Arcades - A tribute

[undamned]

To see unusual cabs such as a Pony or a Mini-Cute just completely makes my day.

Haha, back when I first discovered JP cab importers, the Pony was sort of the dog of imported cabs I think the guy I bought my Namco Exceleena from was selling them for like $260? Must have been getting them for free basically.

Greg and I took a lot of photos on our 2006 trip. I should dig through and see if I have any cool photos of the more obscure game centers we visited!
-ud

[Udderdude]

Very interesting posts, thanks guys. Especially Rancor, going to all the depths of Japan's arcades :O

[caincan]

that is essence of arcade 10times worth than same pictures of akiba standard arcades. the wonder to see mysterious cabs & games. there were too some pictures too on the net of old retired places (as ski stations lost in kansai)

[rancor]

"Game Fuji" added to OP.

[Obiwanshinobi]

I found THE dreamy GBA SP gaming spot today in the park. (Technically found it some time ago, but today, I understood.) Would take a photo, but it's about the size of bench, the distance from most dwelled path and traffic, about smells, animals, daylight and mothers. Instead, I'll post away the picture taken nearby this autumn.



Doesn't it look a lot like Sagrada Família?

Now, I remember arcades aren't like that at all. The last one I found literally reeked of decomposition and oh boy, was it forlorn. Alas, didn't take a photo and now it's too late.
Nevertheless, there's a GBA SP gaming spot I like even better (if need to walk further to get there; also, have yet to find a bench QUITE as comfy). Mothers are still there, but fewer Norway walkers and weekend runners (I don't mind either; it's just that we nip each other's mood a bit). More... dodgy individuals instead (so I don't stick out like a sore thumb). Behold...



(Now there's literally a church to be seen in the background.)

The third place is somewhere inbetween, spatially and socially alike. I don't have a photo taken quite there, so it'll do...

[mesh control]

[Obiwanshinobi]

[system11]

Sad to say but as far as I know, my house has the biggest concentration of arcade machines for at least the surrounding 20 miles, and maybe more.

[drauch]

Obiwan, you never cease to amaze me...

[Obiwanshinobi]

Daylight - you know it makes most things better. Even human mugs (and you can quote me on that).

[NTSC-J]

Game Park


This place is the arcade closest to where I live, and thankfully it's pretty great. It's across from Fujimidai station on the second floor of this building (like Rancor's last entry, I couldn't get a better picture because the street is so narrow, my back was up against a wall) but it's fairly roomy inside. It's a bit dumpy, but it has lots of games and treats its patrons well. For shooters, they have SDOJ, Ketsui, DOJ BL, Futari BL, Tatsujin Ou, and Darius Gaiden, with video equipment hooked up to these particular cabs so that players can record their runs. The staff seems to be a group of middle-aged men (seriously, how many people work at this place, I swear I see a new guy every time behind the counter). They also keep a snack bar and once brought me some coffee, on the house.

[GaijinPunch]

What's my prize for finding the arcade in the picture in under 1 minute?

[rancor]

Free moustache ride from this guy:

[GaijinPunch]

His beard looks a lot like what the girls locker rooms in Japan as.

[null1024]

There's a neat arcade called Arcade Odyssey in Kendall(Miami), FL that has all kinds of awesome games.

Namely:
-Mushihimesama
-Baseball Ninja Batman!
-Double Dragon
-Fist of the North Star(the punching game)
-Pump It Up: Fiesta EX
-Guilty Gear X2 AC
-Melty Blood: Act Cadenza
-Dance Maniax 2nd (!?)

etc.
I'll try to get some pictures.

Was there today. They didn't have Mushihimesama [but they did have MMP], Ninja Baseball Batman, or Guilty Gear there anymore.
Had a blast with some of my friends. Seeing a Planet Harriers cab was awesome [and the game is really fun], and I kicked my buddy's ass at Senko no Ronde [Duo?].

Double Dragon is odd -- it's really hard, and it slows down like crazy when more than 2 things are on screen.
They also added a DDR:Extreme cab, and it's been forever since I've played one in good working order. My buddy swears by Pump It Up though, I'm just terrible at PIU, so I went to the DDR cab like a fruit fly towards vinegar.

Also, Virtual On looks really sexy on a proper medium-res Model 2 monitor, and twinsticks are really neat. Jumpcancelling was a bit annoying at times though, sometimes it wouldn't register.

Q*Bert is tons of fun, but rather hard, and I love that loud acoustic knock sound it makes so much.

The place was pretty packed mid-day [like, 2 to 3], was rather empty before and after that.

The pinball selection is neat, but the tables are hit or miss [worst offender: the T2 table, which happily aimed everything into the gutter or right side pocket [you would have to slam on the side of the machine to try to stop that], it felt really unfair and I didn't want to play after I went through 5 balls in a minute]. The Super Mario table was pretty hard, but great fun, played 20 balls worth of it [got 2 free credits ].

Also, I spent a bit more money than I should have playing Battletoads, but it's an extremely good beat-em-up that just satisfies. Hits that are meaty and violent, bold scaling graphics, cool sound, everything about it really seems enjoyable... except the ice physics in stage 2, that was annoying [why would you put an ice level so early, especially after that really good first impression from the first stage, where you kick enemies into the screen and it makes you want to play].


Anyone in Florida should come here. It's full of great games, and if it was closer to where I live, I'd go regularly.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Has there ever been a coffee-table type of picture book with tons of pics of how it really was like in the late 1970s and into the early 1980s with the Japanese game centers sold in Japan?

I recall that some of the Japanese arcade devs mentioned that they were called "arcades" back in the '80s. Of course, times have changed since then with them being referred to as "game centers" nowdays.

Back in the early '80s, my local Tilt! arcade hangout had the right amount of lowered intensity of lighting for maximum contrast/eye-popping factor of those many newer arcade games being cranked out on a weekly/monthly basis nonstop. It seemed like there was always something new to behold & marvel at on a weekly basis.

Not to mention watching those nationally syndicated Saturday morning shows of Starcade with gameshow host, Geoff Edwards, back in the day. I always got a kick seeing a new kid or teen score a brand new full-sized arcade game if a set score criteria could be beaten in a certain amount of time countdown-style (usually a minute or two tops). For some Starcade contestants, it'd be their first time playing some these newer arcade games -- more than once with scores so close to the set score to beat in order to win but no dice in the end.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[GaijinPunch]

I think they've always been called game centers in Japan, as an arcade is more of a strip mall. The closest thing to that coffee table book you're dreaming of is most likely "It Started With Pong". Definitely not easy reading. It's quite dense, and unfortunately, Japanese only. It has few pictures, but they are pretty interesting to see.

[rancor]

"Lucky" added to OP. I got a chance to hit 3 arcades today, so more pics coming soon.

[beatsgo]

"Lucky" added to OP. I got a chance to hit 3 arcades today, so more pics coming soon.

Oh wow, never saw a Typing of the Dead arcade machine ever until now. Now that kick ass!

[GaijinPunch]

"Lucky" added to OP. I got a chance to hit 3 arcades today, so more pics coming soon.

Oh wow, never saw a Typing of the Dead arcade machine ever until now. Now that kick ass!

I actually played a single credit on that game once, and only once. I got to like the 2nd to last stage, as I'm a sick typist. The only reason I died is b/c they romanize the words "improperly". shuu would become syu. My elite brain couldn't handle that bullshit, just like I can't handle how most jackasses talk on the internet. Even had a little crowd. Probably got my ass handed to me in VF4 right after that.

^_~

[Obiwanshinobi]

Also, Virtual On looks really sexy on a proper medium-res Model 2 monitor, and twinsticks are really neat. Jumpcancelling was a bit annoying at times though, sometimes it wouldn't register.

This, Monkey Ball and SCUD Race are three cabinets I wish I owned, exposed where life is and played by merry masses. Okay, SCUD Race I just want for myself; I was too shy to give it business when it was around (and busy playing Metal Slug), but things have happened since then.

[rancor]

JAL added to OP.

[caldwert]

I'm interested in "kisses" above JAL, any pics of that?

[GaijinPunch]

JAL added to OP.

Looks closed.

Here's my contribution to the thread. Taken from 3 different arcades...


Try by gaijin_punch, on Flickr


Super Hangon by gaijin_punch, on Flickr


Sega by gaijin_punch, on Flickr

[drauch]

Sega never looked so...artsy.

[GaijinPunch]

I was going to name it "How the Mighty have Fallen" but I'm done w/ that song & dance now. I try to remember them how they were and not moan too much.

[drauch]

Yeah, that's about all you can do

[zinger]

Great thread, great reports! I love old and obscure arcades, and can get seriously depressed just thinking about the rate they must be disappearing at these days.

A friend of mine was kind enough to take me on a tour around central Osaka and show me his favourite small-scale arcades, but basically all of them had disappeared or where totally different and depressing. The only exception was New Star. Mostly fighters, but there were also a couple of belt scrollers, shooters (V-Five, Raiden Fighters) and... Lost Worlds(!!!). Quite lovely, though I wouldn't be surprised if it's already gone.







Slightly off-topic, but one of the weirdest ones I've been to was at an old ski resort by a small lake in Nagano Prefecture. Since it was during the summer the resort was totally deserted (which gave the atmosphere an eerie Silent Hill like vibe, kind of like when you cross the lake to go to the amusement park) but there was an arcade that was at least partially open in the basement. Most standard cabs seem to have been located in a part of the arcade which was locked behind a gate though. Behind it was a long corridor and I could just barely make out the rest of the arcade beginning with a couple of Astro Cities at the end of that, because although that part of the arcade was closed, it was still dimly lit, probably just to tease me. I'd really love to go back there and see what was on the other side of that corridor, but I know I never will. I'd probably be disappointed though, so maybe it's better just to leave it a mystery. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures.

Also, when I cruised around the Japanese countryside I saw a couple of arcades that looked totally deserted, almost ancient because of how deep the cracks in the foundation of their buildings were (not to mention how faded the color of their logotypes were). I guess they were out of business since long, but never had the time to stop by and take a closer look.

[GaijinPunch]

I went to Mikado recently to see if they had any old cabs worth mentioning. They had Darius, Darius II, Ninja Warriors and Outrun which were all great. Upright Space Harrier & Afterburner II. A whopping 3 Darius Bursts. However, that was about it. That place is really fighter-heavy, which I guess is what makes them the most money. This was a weekend night, and it was packed. I'm a little upset the have no spinner or rotary stick games. These are generally what would bring me back as they're such a cock to play at home. I did play a credit of Night Striker though, which is always super radical.

Down the street (actually way close to the station) is Hakuchou Game Center. It looks like it's taken right out of the 80's. I got a shot or two of the exterior, but I only had a 58mm lens on me, and that was far too long of a focal length to take any places in this claustrophobic joint. It was also extremely well lit, which I don't dig in the least.

[rancor]

OP updated with "Sonic".