Vintage Video Game stores in Tokyo

[leicamaster]

Do you guys know any vintage video game stores in Tokyo???

[smork]

Um, there's probably a hundred of them. The biggest concentration is in Akihabara -- go to GaijinPunch's website, he has a useful map and guide to the stores.

Most game stores have vintage content, if you include PS1 as vintage.

Where are you/where will you be in Tokyo?

[MegaDrive20XX]

There's one I saw on 1up.com called "Super Potato"

[leicamaster]

I'm going to be visting Tokyo in late July. I checked GaijinPunch's website and his map is really nice. I might have to contact him, maybe he can give me a few pointers on shopping in Tokyo.

Thanks a lot

[clicked]

Nice info. I'm gonna make sure I go to the stores in GaijinPunch's website on my upcoming visit to Japan.

[schnuth]

Do you guys know any vintage video game stores in Tokyo???

When I was there last month I hit up both Super Potato and Trader 2 in Akihabara. Both of these stores came highly recommended. Trader 2 was pretty cool, but Super Potato had a huge selection of games. I wish I had taken more cash with me then I had. I used GaijinPunch's map, and marked the locations of the stores I wanted to visit on my handy Tokyo Atlas I got from Amazon.

Tokyo was amazing. I wish I could have stayed longer then I did.

Aaron

[GaijinPunch]

I should update that map. SOmething I've been meaning to do for a while. Smoker's Style is gone, and the McDonald's is gone as well. Trader 2 has depleted a lot of their retro games. Kinda sucks. Here's the run down:

-Super Potato: Best selection, but the games in the case aren't really priced to move... they're priced to bring people in. If you dig, you can find "normal" games for okay prices

-Trader 2: Good prices, but they are moving way far away from retro games. The rather dismal 3rd floor has a single shelf dedicated to each of what was previously their main systems (PC-Engine, Saturn, SFC, Famicom, etc.). There's still a lot of used Playstation stuff

-Medialand: Selection has gone down hill. Prices still suck. Their showcase isn't nearly as impressive as it once was. They too seem to be focusing way more on PS/2 than anything else.

-Liberty: Decent selections, but as usual, ass prices. I can't rememer the last time I bought from that shop.

-Friends: I think they're way overpriced. I know people that still shop there though.

-Messe Sanno: Only new (sealed) games but they almost always have something cool in there.

PCBs:
Mak - best prices, best service
GFront - best selection, prices are on the high side.

Arcades:
If you like shooting games, Hey! on a Sunday is a must.

Other large parts of town have decent places. Shibuya has a Mandarake. Nakano has the big, end-all-be-all Mandarake. I'm sure there's one in Shinjuku as well somewhere. You could probably get a hand job next door while you're in the area.

[clicked]

Cool info. I'' make sure to hit up Super Potato and Trader 2.

[y-bot]

@GaijinPunch - I'm trying to find out the name of a store I've been to twice in Akihabara. It's on at least two floors and I think it's been in business for a long time. On one floor they have game & watch shipping boxes above their displays and I think both times an older lady was working there. Upstairs there was tons of rare consoles behind a wall that you could peek around that weren't for sale unless the owner was there. It might be Friends. Does that ring any bells?

@leicamaster - If you find yourself near a Hard Off store be sure to stop, Book Off not so much.

y-bot

[smork]

@GaijinPunch - I'm trying to find out the name of a store I've been to twice in Akihabara. It's on at least two floors and I think it's been in business for a long time. On one floor they have game & watch shipping boxes above their displays and I think both times an older lady was working there. Upstairs there was tons of rare consoles behind a wall that you could peek around that weren't for sale unless the owner was there. It might be Friends. Does that ring any bells?

@leicamaster - If you find yourself near a Hard Off store be sure to stop, Book Off not so much.

y-bot

Oh yeah, I know that one. It's right near Suehirocho subway station. That place has utter shite for prices but is cool to look at. Though I did pick up a few NGCD games there.....

[GaijinPunch]

Yeah, sounds like Friends. As smork said, it's there at the Suehirocho station exit... right next door to G-Front, with a Segafredo coffee shop downstairs. I saw a Magical Drop II: Bunka Housou Version in the showcase. Looked like 10,000 yen. I asked to see it. Took another look and saw it was 100,000 yen. It was 50,000 yen down the street.