Arcade machines pioneered stereoscopic 3D effects through several ingenious display technologies that created depth perception without requiring specialized glasses in many cases. The most common method involved parallax barrier systems, where a precisely calculated layer placed over an LCD screen would direct different images to the left and right eyes, creating an autostereoscopic effect. This technology allowed players to experience 3D visuals simply by positioning themselves correctly before the cabinet.

Another prevalent technique utilized lenticular lenses - arrays of magnifying lenses that similarly separated imagery for each eye. Games like Sega's "SubRoc-3D" employed this method to create convincing underwater depth and spatial relationships between objects. For more advanced effects, some arcade systems incorporated active shutter glasses synchronized with the display refresh rate, rapidly alternating perspectives between frames.

Traditional anaglyph 3D with red-blue glasses found implementation in earlier cabinets, while later systems like Namco's "Galaxian 3" used polarized filters to separate left and right eye images with better color fidelity. These stereoscopic implementations weren't merely visual enhancements - they fundamentally changed gameplay mechanics, making spatial judgment crucial in shooters and vehicle simulations. The technical constraints of the era, including limited processing power and display resolution, forced developers to create clever optimizations that maximized the 3D illusion while maintaining smooth performance.