Tokyo game stores

DC906270 · Post by **DC906270** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 1:50 am

hi,　i am currently staying in tokyo, can,t find any used game stores (ie sega saturn,super famicom, md) in akhibarara,all ps2??? anyone have any tips/locations? seen a couple of softmaps, traders but no used games apart from ps2?

biocat · Post by **biocat** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 4:41 am

There's a bunch of stores. In fact, almost all the stores have a used section that has more than PS2 games. Maybe you're coming out of the wrong side of the station? Try looking on the other floors besides the ground floor of stores and walking past the main street into the side streets. Maybe that's why you're not seeing used stuff. I think GP made a guide a while ago.

http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~japangaming/akimap.php

Here's the map he made. It's a bit out of date but still quite helpful. I would help you myself but I've been sick and need to rest this off. Have fun!

Marler · Post by **Marler** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 12:18 pm

I don't know how relevant this information will be,
seeing as I was last in Tokyo in 2003, but anyway.
Find the large SEGA arcade on the main stretch of Akihabara
and go down the offroad, there should be a few shops along there.
I especially remember a shop on the right hand side (Might have been
a Traders - can't remember) Go upstairs there, saturn heaven.
Akiba changes a lot from what I hear, large stores that were
supposedly there a year ago were gone by the time I got there.
Anyway, the back streets are your friend, and always go upstairs.
Small shops = Tall shops in Japan, one way to get around expensive rent
I guess.

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 11:36 pm

Yeah, that's Trader 2, but all their used games are downstairs now. Unfortunately, the PC-Engine and Saturn sections have been downsized to share space with PS/PS2 used stuff. A very sad sight, but they're all starting to have smaller 32-bit sections. Even Medialand.

superhitachi4 · Post by **superhitachi4** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 1:47 pm

Hmm, not sure about Tokyo, but if you can work your way over to Akihabara, you should find a TON of game stores, and arcades. For more info about that, search the archives of the www.neo-geo.com forums section. Someone in there had travel tips for Japan (where to find game shops, arcades etc.), and there was even a map of Akihabara with some game stores / arcades marked. Remember reading that a few months ago, and it looked to be very useful info. I saved some pics of the shops, and this info (for some reason) in a text file. Think "Bobak" on the neo-geo.com forums said: "Needless to say, if you're in JPN you must visit SuperPotato and Traders in Akihabara (I hear Super Potato also has a store in Osaka)." Also, you could maybe ask Yakumo from http://www.segagagadomain.com , as he's in Japan. He's a nice guy, so I'm sure he'd help you out if he could. Good luck.

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 11:06 pm

superhitachi4 wrote:Hmm, not sure about Tokyo, but if you can work your way over to Akihabara, you should find a TON of game stores, and arcades.

Akihabara is in Tokyo, and is what's referenced above.

bpe · Post by **bpe** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 3:14 pm

Try this shop. It's on the main street in Akihabara, same side of the street like Hey! arcade, but a little bit further (away from the station, ie in the direction of Ueno). It's on the corner and there's a Doutor cafe next to it. The second floor is all used PS1 and PS2 games / consoles, then other floors for dreamcast, anime, etc. You need to look out for signs with the kanjis in the red rectangles, those mean "second hand". This floorguide pic is from this actual shop, so you can see they have quite a lot of used stuff.

The pics are 2 months old so it shouldn't have disappeared

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 7:57 pm

Sofmap's a pretty big chain. It's not going anywhere. Just be warned there's about 6 Sofmap's in Shinjuku. Not all of them carry games though.

DC906270 · Post by **DC906270** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 8:37 am

Hi guys, thanks for the tips. After looking at the map by Gaijin Punch, i managed to track down Media Land in Akihabara, and the original Trader store in Shinjuku. Media Land was probably the better used game store with a larger selection of used games. I also happened across a back street electronics store in Akihabara, which were selling Saturn, MD and MDCD games, many new and sealed, for really cheap. I managed to get a (new, or maybe re-sealed mint) copy of Thunderforce V Special Edition SS for Y3500 / $35!! Also, In the Hunt (new) SS for $15.

I am back in the UK now, and i think that the used game stores in Osaka, like Super Potato, Media Recycle and Black Tiger in Den Den Town have a better selection of games than Tokyo. At least for the types of games i was looking for. Loads of loose SFC carts to be had for $5-$10 each, most titles too!

I found SS games were hard to come by, generally in both Tokyo and Osaka, didnt see many good titles for sale. you are better off on ebay.

Dreamcast titles can be found quite easily. I got Mars Matrix mint condition for $35.

i also got a PCE Core Grafx loose for $10, and an MD2/MCD2 combo loose for $60.

Generally, i think there are a wider selection of games on offer on ebay than can be found in any Japanese store. But Japan is still a nice country to visit.

Thunder Force · Post by **Thunder Force** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 11:14 am

DC906270 wrote:I managed to get a (new, or maybe re-sealed mint) copy of Thunderforce V Special Edition SS for Y3500 / $35!!

That's a sweet purchase

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 11:28 am

Just about everyone seems to be down-sizing their Saturn stuff, and even PS games to an extent. A sad sight indeed.