There are four main types of gaming in Japan; the console, computer, mobile phone and game arcade. Many genres exist, all enhanced by the technological expertise wielded by the Japanese electronics industry. I’m sure many of these will be new and strange to some readers, but it is my hope that your curiosity is aroused and that one day you will experience some of these games. In this article, I will talk about one of the most popular forms of entertainment: game arcades.
Video game arcades, known in Japan as “game centers”, are all over the place in major cities. From small, old arcades to sprawling, multi-floor arcades, every urban area has at least a couple of arcades to boast of. There are over ten multi-floor arcades within two minutes walking distance of Akihabara Station alone!
These arcades have a distinct structure. Lets start with the smaller arcades.
Smaller, single-floor arcades tend to focus on one-person gaming stations. These include sports, shooting, fighting, and strategy games. Most are designed so that one can play against another (whether it be a friend or stranger): the victor may play another round without an additional payment of a hundred yen (equivalent to about a dollar). If one is really good at the game, it is possible to play countless games with only the initial payment for the first round. Anyway, these single-floor arcades are usually home to slightly older generation games, and mostly frequented by hardcore players. Cigarette smoke is almost a given in this type of game arcade.
Next, we have multi-floor arcades. The first floor is often very family-friendly, consisting of crane games (called UFO catchers) and other children focused party games. Some examples include small game stations where a child inserts a couple of cards to create a team to play with (kind of like Yu-gi-oh) at the cost of a hundred yen coin and the gain of a new, random card. Others include air-hockey stations, Mario-Kart, zombie shooters, and digital fish-catching games. The first floor is usually very well lit with a friendly, almost festive atmosphere.
The next levels are home to many kinds of games, including the single-player game stations mentioned above. These bigger arcades boast newer versions and increased capacity; many of the newer games allow online matching, where people all over the country play each other. There are even spectator screens where people in line can view ongoing games from different perspectives.
Another popular type of game is the rhythm games. These games offer a wide selection of J-pop and anime music as well as many other genres. The player taps different lighted-up areas of the screen in time with the music. Difficult game modes can light up more than 10 panels in a second. These hard-to-master rhythm games are very popular in Japan.
Another special type of gaming station is the cockpit-type station. Quite popular when it first came out, the player enters a huge ball-like cockpit through a small door. These games cost more to play, but offer a much immersive sense of gaming. The player acts as a pilot of one of the large robot Gundams, and fights as part of a team against the enemy team. Each game can last up to 10 minutes, including robot selecting, strategy-making, and actual gameplay. This is perhaps comparable to a larger version of the Oculus Rift.
Finally, there are coin games. A player purchases a number of game coins which are used to fuel a longer kind of entertainment. From horse races to standard jackpot type stations, coin games use a variety of content to fulfill a very similar goal: gambling. The player uses the coin games to spin a set of numbers, or to move a character forward a number of spaces, or even simply to bet on a horse. These half-luck half-skill games are perhaps the longest kind of games in an arcade; many locations offer a “bank” to freely store and retrieve game coins at any time.
Video game arcades are a central part of Japanese entertainment. Families, couples, students and adults are all welcome; there is something for everybody. Game arcades are a popular destination for a day out with friends. Even going alone can be fun. If you ever have the opportunity, I highly recommend that you try one of these arcades out.
