It would be nice to see people playing together in the lounge, though.
(And then you've got folks like me who drop a thousand dollars on a gizmo to not have to think about the construction process nearly as hard, but shhh, we're cautionary tales.)
I can't help you with the not wanting to learn part, but, having never built one, I'm pretty confident I could do it in a day. Pretty confident that it's a weekend project for a couple of college kids. And learning how to use your hands is a pretty rewarding experience, I find.
I like the Domino because it makes easier a process I know I can do through slower means. I have used a dowel jig, I have used pocket holes, I've chopped mortises. But usually I just want to put two pieces together so I can clamp them and glue them and get on with the next thing. But most uses of CNC with wood seem to be "do things a person can't really practically do in a home shop" and I don't dig that.
It also cost a thousand dollars. But it's the sort of tool that has the obvious design and affordances to make me happy to pick it up and use it, and the things are unkillable--they last twenty years at a minimum. Festool is the sort of company that recognizes that customers are for life and they do a lot to support customers, too, even with thoroughly out of warranty stuff.
A cabinet can be as simple or complex as you want.
Extreme example: a large cardboard box in fact is how I have often begun many of my past MAME cab builds. I make the cardboard prototype to test ergonomics, fit of the various components — surprisingly you can play on them if you go all the way to install and wire the buttons.
Sheets of plywood or MDF (hate that stuff as a woodworker though) can be purchased at a big box store — maybe they can cut them down to size a bit for you to transport?
A long ruler and an inexpensive circular saw will allow you to cut the sheets of plywood down to the right size. An inexpensive jigsaw as mentioned if you wanted your cabinet to have a few curves (seen plenty of functional if boxy cabs though that are just as fun to play).
A drill to make holes to install the buttons, glue, drywall screws... It can be done with few tools.
Honestly such a project can turn into a gateway drug to more woodworking and tools. As mentioned, you may want to build a 2nd one and add T-molding around the edges to dress it up and look for legit. So a router and slot-cutting bit are added to your growing collection of tools in the garage. Purchase a $400 track saw and after the beautiful and precise cuts you will never touch your circular saw again....
Also, I don't even think MDF is a necessity for this, is it? The cabinets I babysat at the arcade in college were all three-layer or graded-density particle board.
And you're right. The wood alone for such a project is very expensive right now. I know because I started it a while ago with scrap wood, and I'm rethinking how I'm going to do it with cabinet-grade plywood.
Add in all the knowledge and effort to design and build the cabinet, and it becomes quite a task if you aren't already a woodworker with those tools.
If someone is really into it, I think it's a great project and they should absolutely do it. But I don't recommend it for people who merely want the end product.
I'm thinking about making a furniture grade arcade cabinet personally (and mounting a CRT into it), but I'm a cautionary tale, you need not make my mistakes.
Has anyone ever come up with an entertainment project using a small computer that isn’t turning it into an emulation box? It seems like it’s the default dad project too.