Best Cave Arcades in Tokyo?

ChurchOfSolipsism · Post by **ChurchOfSolipsism** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 7:51 pm

Sorry if there has been a thread like this before - I'm even quite sure there has, but after spending half an hour searching for it and not finding anything, I figured I'd just make another thread. I'd be happy if anyone could link me to an older thread, if one exists of course.

Anyway what arcades can you recommend in Tokyo? All I want to play is the newer Cave games, from Ketsui onward. It'll be my first time in Tokyo, so I'd be grateful for descriptions on how to get there as well. Sorry if this is impertinent...

And I've heard about 50 yen arcades... is there a chance there is one that has all ze Cave stuff?

Taylor · Post by **Taylor** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 8:51 pm

Hey! Arcade in Akihabara is the obvious one. When I was last there they had all Cave games except DonPachi. Some of the latest ones with two or three cabinets, so no problem with queues and lots of people being awesome if you just want to watch. It's a bit loud in there, though, and don't expect anyone to talk. It's on the main road across from the station, doubt you'll miss it. There's a few more arcades in the immediate area, but if your criteria is just "Cave," this is the place.

In Shinjuku, Mikado can be a little hard to find the first time, but they have a map on their website. It's a much nicer place to go, but you'll only find Ketsui, Daifukkatsu, Death Smiles: Mega Black Label and (for whatever reason) Dangun Feveron.

You'll also see Taito and Sega Worlds dotted about in a few places. You'll have to climb over an army of crane machines and face an atmosphere like you just walked into a private club, but a few of them do have shmup sections. Failing that, they are useful landmarks and have nice toilets.

sven666 · Post by **sven666** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 9:45 pm

bring some earplugs when you go to hey!, youre gonna need em if youre planning to tay longer than a few minutes..

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 12:28 am

The only arcade with all (or at least close to all) of the Cave games in Tokyo is Hey!. It's not 50 yen. One noticeable ALL 50 YEN! arcade that has a handful of Cave games is Shibuya Kaikan in (wait for it...) Shibuya. It's on Center Gai, near the Starbucks.

Other noticeable arcades:
Mikado in Shinjku
Try Amusement Tower in Akihabara

Both of the above have strong retro sections, and good shooting floors (complete w/ Cave games).

adversity1 · Post by **adversity1** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 1:56 am

Mikado is now officially moving to Takadanobaba:

http://blog.mi-ka-do.net/?eid=925787

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 3:04 am

Fuck. I always thought "moving" meant down the street. I've been to Takadanobaba like 3 times in 10 years.

ChurchOfSolipsism · Post by **ChurchOfSolipsism** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 12:16 pm

Thanks a bunch, people! Leaving for Japan quite soon. Tension's rising...

Lordstar · Post by **Lordstar** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 1:03 pm

sven666 wrote:bring some earplugs when you go to hey!, youre gonna need em if youre planning to tay longer than a few minutes..

its not that loud. you punch of pussies. Pachinko parlors are fucking crazy ass loud all the time. you have to scream to talk to the person next to you its that loud

ChurchOfSolipsism · Post by **ChurchOfSolipsism** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 1:11 pm

Lordstar wrote:you punch of pussies

Lordstar: Delivering hilarious typos on a regular basis since 2007.

adversity1 wrote:Mikado is now officially moving to Takadanobaba:

http://blog.mi-ka-do.net/?eid=925787

Sorry, I don't read Japanese. Care to elaborate? Taka... whatever is a district of Tokyo, I take it?

sven666 · Post by **sven666** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 1:18 pm

Lordstar wrote:
sven666 wrote:bring some earplugs when you go to hey!, youre gonna need em if youre planning to tay longer than a few minutes..
its not that loud. you punch of pussies. Pachinko parlors are fucking crazy ass loud all the time. you have to scream to talk to the person next to you its that loud

hey! is the same man, well atleast it was when i was there (over 2 years ago now), maybe theyve turned the volume down since then?

i preferred the mystery arcade i found on the 7th floor of a shopping store that no-ones been able to locate since then, not as many games but still a dozen or so shooter cabs, no people, low noice, no smoke and they had all the latest games.

it was down by teh end of the mainstreet and the department store sold just about everything except for games (food, clothes etc), 8th floor was a cinema and below that was the arcade, bottom floor was a pachinko place i think.

Lordstar · Post by **Lordstar** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 3:34 pm

ChurchOfSolipsism you can piss off.

You cant say shit about my typos until you have

A) hit at least 500 posts

B) bought one of my shirts

and since ive no fucking clue who you are

piss off

only jokng i love you really (that typo is forced, and just for you

)

Lordstar · Post by **Lordstar** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 3:39 pm

I had dificulty finding a lot of stuff when i was in JP. A lot of people who work in the arcades know little or no japanese.

I think the best one was the Squarenix store which only opens on saturdays and sundays. it even says that on the flyer (in japanese) and we asked for directions about six times and gave them the flyer for them to help us. No one felt it important to tell us it was not open on the wednesday we went to visit. I went back on a weekend. Fucking awesome store its in the middle of nowhere off the main train map but if your a square or enix fan its worth it.

ChurchOfSolipsism · Post by **ChurchOfSolipsism** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 8:21 pm

Lordstar wrote:ChurchOfSolipsism you can piss off.

You cant say shit about my typos until you have

A) hit at least 500 posts

B) bought one of my shirts

and since ive no fucking clue who you are

piss off

only jokng i love you really (that typo is forced, and just for you )

Likewise, asswipe

Seriously man, some of the shit you posted on this board is divine. I'm not entirely convinced they're real typos, though. You sly devil you.

captpain · Post by **captpain** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:25 pm

Why's Hey! so loud?

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 11:22 pm

ChurchOfSolipsism wrote: Sorry, I don't read Japanese. Care to elaborate? Taka... whatever is a district of Tokyo, I take it?

Just about everything in Japan is a district of Tokyo. That's an exaggeration to an extent, obviously. Shinjuku is pretty much the most "Tokyo like" district. Neon lights, a very seedy red light district, arcades, you name it. It's also the biggest train hub 2nd to Tokyo station. Thus, it's easy for anyone to get there. Takadanobaba is two stations away on the Yamanote line. Not nearly as convenient, or hip.

Pachinko parlors are fucking crazy ass loud all the time.

And the air is 10x worse. I walked by one the other day. The auto doors opened, and I was hit with a cloud of hot, stale, smokey air. So disgusting. I almost threw up.

Taylor · Post by **Taylor** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 11:24 pm

There's just lots of cabinets in the room, they are set to a reasonable volume but because so many are being played at the same time it kind of blurs into the sound of a dull jet-engine. It’s not unbearable, but it is something that'll hit you.

Certainly if you were to make a list of all sounds and grade them by pussyness, it would not be top of the list.

Ex_Mosquito · Post by **Ex_Mosquito** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 5:21 pm

adversity1 wrote:Mikado is now officially moving to Takadanobaba:

http://blog.mi-ka-do.net/?eid=925787

Ah no! I'm planning on visiting Tokyo in February and this was one of the arcades I really wanted to visit. Any idea when it's moving? and is it still open at the moment?

Ta.

CFO · Post by **CFO** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 8:04 pm

Ex_Mosquito wrote:
adversity1 wrote:Mikado is now officially moving to Takadanobaba:

http://blog.mi-ka-do.net/?eid=925787
Ah no! I'm planning on visiting Tokyo in February and this was one of the arcades I really wanted to visit. Any idea when it's moving? and is it still open at the moment?

Ta.

According to the blog, between the end of February to April. Kind of a shame.

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 11:46 pm

Ex_Mosquito wrote:
adversity1 wrote:Mikado is now officially moving to Takadanobaba:

http://blog.mi-ka-do.net/?eid=925787
Ah no! I'm planning on visiting Tokyo in February and this was one of the arcades I really wanted to visit. Any idea when it's moving? and is it still open at the moment?

Ta.

Make sure you hit Try Amusement Tower in Akihabara.

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:33 am

I agree with Gaijin Punch about those crazy-ass loud Japanese pachinko parlors. And they reek of ciggy smoke to the heavens. It was fun to try out a pachinko game...balls went down the drain quite fast just like during a fast gaming session of pinball.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

ChurchOfSolipsism · Post by **ChurchOfSolipsism** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 12:39 am

I'm at Kyoto right now and I've checked out a couple of Pachinko parlours. Holy shit... when the doors open it's like being hit with a brick. It feels like a scene straight out of a Stephen Chow comedy, being blasted away with sound, hitting the wall on the other side of the street and sliding down, knocked out.

Animaitor · Post by **Animaitor** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 2:49 am

Then Mikado will be one station closer to my house since I live in Numabukuro (Seibu Shinjuku line). Sweet!!!

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 3:15 am

Animaitor wrote:Then Mikado will be one station closer to my house since I live in Numabukuro (Seibu Shinjuku line). Sweet!!!

I haven't taken math in like 10 years, but if it's moving 2 stations away, how can it be 1 station closer to you?

shmups.system11.org

Best Cave Arcades in Tokyo?

Best Cave Arcades in Tokyo?

Pachinko parlors are smoky!