Arcades - Tokyo Intro: Experience #5 of 55

These establishments to play video games in are doing well in Tokyo even though their numbers have declined over the years.  Arcades became established in Japan in the 1970s with the release of games like the original Space Invaders arcade game.  Tokyo is still a strong hub for arcades in Japan and there is usually one or more near most major train stations.  There are still over 4000 arcades across Japan, unlike other countries where they have more or less gone extinct except for the odd exception.

They’ve changed over the years, bringing in new kinds of games, but you’ll still find your character fighting games like Tekken and King of Fighters, fantasy video games that use IC cards to store character data, robot battle games like Border Break and Gundam, dancing games, drumming games, etc.

Many of the arcades are on multiple floors with different types of games on the various floors.  Often, on the first floor you will find UFO catchers (crane games) where you try to pick up prizes. The higher floors are dedicated to the other types of games, sometimes genre of game for each floor.

The game manufacturers such as Taito, SEGA, Capcom, and Namco run arcades (which have their names), something that has helped their longevity in Japan. Joypolis in the Decks Mall on Odaiba combines arcade and theme park together. Bandai also operates a VR arcade in Shinjuku which also has a large Club SEGA. 

Some of the most popular SEGA arcades are SEGAs in Akihabara and SEGA Shinjyuku Kabukicho. Akihabara does have a large number of arcades due to anime / manga / electronics vibe.  Each of the arcades will have a different theme and composition of game machines.  Gundam game machines can be found here too and the Sega #4 right outside the Akihabara Electric Town Exit from the train station is full of UFO catchers with all kinds of prizes.

2022 - February Update

SEGA has sold their arcade business off and the SEGA branding will come down off their arcades and be replaced by GIGO.

Akihabara Arcades.
UFO Catchers and Winning at Them
Gundam Video Games in the Arcade and Home (Gundam Pods)

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