Tokyo Arcades

[Gigaton]

Hey guys,

Just want to say this is my first post and my name is Sam. Im 17 years old i live in London and will be going to Tokyo next year for my gap year, and who knows, maybe i will live there!

I went to Tokyo last christmas and it was amazing! I really loved eating the Kobe beeeeeeeeef!!!!!!

But to the point. I spent half my time in the arcades, i sat there concentrated on my street fighter II game, sipping my grape fanta which i got from a vending machine and then suddenly 'DING DING' im wirelessly challenged by another player?! I was so amazed that people could challenge me wirelessly from their machines.

I couldnt help but notice how the arcades were filled with business men, you never ever see that in london. It was amazing to see how these games are part of their culture. I saw a horse betting game by SEGA which just shocked me. 12 huge leather chairs each with their own private screen. The user is given a card which saves details of their horse. The screen is a touch screen which enables them to stroke and feed their horse before they race. Betting was done with silver coins which had no financial value, they could not be traded for money or prizes!! Its amazing, it is illegal to gamble with money in japan, its great to see people enjoying innocent gaming.

Other arcade games were things like those crane machines which pick up presents, that was so cool because the people working in the arcades delibarately place the prize on the edge so its easy to get

Overall i found the experience of the arcades so amazing, it feels so surreal compared to london.

PS. i also found it very very strange how vending machines were placed outside, we dont see that in the UK because of the yobs that would smash it to pieces..

I really really enjoyed my time in Tokyo and i cant wait to go back!!

Has anyone else experienced the KOBE BEEF and ARCADES there?

Peace x

- Sam

[IamKira]

Hello and welcome to the forums.....we will make it as comfortable as possible for you here.....exept....keep these three things in your mind....
1 Musashi and I rule the world.....
2 Tenchu and Kakashi are insane....
3...the mods rock...especially Kanji!!!
...ohh...take me to Tokyo..*grans leg*......I won't let go.....
well anyway....yep...that's pretty much it.....

[Haggis]

I fell in love with Akihabara. There was singing and dancing in the streets, anime and manga shops, and arcades with 5 floors to them. If I lived in Tokyo I'd be there every evening.

I was surprised how old some of the games were, there was a floor dedicated to fighting games which seemed mainly dedicated to Soul Calibur 2 and Virtua Fighter 5. Me and my mate spent most of our time on House Of The Dead 5 though, nothing like blasting zombies to pass erm... well 5 minutes or so (we weren't that good )

[kodelka]

hope i get to visit JAPAN someday, my favorite game in arcade is TEKKEN, many people play the game in JAPAN and they have tournaments, hope get to challenge them. =)

[Gigaton]

Its really all about street fighter!! haha

Its just so surreal being challenged by old business men in video games, who are actually extremely amazing.

Some of the games in the arcades were just weird. Such as ones where u take pictures of girls in their undies.

[Senekisu]

Originally Posted by Haggis

I fell in love with Akihabara. There was singing and dancing in the streets, anime and manga shops, and arcades with 5 floors to them. If I lived in Tokyo I'd be there every evening.

I was surprised how old some of the games were, there was a floor dedicated to fighting games which seemed mainly dedicated to Soul Calibur 2 and Virtua Fighter 5. Me and my mate spent most of our time on House Of The Dead 5 though, nothing like blasting zombies to pass erm... well 5 minutes or so (we weren't that good )

AKIHABARA FOREVER. I've only read about it but heck! I can probably live there for the rest of my life

[Lucrecia]

I love how video games are a huge part of Japanese culture. In America it almost seems like nothing but recreation - okay, it does seem like nothing but recreation, but I think I was getting at frivulous recreation more than anything else. And in Japan it's completely acceptable. Maybe a good bit more competitive but acceptable all the same!

[YaksokuDa]

Lucky Bastard

[chachava]

Originally Posted by Senekisu

AKIHABARA FOREVER. I've only read about it but heck! I can probably live there for the rest of my life

I have been to Aki a few times and, if I am being honest, I don't think it is all that people make it out to be... true, it IS geek heaven but thats mostly quantity over quality with a lot of the places there in my opinion

[Tsukikage]

here in Scotland were lucky to have the odd arcade machine at the bowling alley, but if there was a proper dedicated arcade, thats where i would be. i loved the MarioKart and Guitar Freaks best though, im going back this december and il try the Kobe beef too