Arcade machines, by their fundamental design, are not typically programmed to recognize or facilitate player-created custom objectives. Their software is hard-coded for specific, developer-intended goals, primarily centered on achieving a high score, defeating a final boss, or completing a linear stage progression. The concept of custom objectives is therefore almost entirely a player-driven, meta-layer of gameplay imposed from outside the machine's programming.

The most common form of this is the self-imposed challenge. Players create their own rules to increase difficulty or variety. This includes pursuits like a "no-miss run," where the player aims to complete the entire game without losing a single life, or a "pacifist run" in a shooter, avoiding all enemies if possible. Other examples are score-based challenges, such as competing for the highest score on a single credit or aiming for a specific, round number. These objectives are tracked solely by the player or their community, not by the arcade cabinet itself.

Technically, the machine only processes the inputs and game logic it was built with. It has no framework to acknowledge a player's personal "no-miss run" goal. The system merely detects a "game over" state when the last life is lost, regardless of the player's intention. The scoreboard is the only in-game system that can sometimes reflect these custom goals, as players can use it to post scores achieved under their own special rules, making it a public record for community verification and competition.

In rare cases, modified or "hacked" arcade machines can more directly support custom objectives. These are altered versions of the original game, often found in enthusiast circles, where the code has been changed to include new modes, such as a time attack or specific boss rush. Here, the custom objective becomes an official part of the game's programming. However, this is the exception and not the norm for standard arcade cabinets.

Ultimately, the handling of custom objectives in arcades is a social and community phenomenon. It is a testament to player creativity, using the rigid, fixed framework of arcade hardware as a canvas for personal achievement and shared competition, tracked through word-of-mouth, online forums, and uploaded videos rather than through any native game function.