Unauthorized score manipulation in arcade games undermines fair competition and damages player trust. To combat this, game developers and operators can implement several effective strategies.

1. Secure Code and Encryption: Protect game software with robust encryption to prevent tampering. Obfuscate critical code segments to make reverse engineering difficult.

2. Server-Side Validation: Store high scores and critical game data on secure servers rather than locally. Validate scores before accepting them to detect anomalies.

3. Cheat Detection Algorithms: Use algorithms to identify suspicious patterns, such as impossibly high scores or rapid score jumps, and flag or reject them.

4. Frequent Updates and Patches: Regularly update games to fix vulnerabilities and stay ahead of new cheating methods.

5. Player Authentication: Require player logins or unique identifiers to track and verify legitimate high scores.

6. Community Reporting: Encourage players to report suspicious activity, fostering a community-driven approach to fair play.

By combining these measures, arcade games can maintain integrity, ensuring a level playing field for all enthusiasts.