Showing posts with label Gamer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gamer. Show all posts

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Game Plaza Capcom - Kichijoji, Tokyo

Much thanks to Google Maps on this one! 


A candy land of gaming goodness courtesy of Capcom with a huge floor space dedicated to all things Capcom (and Nintendo crossover related).

Located on the basement floor of a shopping center it's best to just look for the bright yellow "Loft" sign as advertising for Plaza Capcom is few and far between.

As is standard with most large arcades, UFO catchers take up a quarter of the space, photo booths another, coin games another and the remainder video games. As you'd expect, StreetFighter gets a lot of love, with most of the medals sporting a silhouette of Ryu, posters covering the floors and walls too relating to the franchise too.

Games wise, there's an extreme lack of what most arcade fans would put in their own Capcom arcade - The "Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter" poster at the entrance, for instance, which turns out to be simply a poster. Few, if any, pre 2010 games .. 













It's business at the end of the day, and overwhelmingly it's a great feeling to be standing in what is as close to CapcomLand as we'll see. It just seems that with a few retro cabs as apposed to posters, something truly great could've been realized.
DD

Taito Station - Kinshicho, Tokyo

Kinshicho's gaming hub.


A year or so back Kinshicho would've been a gamers paradise with SEGA, Adores, Mitoya and Taito all within a 10min radius. Time rolls on though, leaving just the big two to tussle for custom.

Taito's setup, always strong, teams with patrons, catering for all kinds of gamers and prize hunters. Just a single floor but extremely spacious, this one has everything you're looking for, from Gundam and StreetFighter to every up to date rhythm game and UFO catcher imaginable. Although lacking retro games or any surprises, respect as always to Taito for knowing their demographic.





Absolutely worth popping in if you're around the way.
DD

Retrotailer - Mandrake Galaxy, Nakano

Few places in Tokyo will bring retro gamers to their knees quite like this place.




Jam packed with everything you'd want to see in a 90's gaming time capsule, including a bunch of Game and Watch handheld devices, toys, posters and the like.

A phenomenal bunch of games from every major console earmarked with Mandrakes condition label means gives customers a price variance too. You'll be paying through the nose for mint condition games (which is fair), but for gamers just wanting to find that beat up copy, there's crates full of non-boxed goods to look through.



Standouts include -

Ristar - 18,000¥
TMNT - 15,000¥
BattleToads - 18,000¥
(G&W) Hungry Weiner (lol) - 25,000¥
(G&W) Batman - 3,800¥

Mandrake Galaxy, Broadway 2F, Nakano, Tokyo.
DD

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Tekken MASTERCUP 7

@Mr_Diddles: We are on the lookout for Tekken players in the Tokyo area for the #MASTERCUP tourney. 

Beginner / Pro, it's all good!

Sign up on the MeetUp site at
http://meetu.ps/2rK35g

Taito Station (mini) - Takadanobaba, Tokyo

Much love for small tourneys.

One of the smallest Taito's in Tokyo, just a single floor devoted to Gundam, Tekken, USFIV and a slew of Mahjong games. It's definitely worth poppin in if you're around the way. Located 1 min on foot from Baba station, Taito relies on it's fight game selection and small tourneys to rally gamers away from Mikado.





タイトーステーション 高田馬場店
3 Chome-1-4 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-0075
http://goo.gl/maps/i8kwL

GAO - Shinjuku, Kabukicho

5 years fumbling aroun Tokyo completely missed this one.

Tucked away on a side street in Kabukicho, chances are most visitors will miss this place simply trying to avoid sex touts in the area. Nevertheless, definitely worth searching out.

Tekken, Street Fighter and Taiko are pretty much the only things going on gamewise, but overwhelmingly you're going to want to check this place out just for the competition. Located in the heart of Kabukicho means that scouts, hosts and hostesses all come here during lunch breaks to game - and they are all good. Real good. Personally it's the most authentic of gaming experiences to go head to head with a dude in a tuxedo playing claw on Street Fighter. Or an Anna/Nina player in an evening gown.

Definitely worth supporting - 4 songs on Taiko for 100¥ is phenomenally good value for money.
DD