Robokku

I see, I see. DBZ was a bit after my time really (in the UK) so I went with Gundam to represent the Data Carddass system. Maybe DB would have been a better choice…

I’ll do that In my next article about Japanese arcade trading card games! 😜

@patbacknitro18 Sorry I missed your favourite! I don’t actually know that one – it’s hard to keep on top of these games because there are so many and they take so much time (and money) to even start to get into.

@CTMike Or a way to go without the family…? 😂 Yeah, the language barrier is absolutely surmountable if you stick at it. I already posted this link in the comments, but this is my recommended approach: https://arcade.tokyo/blog/2018/4/how-to-navigate-japanese-text

@SH007ME Glad you enjoyed it. Yeah, I hadn’t thought of that but those concepts all seem to join up, don’t they?

@SmaggTheSmug well, I’ve not played Magic: The Gathering, but I think arcade TCGs have grown out of tabletop ones in a similar way to how videogame RPGs came from the tabletop.

@Francema Good idea. Here’s a video of Sangokushi Taisen! If you skip to 7:00 then you will see a battle. The mini map on the right shows how the player is moving their cards (green squares).
https://youtu.be/oxTq1S8OjWI

@Wired247 no, thank YOU! Seriously – appreciate it. 👍

@imgrowinglegs It is daunting – and I think a bit of a shock to gamers expecting to have arrived in paradise. But if you find the right games they are loads of fun, and even some of the scary games are well worth giving a go. Here’s a handy tip 😉: https://arcade.tokyo/blog/2018/4/how-to-navigate-japanese-text

@riChchestM Yeah, I was a bit mean to the gatchas, wasn’t I? I tend to get sarcastic about a lot stuff, but only if I really love it deep down 😄 Some top gashapon I’ve seen are a set of classroom desks and chairs (one type of chair and one type of desk) and a range of tempura sharks. I don’t know Pokemon GalOle so I’ll have to be on the lookout!

@cool_boy_mew Wow I didn’t know that! I guess I shouldn’t be so dismissive of something just because it has a silly name. My bad! 😜

@bimmy-lee thank you. It’s interesting how different arcade cultures grow. I think there’s some sort of future for arcades in the West, but I don’t know what it is. I visited Singapore a while back and they still had arcades but were moving towards PC LAN cafes and rentable rooms or just sofas with console setups. An interesting development…

@jn2002dk Hehe 😁 thanks! Are you listening guys? More like this, they say!

@Heavyarms55 It must be cool to see kids who get really into this stuff. I am very much a trading card tourist. The reading is a challenge, it’s true. Sengoku Taisen was my biggest adventure and I studied the 8 sides of instructions over lunch in Ōtoya for about an hour, then took half an hour to get through the tutorial mode. But once you know how to play, you’re sorted. Just have to read it once!

@Donutman That’s sad to hear but Japan’s arcades aren’t perfect either – complicated games like these can end up taking serious time and money. Also, you will stink of cigarette smoke! In the UK, the TV ads for Switch are about gamer parents (usually dads, it seems) playing with their kids. I guess that’s halfway towards admitting gamers can be adults? 🤷‍♂️

@MaSSiVeRiCaN I think that’s actually an interesting question. You can’t must buy a cabinet and import it and pop it in an arcade. There’s a whole context of network play, trading cards, and just the critical mass needed for team-based or trading-based games. That sets Japan’s arcades apart but can also make them hard to get into.

@masterLEON Thank you! Yes, I thought about blind boxes (didn’t know they were called that, though!) while I was writing this. I guess they must fit into the spectrum somewhere…

@cfgk24 a good one I hope! 😁

@MikeHaggar been following those guys (you guys? ) on Instagram for ages and hope to visit one day!

@NEStalgia It’s certainly a place full of paradoxes if you want to chat about Japanese arcades then find me on Instagram or Twitter – or get the email newsletter from arcade.tokyo/weekly – feedback always welcome!

@EmirParkreiner That would be cool! Although personally I would prefer a Sega cab

@countzero You can see in the top picture a small device below the screen, which is a card reader. There are a few different cards that you load with credit and tap to pay. You can also use standard e-money cards used on public transport and smartphones too. Those readers are fitted even to these old candy cabs.

The best thing is, though, that almost all cabs old and new still accept ¥100 coins, which of course is the best way to play!

Would have loved to see an Italian arcade! I lived in Milan for 2 years but never found one…

@NEStalgia Thank you! If you love the little snapshots then take a look at my site and let me know what you think – and I have a weekly newsletter too!

@TheOpponent lol yes I love that old Densha de GO! And right behind it Darius and The Ninja Warriors. Good old Hey

@Menchi187 yeah it’s very different in Japan. I wish I could say it’s just like the good old days, but the most popular games are convoluted trading card / online / free-to-play franchises that are pretty inaccessible to visitors. It’s still brilliant but it’s just different.

@Iacobus @celestian1998 Japanese arcades these days are actually mostly custom cabinets with mad art and very serious hardware (trading card readers, sit-ins, custom sticks, buttons, mice…) – but it has moved away from the style and atmosphere of the classics from back in the day, it’s true…

@masterLEON Okunari: great tip, thank you!

@Tyranexx Thank you! Remember the arcade scene is still going in Tokyo, so you haven’t missed it completely!

@CorruptPhoenix Yep, this is the one thing that always comes up! It’s pretty gross, but not as infuriating as in a restaurant or cafe. It would be much better if smoking wasn’t allowed, but I guiltily tell myself it’s part of the atmosphere and sometimes revel in it.

I would say I don’t think it’s common to see young kids walking around in a smokey environment. There are non-smoking floors and sections which are typically the ones the kids will play. It does get problematic with teens and young adults, who do overlap on the big-name franchises. I wonder how long it can last in the modern world…

@wasilewski Thank you – and they are great guys with great Instagram accounts so I’m sure you’ll be glad you followed them! You can also follow me @arcade.tokyo, you know

@Lroy Thank you! Yes, so would I…

@samuelvictor I also love those Sega cabs. Probably an Astro City would be the dream for me…

Someone I follow on Instagram got one recently in the UK. They had help from another arcade nerd on IG, who pointed them at someone they knew from a forum… There seems to be a really nice community around it if you start asking!

@tangram Thanks for the comment – it was a pleasure to write the article because commenters here are always so nice! I can relate to every part of your comment – except that I will not give up hope!

@Menchi187 I don’t have a cab myself but I bet it’s a brilliant hobby to collect and tinker with this stuff. I would say that candy cabs have not died out in Tokyo. They’re certainly not the main way to game in the arcades, but they are alive and well, both with retro games and hardware and with modern networked PCBs.

And I seriously cannot see Super Street Fighter II Turbo ever disappearing as a competitive event!

If I’m trying to doom-monger I’ll say CRTs will disappear before we’d like, but we’ll hopefully have better tech to emulate that classic viewing experience by then (≥4K, HDR…)

Thanks for reading!

@BigKing @Moroboshi876 Hehe – when I wrote about Tokyo and asked “is the arcade scene really dying?” folks came out to say it’s thriving. Now I write about candy cabs thriving, people say it’s all dying away!

Everyone’s right, of course – places do close and the types of game/attraction that pull in the money are changing, so those do eventually win some more floor space. True as well that retro games are getting sparse in Sega arcades. I visited 20 Tokyo Sega centres in one day and was surprised at how many had no candy cabs at all – but the big locations (Shinjuku, Ikebukuro) had a good bunch and a tournament scene too.

The evergreen tip for retro gaming in Tokyo remains: Go to Hey. As the pictures show, there are plenty of candy cabs to be found (and I mentioned the arcades in all the captions in case you want to go)!

Thanks for reading and for the comments

@7ten I will next time I’m in London!

@Toads-Friend Glad you liked the article. I'm planning a marathon tour of Tokyo Sega arcades next week – follow my Instagram if you're interested! (The link to the Arcade Tokyo project under the article goes to Instagram.)

@Other-Brother Also my website is a bit of a mess right now but I have some more writing up there: arcade.tokyo

And I write long captions on Instagram!

@Other-Brother Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.

@BezBot Yeah, I'd say if you're in Tokyo at the right time then it's a great day out and cheaper than Disneyland (also good though 😊). Not worth the long flight on its own!

@Slaz I have seen and heard lots of good stuff about the scene in Osaka and would love to check it out one day. When I do, I'll definitely go to Monte-50!

@unoclay Keep an eye on my site, which I hope to get updated more frequently in the near future. Also 9pp.co/tgc might give you some inspiration. (And my Instagram at the risk of repeating myself…)

@SLIGEACH_EIRE Let's assume level 1 helps pay for the basement so it's not all bad 😁

@Priceless_Spork Thanks! Really glad you liked it – I worked hard on the pictures. You can see loads more on my Instagram: arcade.tokyo.

You're right about horse racing games. They've been popular since the famicom – and even earlier in the arcade.

@gblock They definitely will be there in 2 years, don't worry!

@unoclay 👍 Have fun in Japan! My mission this summer is to see how many Sega arcades I can hit in one day. I think 20 should be possible…

@DarthFoxMcCloud Do it! The arcades aren't dying yet – don't panic.

@NEStalgia Wow, epic comment. So glad you liked the article and that the appeal of the dirty, smoky, sometimes morally questionable atmosphere. Comes over. The arcade you describe sounds pretty awesome. I have played at an arcade with that kind of card system in Singapore. It's fun and convenient, but I love getting a big stack of coins and rattling them in, too. (If you like this vibe then check out my site and my Instagram.)

@YANDMAN OK, I shamelessly indulged in Betteridge's law of headlines on this one, but I think the article shares your scepticism about them dying out (any time soon, certainly).

@MrPuzzlez Thanks. Yeah, the smoking is weird if you come from somewhere where it's illegal. Unfortunately, you will stink if you spend time in any typical Tokyo arcade, but there are some exceptions (and it's worth it anyway). Same goes for many restaurants, bars, etc. (Conversely, smoking on the street is a no-no except in designated areas!)