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

Arcade "Imigrande" - Ebina, Kanagawa

Hella local arcade!

Basically a pachinko paradise with a few arcade joints thrown in the mix.

.. Smokey.

Arcade "Aso:Viba" - Ebisu, Tokyo

Ebisu city, located 2mins from Shibuya station, prides itself as being the forerunner in fashion and high end goods in Tokyo. Electronics retailers and even convenience stores are few and far between with land prices being sky-high, so finding an arcade around the way seemed pretty implausible.

Despite holding just two floors, Aso:Viba supplies everything you'd expect from an arcade - DDR, taiko, a bunch of card and fight games, all up to date. Spacious and (surprisingly) nonsmoking might be a couple of reasons they've been able to weather the recent collapse of game centers around Tokyo. 

It's a small space but they make excellent use of it, and overall it's just kinda dope to find a place like this able to survive when just a few mins down the road major old school game centers are dropping like flys.

アソビバ

1-10-５ Ebisu, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0013

http://goo.gl/maps/LyHsR

Arcade "Taito Inn" - Kanda, Tokyo

We kinda avoid covering major arcade chains but wanted to give a shoutout to this Taito.

A real small setup but an impressive assortment of games, UFO catchers, pinball machines and darts too.

"Taito Inn" and the black banner gives the place an older customer vibe. Even major chains like Taito have to understand their local demographic, this town being right next to Akiba needed something a little different to huddle salarymen in the area. Pinball machines are few and far between Tokyo way, and having mahjong and pachinko means it isn't attracting the younger audiences.

Definitely worth checking out.

Arcade "Jack & Betty" - Kanda, Tokyo

Jack and Betty . .

Really great old school joint and well worth taking a 10 minute walk from Akihabara to.

Located underneath the Chuo and Yamanote lines, just a stones throw from Kanda station, you'll find an old school gamers paradise. Three arcades (TaitoInn, GamePark Minna no sumairu and J&B) rolled up next to each other - Jack and Betty stands out though as a true slice of the 90's.

Bunch of up-to-date games - Tekken, GG, SF (the usual line up) amongst a bunch of infinite cabs (thousands of retro classics on a single cab) means there's something for everyone.

An old school arcade tucked away under a railway bridge called Jack & Betty . . How can you not love this place?

MeetUp - Takadanobaba "Mikado"

Much thanks for comin down tonight gents, good games all round!

"Taito Station" - Kokubunji, Tokyo

Don't often cover the larger game centers, but kinda blown away to see this Taito Station shut down.

Taito Stations dominate the arcade scene in Japan, able to acclimatize themselves without resorting to pachinko or slot machines.

Can't be sure why this one on the outskirts of Tokyo has shut down (possibly due to redevelopment), but being a residential town for commuters with families, it's pretty worrying.

Arcade "Namco" - Nakano, Tokyo

Hell of a spacious and well thought out floor space makes this an awesome place to game. Definitely supporting the UFO catcher scene first and foremost but also have every current Namco cab on release too.

Central Tokyo arcades have a tendency to over-cab their places leading to a lot of distractions while playing. Blows trying to focus whilst gettin nudged in the back.

Being a Namco arcade they also hold fortnightly tournaments to keep things fresh, hygienic and non-smoking areas make it a cert for our upcoming meet ups.