direct hardware manipulation rather than shaders, creating distinctive visual character while working within severe 1970s-80s technical constraints. The techniques varied significantly between vector displays using phosphor persistence and raster screens employing scanline tricks. Understanding these approaches reveals why arcade visuals maintained unique aesthetic qualities distinct from home systems.