The Game Shops of Japan (Warning: Lots of pics)

[spoonz]

Amazing stuff, I hope to visit Japan one day and go gameshop hopping myself. I'm mad jealous right now.

 

[smokehouse]

First off, thanks for the pictures...they really have cool shops over there.

To this day...I cannot wrap my head around why US game packaging was so limp back in the day.

Example:

This:

-vs- this:

Or this:

-vs- this:

So many games were like this...they dumbed-down amazing artwork and slapped it on an ugly box. What's funny is this cost the companies $$ to do it, someone had to get paid to redesign the box art.

I never understood this...

 

[awbacon]

That was an awesome collection of photos. Some day I will finally convince the wife to take a vacation to Japan, and I'm gonna need an extra suitcase for all the stuff I'll end up buying haha

 

[Mac91]

So many games were like this...they dumbed-down amazing artwork and slapped it on an ugly box. What's funny is this cost the companies $$ to do it, someone had to get paid to redesign the box art.

I never understood this...

I honestly think it is because the Japanese think Americans as being stupid. They (for the most part) dumb down artwork, game difficulty and the design of consoles due to their thinking people in the West are not refined.

 

[ReplicaX]

Thanks for sharing all these photos. Also brings back some memories.

It really just proves the point on what a total POS STV is and needs to be banned from every shop and ppl like him.

Praise ppl like Rancor.

 

[smokehouse]

Thanks for sharing all these photos. Also brings back some memories.

It really just proves the point on what a total POS STV is and needs to be banned from every shop and ppl like him.

Praise ppl like Rancor.

HUH?

 

[ReplicaX]

HUH?

aka resellers that make a living by tossing massive fake inflation on items over there and sell on Ebay. Thinking they are a gift to the gaming world.

 

[Jon]

Tons of PSX systems...every single one of them has the word "junk" in katakana, though.

Jon

 

[Teddy KGB]

You're the man T, I'm glad you finally posted up some of your travel stories and experiences. Thanks for the work you put into the hunt and the scoop. You really do pass along some amazing deals to us stateside and I feel lucky as hell to only live 10 minutes away from you.

 

[xb74]

Mind. Blown.

Clearly I only scrapped the surface when I was there 10 years ago.

Also, tickets to Japan can get as low as 100 bucks from my city.

Schemes are brewing.

 

[Tripredacus]

How can those single-box Road Caesar guys be sitting there for $200? That's a huge deal!

 

[CaseyTappy]

I am always amazed at some of the little shops still out there that have piles of games up to the ceiling in the main window all sun faded to hell .

 

[Hikaru Ichijyo]

Simply amazing. I'm sure I could spend DAYS at each of these stores and still not see everything there is to see. Of course it would be very bad for me to set foot in them because I would want to buy anything and everything.

Incredible thread, thanks for posting those pictures!

 

[ReplicaX]

Tons of PSX systems...every single one of them has the word "junk" in katakana, though.

Jon

Yep, those systems had a lot of issues. Too bad as it was a neat concept at the time.

 

[Kid Panda]

I am always amazed at some of the little shops still out there that have piles of games up to the ceiling in the main window all sun faded to hell .

Bah, don't care about the box, I care about the game inside.

 

[Mac91]

Bah, don't care about the box, I care about the game inside.

So you're telling me you don't care about insertion marks!?

 

[blotter12]

I honestly think it is because the Japanese think Americans as being stupid. They (for the most part) dumb down artwork, game difficulty and the design of consoles due to their thinking people in the West are not refined.

"They"? NOA & NOE were responsible for their own box art/localizations, respectively.

 

[Real Bout Maniac]

Awesome pictures, and a lot of great insights into the game store scene in Japan as well. One of these days I plan to take a trip to Japan (it's on my bucket list), and shopping for electronics and pop culture/anime merchandise is a definite to-do when I get there.

 

[Halfabag]

Amazing pics bud. Thanks

I need to get there one day

 

[Kid Panda]

So you're telling me you don't care about insertion marks!?

Fuck no, I play every single one of my games. Who cares about the damn plastic except someone who obviously is looking to cash out on their collection eventually. I see it all the time, you're not buying plastic sleeves to protect the game, you're buying them to make sure it hold it's value. I would say 75%+ of collectors don't even play their games.

 

[Mac91]

I would say 75%+ of collectors don't even play their games.

It's a sad world we live in if that's true.

 

[F4U57]

Cheers for the eye candy. Truly inspiring.

 

[ki_atsushi]

Great thread! My eyes bulged out a little bit at places.

 

[Liquid Snake]

I wish I can live in Japan.................

 

[oldschool]

Thanks for the nice visual contribution!

I'm planning a trip next year for Spring hopefully, it'll be cool to get a bunch of goodies and a nice new guitar for keepsake. I also look forward to all of the amazing food.