Game Centers in Nagoya
 

Hey, I live right next to Nagoya station. Can someone please recommend some big arcades to go to in Nagoya or Sakae? I've been looking all over the net but can't find any! :confused:

Not really looking for slots or panchiko though, more video games.

The one I always went to when I lived in Nagoya was Urban Square in Osu. Go to Kamimaezu Station and take exit 9, walk down the street a bit and there's a stairway that leads up to it, you should see orange signs from the outside, it's above a Mister Donut. It's a fairly big arcade (three very large rooms with all the popular games). Alternatively you can find another entrance to the arcade on the Kamimaezu side of the covered shopping streets in Osu.

There's also the Taito Station arcade by Nagoya station (it's around the corner from the Meitetsu building), but that one is a bit too crowded for me. I know there's a couple other big ones near Kanayama, but I haven't been to them.

I think the one in Round 1 was quite huge as well. Round 1 is a famous amusement complex with Bowling, Karaoke, Coinpushers, lots of games,....
It is a chain and exist in many Japanese cities. If my memory doesnt trick me, than there was one in Nagoya between the station and the futuristic looking buliding in the city (was it a bus terminal?).
If you ask some young Japanese where Round 1 is they will know (you will maybe have to write it down).
I can also recommend the "Spo.cha" inside Round 1 (not sure if nagoya´s got one) if you are going with a few people. You pay and hourly rate and can play unlimited Videogames, Soccer, batting,.... The one i was in koriyama had alot of choice, even shooting Arrows and playing golf.

Urban Square and Taito Station were alright, but I think I was expecting something more. So far none of the arcades or game centers have really excited me. Little disappointed that they're mostly slot machines and the claw games, and tons and TONS of trivia games. I'll have to check out Round 1, maybe that will be what I'm looking for.

I bet finding what you are looking for is going to be hard. There is a good one in Umeda, Osaka with some multi-player card games on Higashi-dori next to the Gyoza Museum, but that is that last of the great arcades I have seen, and the peak in the early 90s kind of began to die when the PS came out.

I have tried really hard to think of any decent ones that are still around, but seriously... Arcade culture has really changed in the last 8 to 10 years.
There used to be a really great arcade taking up the second floor of a large shopping center next to Toyodahonmachi station (Minami-ku), but I am not even sure it is still around these days.

You`ll find all the newest stuff and more game type games (not slot or quiz / ikusei) in shopping centers now. You`ll probably find the type of stuff closest to what you`re looking for in Aeon. They don`t have to worry as much about securing repeat customers or keeping people in there for a long time as they have such a high flow anyway, so most of the space is dedicated to actual games. They look small when you`re shopping and walk by the entrance, but are huge in reality. They`re always shaped sort of like a funnel, with the smallest point facing outward.

What, specifically, are you looking for? Also, did you see all of Urban Square? There's more than just the claw/trivia games on the first floor - the upper floor has two different rooms full of fighting/card games and some other things.

To be honest, most of the arcades in Japan all seem to have the same stuff no matter where you go, really. The arcade in Aeon (at least the Nagoya Dome one) is pretty much the same stuff, although it's a bit nicer aesthetically.

If you're looking for an 'old school' arcade, there might be some in Osaka or Tokyo... but I've never been to one in Nagoya. Do check out the Round 1, though - I never made it to there, so I don't know what that ones like.

Also, if you can read Japanese, this site will help you track down all the game centers/arcades in Nagoya (or anywhere else).

Ge-sen

I'll be sure to check out Aeon (down by Nagoya Dome station?), and other arcades when I'm in another city. I can't seem to find a Round 1, but I think there's one by Nonami station, anyone know if this is true?

There is one sort of between Narumi and Nonami, but if you live by Meieki there are two in Nakagawa-ku which should be a lot closer and easier to get to. The one in Midori is quite a walk from the station. We have our car serviced at the dealership we bought it from (at Nonami) and usually walk to Round 1 to kill time while waiting.

Here are the two in Nakagawa;
ROUND1
ROUND1

The second is closer to Meieki, but the first is almost twice the size.

If your willing to make the trip Club Sega in Shinjuku is probably the best your going to find in Japan. Great games..the most competitive arcade your going to find.