Japan trip, what should I look out for?

[SudoShinji]

My main want is a PC engine with some games, looks like these are going for a couple thousand yen on Japanese sites? Does anyone have any good shops around Tokyo or Yokohama that's not crazy overpriced akihabara bs? Super potato has blown up too so I'm looking at hard off but is there anywhere else? What's some good finds I can be looking out for? I don't want to resale just grab some stuff on the cheap for my personal collection that I would end up overpaying on over here.

 

[Yamazaki]

in Japan right now.
Just leave it be..
most stuff is way more overpriced than on the internet. PC Engine game are also having a price-jump.

Garbage titles that were sold for 100 yen cost now about 500-1000 yen.

Stuff that you could grab in a box are now inside the glass shelves.


and the shops are filled to the brim with French resellers, spanish tourists and sometimes even one or two Japanese.


come to Japan and enjoy food and people.

 

[SudoShinji]

Japan is a regular trip for me because of friends there, I definitely am more interested in the culture. Sucks the prices are getting out of control.

 

[egg_sanwich]

Sounds rad, how long will you be going for? Here's a bunch of random thoughts in no particular order:

- Most anything you pick up over there will be cheaper than what you would pay online + shipping.
- I'd recommend grabbing a sim card at the airport so you have access to data while browsing stores - you'll never know what you need to look up.
- Mandarake (various locations) I find has pretty good prices, especially on rare or hard to find games.
- Most Book Offs also have a game section (usually smaller selection, but I've found good deals there too)
- It helps if you can at least recognize/read some katakana, as the best games are usually in the locked case with only the spines visible.
- Bring an extra bag (like a duffel bag) that you can fill up. You want to be prepared if you get tempted with boxed consoles and other cool things.
- Have fun!

 

[SudoShinji]

Mandarake prices are kind of fucked last I saw, there are so many super small places there that you just kind of stumble on that have the good deals and those places are what I'm looking for but I doubt people that know want to part with that info.

 

[Yamazaki]

Understandable..

the obvious places like SP, Friends or Mandarake are overrun with touris shelling out big money for AES, MD and SFC.

 

[SudoShinji]

Yeh I guess I missed my chance on getting a decently priced PC engine or duo but at least a good bit of my collection was bought on the cheap there long ago.

 

[egg_sanwich]

Probably true, It's been a while since I spent time in Japan. I guess prices be rising everywhere.

 

[ebinsugewa]

Don't even bother trying to buy games there man. Just have fun. Pop into a Book Off or something sure, but if you have high hopes at all prepare for disappointment.

 

[mastamuzz]

I don't know if manga souko is still there? They used to have good stuff like 8 years ago.

 

[Pasky]

Forget buying shit, Europe already raided it.

Go to a Japanese arcade, watch all the pro super players 1CC Cave SHMUPS.

 

[ResO]

You should buy used panties out of vending machines, Europe couldn't have raided them all.

 

[CORY]

Japan trip, what should I look out for?

Shroom. Bring him back.

 

[Rob Black]

I just came back from Japan 2 weeks ago, I recommend staying away from Akihabara, but if you must go make sure you go to Super Potato last, other places like Beep, Friends, Traders, and Retro Game all have better prices. If you want to check out some Hard Offs then head to West Tokyo, towns like Hachiouji, Tachikawa, Akishima and Hamura have the best ones.

I was able to get all this from my Japan Trip....



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[AESGuy]

Not easy to get good deals but with some luck and patience (stay away from the over crowded cities) its still possible.
Visited Japan at the end of November last year and I was able to buy a Flying Power Disc without Insert with Case, Manual and Original Cart for 30.000 Yen in quiet a good condition. But that was just one of two copies I've seen.
The other one was at Super Potatoe in Osaka for 60.000 without tax complete.
I had also the luck to buy a boxed Saturn complete in good condition for 6200 yen with tax and an arcade Stick with box for 1600 yen (besides other stuff which was ok to meh prices).
I spend almost 2k Us$ in total for Saturn, NG AES and MVS stuff and it was totally worth it. But I visited a ton of stores...

Long story short: Good luck and don't take the first offer that pops up if possible. Would recommend to stay in Tokyo at the end to MAYBE spend a fortune for your most wanted titles.

 

[oliverclaude]

Look out for the big price tsunami... and witness Mothra fighting Gozira over the last remaining Hu-Cards.

 

[BladeDancer314]

Japanese people

 

[SudoShinji]

You should buy used panties out of vending machines, Europe couldn't have raided them all.

I could start my own vending machine at this point, on a related note people love watching a tattoed gaijin buy panties from vending machines.

 

[dosdemon]

I just came back from Japan 2 weeks ago, I recommend staying away from Akihabara, but if you must go make sure you go to Super Potato last, other places like Beep, Friends, Traders, and Retro Game all have better prices. If you want to check out some Hard Offs then head to West Tokyo, towns like Hachiouji, Tachikawa, Akishima and Hamura have the best ones.

I was able to get all this from my Japan Trip....



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Where did you get the supergun? I already have one but just looking out for stores that sell more arcadey stuff in general, I'm going in october. Already know about MAK, G-Front, Beep, Try

e: and OP, I'm going primarily for arcades with no expectations of making big purchases and you should be too. as far as I know it's a wasteland right now thanks to euros. I'll be hitting some stores but only to browse and maybe find some old wacky cheap PCB as a souvenir, not to seriously shop for old game stuff which is pointless to do when we have the internet.

 

[SNK416]

wow that's a big haul....

 

[Rob Black]

Where did you get the supergun? I already have one but just looking out for stores that sell more arcadey stuff in general, I'm going in october. Already know about MAK, G-Front, Beep, Try

e: and OP, I'm going primarily for arcades with no expectations of making big purchases and you should be too. as far as I know it's a wasteland right now thanks to euros. I'll be hitting some stores but only to browse and maybe find some old wacky cheap PCB as a souvenir, not to seriously shop for old game stuff which is pointless to do when we have the internet.

The supergun I found at Hard Off. It looked new and came in its original box, it was only $100! I got 90% of my stuff from Hard Off. I was able to find complete in box Saturns, PS1, Wii, Gamecube systems for $25 each. It's crazy how cheap stuff is over there


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[JoeAwesome]

The supergun I found at Hard Off. It looked new and came in its original box, it was only $100!

Dayyyyyum!

 

[Rob Black]

If you want the best deals you need to go deep into Japan & out of the tourist areas... I purchased a "Japan Rail Pass" and traveled 2 hours each way to each Hard Off. You cant beat a boxed Sega Saturn for $25......

I stuffed everything into these suitcases


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[NeoSneth]

From what i hear, Akihabara is turned into Anime, toys, and Manga. All the retro videogames have gone online, and the stores do not have a great presence. There's been a resurgence in retro games in Japan as well which has depleted most of the good games.

 

[SudoShinji]

From what i hear, Akihabara is turned into Anime, toys, and Manga. All the retro videogames have gone online, and the stores do not have a great presence. There's been a resurgence in retro games in Japan as well which has depleted most of the good games.

That's not true, there's tons of games everywhere they are just all overpriced.