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Joe

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Joined
Oct 2, 2019
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Tokyo
Greetings from Tokyo. I signed up a number of weeks ago but rather rudely neglected to introduce myself, and so i am righting that wrong.

Akin to others on here, i have been playing games since i got my first Spectrum, then graduated to a Sega Mega Drive, Super Famicom, etc. Culminating as i reached 40 years old in fulfilling my dream of owning arcade cabinets (Galaxy cabinet and a Vewlix Diamond Black) and boards (and a Transformers pinball machine along the way). The arcade boards are particularly addictive and I have a modest collection, but reaching capacity in a small Tokyo apartment. Shmups (Cave, Toaplan, etc.) are a particular love, but the scrolling classics like Final Fight, Aliens, TMNT, Rainbow Islands, etc. have also been acquired in the search for nostalgia (never fulfilled). The latest (re)discovery is how good CRTs look, and so i have had to stop myself going too far down the rabbit hole of PVMs/BVMs (just one or two).

I don't have anywhere near the technical knowhow of most on this forum, but i have same enthusiasm to keep the retro games spirit alive. After moving to Japan a decade ago, i feel lucky to be living in the heart of where much of this gaming began.

Lastly, i will say that i have been amazed at how dedicated others here are to this same objective, and how gracious they are sharing their time and knowledge; so thank you very much!
 
Is this the Japan-lifer hangout thread?
Welcome!
 
Is this the Japan-lifer hangout thread?
Welcome!
Thank you both. And yes, it does have all the hallmarks of a Japan-lifer thread :) Gaming and Japan, my two loves (and the family, of course).
 
Welcome! I understand your small Tokyo apartment life. I've got a place about 30m² of my own. Feels like half of it is games and gaming-related equipment. ><
 
Welcome! I understand your small Tokyo apartment life. I've got a place about 30m² of my own. Feels like half of it is games and gaming-related equipment. ><
But the optimist in me would say that you still have the other half to fill! A sort of games-related glass half empty/full metaphor.
 
こんばんわ from a former 浦和市 外人
 
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Welcome! I understand your small Tokyo apartment life. I've got a place about 30m² of my own. Feels like half of it is games and gaming-related equipment. ><
But the optimist in me would say that you still have the other half to fill! A sort of games-related glass half empty/full metaphor.
Yeah I mean, he could just sleep on top of the cabs...
 
Welcome! I understand your small Tokyo apartment life. I've got a place about 30m² of my own. Feels like half of it is games and gaming-related equipment. ><
But the optimist in me would say that you still have the other half to fill! A sort of games-related glass half empty/full metaphor.
Yeah I mean, he could just sleep on top of the cabs...
That would imply the luxury of legroom. Most apartments I've experienced are more like sleeping INSIDE the cab. The aircon being a good approximation of the fan.
 
Hello and welcome!

What a conundrum; living in the best country in the world (for retro & arcade gaming) yet not having the space to store and display all the wonderful hardware available to you.
 
What a conundrum; living in the best country in the world (for retro & arcade gaming) yet not having the space to store and display all the wonderful hardware available to you.
Contrary to the popular belief, living in Japan sometimes makes things harder: the home arcade scene is pretty much inexistent as people can simply go to the nearest Game Center, so CRT cabinets are hard to get by in decent shape (I gave up and just bought a Vewlix from TAITO directly).
As for PCBs and the rest, you are still competing with international buyers who have access to Yahoo! Auction etc. and deeper pockets than what our meagre JPY salaries allow :rolleyes:
 
When I taught English in Japan in 2003 for NOVA, the locals thought I was rich!

...little did they know that after paying the rent, 携帯 bill, suica and health insurance, there were enough Yoshinoya or Matsuya meals for the month and just under a couple of hundred $'s left over.

It wasn't until I disovered the eBay hustle with vinyl records in the good 'ol days before Discogs that I was able to live comfortably in Japan. It's an awesome country, but I feel your pain, especially if you're an English teacher that isn't at a major school. Cheap eats are the key to affording nice things though, and in Japan that's easy!
 
What a conundrum; living in the best country in the world (for retro & arcade gaming) yet not having the space to store and display all the wonderful hardware available to you.
Contrary to the popular belief, living in Japan sometimes makes things harder: the home arcade scene is pretty much inexistent as people can simply go to the nearest Game Center, so CRT cabinets are hard to get by in decent shape (I gave up and just bought a Vewlix from TAITO directly).As for PCBs and the rest, you are still competing with international buyers who have access to Yahoo! Auction etc. and deeper pockets than what our meagre JPY salaries allow :rolleyes:
I can concur. When i had a machine delivered to my apartment the looks of disbelief and horror i received from neighbours was only matched later that day by my wife's reprimand for my irresponsible purchase. The heroes welcome that i was expecting having furnished the apartment complex with a piece of arcade history (like i would have received in the UK) did not materialise. To be fair, i put this down solely to it not being a CRT cabinet.
 
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Welcome Joe
you are living my Dream!

but here in the UK I do have space for around 10 cabs :)
 
Welcome Joe
you are living my Dream!

but here in the UK I do have space for around 10 cabs :)
Welcome Joe
you are living my Dream!

but here in the UK I do have space for around 10 cabs :)
Thanks. Have you always dreamt about living in a shoebox with sweltering heat and humidity for a third of the year, being shoehorned onto a metro carriage each morning as the doors close on your face, and being surrounded everywhere by hieroglyphics that cannot be understood or interpreted? :) Joking aside, i am very lucky i know, it's an amazing country. With room for ten cabs, it would be a perfect country.
 
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