There's just something about Japan that just makes things much more fun & interesting. NYC has a few which also include Japanese imports "8 bits & up VG" & "VGNY" & "Retro Kingdom" & finally "J&L Game" If you attend any mid-size to giant cons in the USA, VGNY is always in attendance but the shop has much more charm. I strongly recommend anyone who plans on visiting NYC after the Pandemic is behind all of us, to visit each shop.
DS is definitely knocking on the ‘retro’ door releasing 16 years ago. Makes me feel old! As much as I try to ignore the passage of time, it keeps pressing on!
9:45 I recently bought 熱血格闘伝説 (Nekketsu Kakutō Densetsu) with the box, tray, and manual in really good condition off Yahoo Auctions JP via Zen Market. It's actually a 4 player game. It feels kind of like a Smash Bros game but in a beat'em up way.
Your vids are always so awesome man! Brothers and I are planning a 50+ day trip once japan and the covid issue hopefully subside. Love seeing the prices and different games! Plus your aesthetic to all the videos is really awesome and gives it a great vibe. Here’s to hoping the borders open and that this virus effs off sooner rather than later! Keep up the awesome work man!
7:59 I recently bought the two _YuYu Hakusho_ sfc fighting games, loose carts only. It was a package deal with those other two YYH games that while they have neat graphics, I suspect they’re *quicktime event* based games, ughh!
MONDO puts out some amazing stuff. Video game and horror movie vinyl soundtracks mostly, but they have cool figures and other unique stuff as well. I’ve got quite a few soundtracks they’ve put out. Crazy to see their stuff at a little retro shop in Tokyo.
I've been reading the mook Megadrive Perfect Catalogue. And one thing I've learned from it is that Acclaim Japan released sooo much in 1995, like True Lies and Virtual Bart. They were often untranslated, and some reused European box art, like Maximum Carnage.
This is the one retro game shop my wife and I didn't visit last year. We heard the people that work there are quite rude to foreigners and didn't want to risk anyone getting upset or it souring one of our days on our honeymoon.
I have been there 3 times in the last 5 years or so, and I have never had a problem with the lady/wife of the duo. The Husband.. I have heard isn't the nicest
I've never had a problem and I've been there many times. If you're nice and respectful, you won't have any issues. Just remember that you're a guest in their country, not the other way around, and that photos and video are generally frowned upon, especially without asking first.
@@lookitskazzy You know it's possible for 2 people go to the same place and have a different experience right? Some times people have bad days.. and I don't need the remember your a guest and not the other way around. crap.
Hi Jim, any idea which Japanese games consoles had games that came with seals? I'm very surprised to see as I've bought lots of new games before from different Japanese shops and sellers (Gameboy, Famicom, Super Famicom, Virtual Boy mainly), and have never seen any seal. I just assumed that wasn't done in Japan..
True lies is actually pretty good, it got the same controls as Chaos Engine on the Megadrive, or Soldiers Of Fortune which is the US name of the same game
You have successfully entered uncharted territory👍 Good work my man. Nice they let you record in there. I prefer the old lady she is nice if you dont point a camera at her😅
Literally every time I have gone, the old lady is there. I must be lucky. Either way, they are old school and don't take kindly to video or pictures, so better that you just don't do it.
I like your new intro! I also really appreciate all these videos because I'll hopefully be in Japan in April and I'm excited to hunt around these stores for some awesome games! I wanted to ask if you ever let viewers be customers nowadays like you did in previous videos? If you ever come across another FF6 in the box, I'd love to buy it from you! Wishing you well from Kentucky! >,
Thanks for the vídeos, i like your Channel, in my country we love sega and the best vídeo game all time mega drive, plis show more mega drive If possível, many peoples love sega and Mega Drive.
Surprised to see factory sealed games let alone Mega Drive ones. They also seemed reasonably priced compared to prices I've seen for Mega Drive games in general. Loose manuals is a great idea. I'd buy a load just to look through regardless of whether I owned the game or not as some of the artwork in them can be awesome. Hope you didn't get shouted at too much by the sales staff 😂
I was going to go to Friends when I was in Japan recently, but after reading the google reviews decided not to. They're pretty funny to read lot of them say the owner is racist and will often chase foreigners out shouting all sorts of insults 😅
The store used to be cool until people start fucking around in there and reselling their crap constantly. He also raised prices to curb people from doing so.
@@xTHETRAINx I agree that the past 15 years have been tough for the retro game business in Akihabara with a lot of resellers doing their shopping and stuff but I don't think we can use that as a justification for their behavior (the behavior of the 2 guys) Friends is a business, they are also selling on Yahoo Auction and Amazon Japan, they are here to make money more than anything else I believe. And I am pretty sure foreigners have been a big source of income for them in the past 15 years. So I don't understand why they act like that, making fun of customers or shouting at people asking things. But it seems they are also not very nice with Japanese customers too. They are maybe just dealing with mental issues.
I'm a bit torn about this place they got good deals and a very good selection of games and I found a game at a really good price that I had been looking for a long time there during my trip to Tokyo. But one of the guy there is such a J*cka*s last year I bought Seiken Densetsu 3 and they had 3-4 copies so I took the best looking/condition one and put the games back on the shelf and one of the copy was not replaced correctly (title not showing up) as soon I paid my game the guy starts yelling and go replace the game I said sumimasen when I realized that and I could not understand everything he said but I understood baka gaijin so I just stared at him and my blood was boiling but I just left because I know better than to talk back or start trouble in Japan and get involved with the police. So yeah the place is awesome but the staff there is like you are not in Japan you get treated like you would be treated here in some stores in North America. Anyway sorry for the wall of text Jim, excellent video as always :)
Japan is largely still a cash based society. Most people don't have credit cards. If you think you're gonna be able to get by in Japan without a wad of cash, think again. Even in Tokyo, a lot of places are cash only.
![What Happened to this Japanese Retro Game Shop? [AKIHABARA FULL STORE TOUR]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bVgd3hV-VqA/mqdefault.jpg)
What a cool store. I was going to go to Japan this year, but the pandemic hit and had to cancel the trip.
Same here, was due to go in October for 2 weeks
Would love to go...
Did you end up going? I've seen people go during the pandemic
Sadge
Man retro game stores in japan seem alot cooler than most game stores in the usa where im from.
Same here in Aus, that is why gamers and the pop culture community love Japan.
Nice! Friends is definitely on my shopping crawl whenever I'm in town. Their game soundtrack selection is their strongest suit.
Video and audio quality are great. Cool store, thanks for taking us along!
9:33 I bought the ファミリーベーシック [Family Basic] set with the keyboard a while ago and recently bought Family Basic V3.
Good stuff, Jim! Its hard to wait untill I'm able to travel again. Been SO ready for few weeks in Japan since june.
Nice looking sound tracks cover art! I love the ending where you drive towards sundown :-)
There's just something about Japan that just makes things much more fun & interesting. NYC has a few which also include Japanese imports "8 bits & up VG" & "VGNY" & "Retro Kingdom" & finally "J&L Game" If you attend any mid-size to giant cons in the USA, VGNY is always in attendance but the shop has much more charm. I strongly recommend anyone who plans on visiting NYC after the Pandemic is behind all of us, to visit each shop.
DS is definitely knocking on the ‘retro’ door releasing 16 years ago. Makes me feel old! As much as I try to ignore the passage of time, it keeps pressing on!
Didn't realize they had so many G&W handhelds.
For folks that travel there, the taiyaki stand that Jim walks by in the beginning is one of the best.
Enjoyed this as per usual
Very cool seeing the soundtracks, strategy guides, etc.
Thanks for showing us a lot of video games great video my favorite video game would be all of them 😀
4:38 OMG Cool Spot.... wow what a flashback... i think i rent this from our video buster
9:45 I recently bought 熱血格闘伝説 (Nekketsu Kakutō Densetsu) with the box, tray, and manual in really good condition off Yahoo Auctions JP via Zen Market. It's actually a 4 player game. It feels kind of like a Smash Bros game but in a beat'em up way.
This and the previous video hits different for a 22 year old retro shop. The owners do got their retirement to just relax.
Cool Video. I love the game Shops in Japan.
This one I didn't know until now 👍
Your vids are always so awesome man! Brothers and I are planning a 50+ day trip once japan and the covid issue hopefully subside. Love seeing the prices and different games! Plus your aesthetic to all the videos is really awesome and gives it a great vibe. Here’s to hoping the borders open and that this virus effs off sooner rather than later! Keep up the awesome work man!
7:59 I recently bought the two _YuYu Hakusho_ sfc fighting games, loose carts only. It was a package deal with those other two YYH games that while they have neat graphics, I suspect they’re *quicktime event* based games, ughh!
I legit love this shop
MONDO puts out some amazing stuff. Video game and horror movie vinyl soundtracks mostly, but they have cool figures and other unique stuff as well. I’ve got quite a few soundtracks they’ve put out. Crazy to see their stuff at a little retro shop in Tokyo.
I've been reading the mook Megadrive Perfect Catalogue. And one thing I've learned from it is that Acclaim Japan released sooo much in 1995, like True Lies and Virtual Bart. They were often untranslated, and some reused European box art, like Maximum Carnage.
Love your videos... thinking of getting sega Saturn but im not sure if games are a lot...
Hi! I am a new subscriber!! ^•^
I have a question... Do you see some arcade machine of sdbh in Sega building's or another arcade building?
This is the one retro game shop my wife and I didn't visit last year. We heard the people that work there are quite rude to foreigners and didn't want to risk anyone getting upset or it souring one of our days on our honeymoon.
I have been there 3 times in the last 5 years or so, and I have never had a problem with the lady/wife of the duo. The Husband.. I have heard isn't the nicest
I've never had a problem and I've been there many times. If you're nice and respectful, you won't have any issues. Just remember that you're a guest in their country, not the other way around, and that photos and video are generally frowned upon, especially without asking first.
@@lookitskazzy You know it's possible for 2 people go to the same place and have a different experience right? Some times people have bad days.. and I don't need the remember your a guest and not the other way around. crap.
Adoro seus videos quando assisto me sinto como se realmente estivesse no Japao.
The Wii shop music is perfect 👌 ☺
11:31 I have a boxed copy of アレスタ [aresuta]. It's not in that good of condition though.
I was there recently and the store is shut down
If you see more stores with video game vinyl you should film it again.
What’s that game at 2:33?
And that the name of the game in English at 7:04, cause I don’t read Japanese or know how to spell it...
Hi Jim, any idea which Japanese games consoles had games that came with seals? I'm very surprised to see as I've bought lots of new games before from different Japanese shops and sellers (Gameboy, Famicom, Super Famicom, Virtual Boy mainly), and have never seen any seal. I just assumed that wasn't done in Japan..
Thank you for this video
Shit I was passing today from that street I didn’t know this store so now I’m going to it today hit some shit 😍😍😍😍🤤
和styleネットカフェ! that's a thing I haven't seen in a while!
it's my wife and I preferred place to stay in Akiba...
True lies is actually pretty good, it got the same controls as Chaos Engine on the Megadrive, or Soldiers Of Fortune which is the US name of the same game
When did you take the video? It’s very cheap for these days. It’s amazing!
As a man that has a small thread Jim, stores like Friends I would support. Really nice place for sure. 8^)
Anthony..
I gotta say when I was there at night it looks sketchy af with faint light shining onto staircase and those massage parlor ads.
Hey, Jim!
How much does truxton pc engine go for in Japan complete?
You have successfully entered uncharted territory👍 Good work my man. Nice they let you record in there. I prefer the old lady she is nice if you dont point a camera at her😅
Literally every time I have gone, the old lady is there. I must be lucky. Either way, they are old school and don't take kindly to video or pictures, so better that you just don't do it.
Anyone know is it still cash only ?
I'm surprised that you haven't went to Odaiba yet, since they have a lot of good arcades there. Especially Sega Joypolis
I like your new intro! I also really appreciate all these videos because I'll hopefully be in Japan in April and I'm excited to hunt around these stores for some awesome games! I wanted to ask if you ever let viewers be customers nowadays like you did in previous videos? If you ever come across another FF6 in the box, I'd love to buy it from you! Wishing you well from Kentucky! >,
Thanks for the vídeos, i like your Channel, in my country we love sega and the best vídeo game all time mega drive, plis show more mega drive If possível, many peoples love sega and Mega Drive.
Next video: massages in Japan. I could collab on that one, lol.
I just figured out what video games are Japan, an expression of Shintoism.
Since I saw so many Kunio kun games on this vid, It would be great if you made a vid on top Technos games !
Surprised to see factory sealed games let alone Mega Drive ones. They also seemed reasonably priced compared to prices I've seen for Mega Drive games in general.
Loose manuals is a great idea. I'd buy a load just to look through regardless of whether I owned the game or not as some of the artwork in them can be awesome.
Hope you didn't get shouted at too much by the sales staff 😂
What's your ebay store?
Don't have one
If one day a visit Japan 🇯🇵 im gonna invite you for a cup of coffee ☕
you mean massages and happy endings
I was going to go to Friends when I was in Japan recently, but after reading the google reviews decided not to. They're pretty funny to read lot of them say the owner is racist and will often chase foreigners out shouting all sorts of insults 😅
The store used to be cool until people start fucking around in there and reselling their crap constantly. He also raised prices to curb people from doing so.
@@xTHETRAINx yeah the reviews mentioned the high prices too, such a shame!
Another store ruined by italian scalpers
@@xTHETRAINx I agree that the past 15 years have been tough for the retro game business in Akihabara with a lot of resellers doing their shopping and stuff but I don't think we can use that as a justification for their behavior (the behavior of the 2 guys)
Friends is a business, they are also selling on Yahoo Auction and Amazon Japan, they are here to make money more than anything else I believe. And I am pretty sure foreigners have been a big source of income for them in the past 15 years.
So I don't understand why they act like that, making fun of customers or shouting at people asking things. But it seems they are also not very nice with Japanese customers too. They are maybe just dealing with mental issues.
If funny how he is using License music from Nintendo with out getting a copyright Strike
not really, lots of video game-related channels use video game music in their videos because it's not on the Content ID system
Neogeo!
Hi Jim, do You reply ? 😎
As it’s basically a massive ad for their store, you’d think they’d be happy for you to film
I'm a bit torn about this place they got good deals and a very good selection of games and I found a game at a really good price that I had been looking for a long time there during my trip to Tokyo.
But one of the guy there is such a J*cka*s last year I bought Seiken Densetsu 3 and they had 3-4 copies so I took the best looking/condition one and put the games back on the shelf and one of the copy was not replaced correctly (title not showing up) as soon I paid my game the guy starts yelling and go replace the game I said sumimasen when I realized that and I could not understand everything he said but I understood baka gaijin so I just stared at him and my blood was boiling but I just left because I know better than to talk back or start trouble in Japan and get involved with the police.
So yeah the place is awesome but the staff there is like you are not in Japan you get treated like you would be treated here in some stores in North America.
Anyway sorry for the wall of text Jim, excellent video as always :)
Well your videos have convinced me that once this whole china flu mess is over with I'm taking a vacation trip to Japan
liked
Cash only = dodgy. As you say is 2020.
Japan is largely still a cash based society. Most people don't have credit cards. If you think you're gonna be able to get by in Japan without a wad of cash, think again. Even in Tokyo, a lot of places are cash only.
Cash only is dodge taxes bro 👊