Tokyo Arcade Stores

tyranid · Post by **tyranid** » November 28th, 2008, 6:37 pm

I am back off to Japan in a week (yay) so was wondering which are the best places for arcade boards etc. in Tokyo? Last time I was there I went to some places rammed with boards but at the time I didn't collect arcade stuff so this time will be time to blow large wadges of cash

Post by **Mayhem** » November 28th, 2008, 6:39 pm

Courtesy of GaijinPunch: http://www.gamengai.com/akimap.php"

Flazh · Post by **Flazh** » November 28th, 2008, 7:40 pm

The guys in mak are top class, but the stuff in there is occasionally a little more expensive than G-Front (but its worth it just for the fact that you know it's going to be perfect). G-front tends to be the cheapest, but the guy who is normally behind the counter is as miserable as sin and stuff can be an slightly worse condition, though you can find some awesomely cool trinkets in there. TRY is generally the worst of the bunch, as it used to have loads of cool little knick-knacks when it was downstairs, but when they moved upstairs, they pretty much got rid of all their spare parts and old junky gear that people love to go through. TRY are probably best if you want to buy some brand new buttons and sticks, as their price tends to be the cheapest by a small amount.

They're all worth checking out though!

My Arcade games · Post by **cthulhu** » November 28th, 2008, 7:52 pm

Google Earth picture of MAK and G-Front locations...both fount in the mainstreet of Akihabara. Note the orange street near the intersection where G-Front is. The entrance to MAK can be found in the side street near the crossing. Looking up you can see the signs for both stores in the windows...it took me a little while to find these 2 shops but having this picture really helped me.

Stv · Post by **Stv** » November 28th, 2008, 9:43 pm

there are 2 more shops in akihabara but they sell only with mail order. you can contact them with phone and order.

they are SETUP (still running) and FUNTOM (???)

last december I have not been able to find TRY! shop at the usual location (near mak)... someone know where is now and if it's still running?

maybe Flazh know more

fujitacommunications and Sophia Corporation are still in Tokyo area

tyranid · Post by **tyranid** » November 28th, 2008, 9:55 pm

cool thanks, tbh I don't know if I ended up in any of those stores last time, probably did but I wasn't paying massive amounts of attention

Flazh · Post by **Flazh** » November 28th, 2008, 10:14 pm

Stv wrote:last december I have not been able to find TRY! shop at the usual location (near mak)... someone know where is now and if it's still running? maybe Flazh know more

They're just above where they used to be, up the stairs in the building entrance to the right.

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » November 29th, 2008, 5:29 am

G-front tends to be the cheapest,

G-Front is bar none the most expensive. Very rarely is Mak more, and it's usually way under.

last december I have not been able to find TRY! shop at the usual location (near mak)... someone know where is now and if it's still running?

Pretty sure there's a cafe on the bottom floor. Couldn't quite figure that out. Their selection is usually pretty **** though. Hardly worth stopping in.

Sophia / Tops

Are located in Gotanda but are mail order only, AFAIK.

Flazh · Post by **Flazh** » November 29th, 2008, 5:47 am

GaijinPunch wrote:
G-front tends to be the cheapest,
G-Front is bar none the most expensive. Very rarely is Mak more, and it's usually way under.

Guess it depends on the item, but I've had loads of stuff from G-Front that was cheaper than the stuff at both Mak and Try. For example, right now if you were to go out to buy SFZ3, it would cost you ¥400 more at Mak than G-Front and a further ¥600 extra for the A-Board, and Try have no price listed (none in stock). Espgaluda is ¥4,400 cheaper at G-Front. There are of course a decent amount of prices that Mak are cheaper on, but it is foolish to make a blanket statement like that.

Prices are always changing, and its no huge effort to go from one to the other to compare prices (they have a weekly price list that they give out in store anyway).

tyranid · Post by **tyranid** » November 29th, 2008, 9:33 am

Hmm one further question regarding say mak or g-front does anyone know if they take credit cards? I was planning on getting a fair amount of yen anyway but it would always be preferred if I didn't need quite so much to carry around, or if I go real crazy and decide to buy something real expensive

Flazh · Post by **Flazh** » November 29th, 2008, 12:04 pm

Yeah, but they add a 5% service charge for it! There is a 7-11 just down the road from G-Front if you need more money

gargamel · Post by **gargamel** » November 29th, 2008, 12:59 pm

MAK: Cool seller
G-front:Antipatic seller..

it depends the game you are looking for.

some time mak is cheaper, sometime G-Front is cheaper.

JAPJAC · Post by **JAPJAC** » November 30th, 2008, 11:31 am

The information above regarding the location of TRY! PCB Shop is out of date.

TRY! PCB Shop is now on the 10th floor of the brand spanking new multi-million Pound Try! Amusement Tower 2 which is a few doors up from the original Try! Amusement Tower which now only consists of the ground floor.

Try! Amusement Tower 2 is really mint and goes some way to recapture the magic of the original all them yearsago (circa 2001).

I hope that helps your shopping.

Cheers.

P.S. G-Front are the nicest people, provide the best service and the best actual shop by far making them the best place to buy PCBs from in Akihabara, in my opinion. If one wants to faff about over saving a few pennies then more fool them. For only a fiver they will even hand deliver a PCB to your door by a bloke on a scooter! That`s service!

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » November 30th, 2008, 1:04 pm

There are of course a decent amount of prices that Mak are cheaper on, but it is foolish to make a blanket statement like that.

My statement is based on shopping at both for years. G-Front has often dropped their prices on stuff b/c they're so overpriced. Never happens at Mak... although they have a sale in the summer.

G-Front are the nicest people

Nobody at any of the shops are ****, but G-Front takes a bit more work to extract information. At Mak they are far more eager to help. Probably has to do w/ them being surrounded by stacks of **** at G-Front, compared w/ Mak's rather well-kept (but cramped) space. And that guy on the scooter that delivers -- that's a carrier. That's what they do.

JAPJAC · Post by **JAPJAC** » November 30th, 2008, 1:32 pm

that guy on the scooter that delivers -- that's a carrier.

Really? I thought he was a gynecologist.

Grow up.

Anyway readers, ONLY 5 quid for that option is fantastic I think. I remember being well impressed at the time I tell thee.

poolchamp · Post by **poolchamp** » November 30th, 2008, 4:20 pm

JAPJAC (Leading pioneer and expert in the field of Japanese videogame playing, studying & collecting in the U.K. since day one' © 2001. Japan resident & TFP founder.) wrote:
that guy on the scooter that delivers -- that's a carrier.
Really? I thought he was a gynecologist. Grow up.

Anyway readers, ONLY 5 quid for that option is fantastic I think. I remember being well impressed at the time I tell thee.

Ok i order 2 pcbs to be carriered to my house on a scooter for a fiver ,good deal

Post by **Genjuro** » November 30th, 2008, 8:28 pm

I don't suppose anyone knows of any shops that sell pcbs in Den Den town in Osaka?

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » November 30th, 2008, 11:56 pm

ONLY 5 quid for that option is fantastic I think.

It's actually pretty standard if you're in Tokyo and buying from a business that has a large amount of output that's shipped. That was my very well put point. Buying something large-ish, like a computer monitor will only run you a small bit more.

I don't suppose anyone knows of any shops that sell pcbs in Den Den town in Osaka?

Tessin Create is somewhere in Osaka but AFAIK, they don't sell to individuals anymore.

JAPJAC · Post by **JAPJAC** » December 1st, 2008, 2:59 am

I see what you meant now. I didn`t realise you were Japanese so therefore it is completely normal for you this sort of service and pricing. To others this is alien from a shop selling PCBs a la Raven Games London. Same day delievery for a fiver via a scooter? Never gonna happen. Hence the novelty factor from my goodself.

Araigarto.

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » December 1st, 2008, 5:01 am

I just don't see the point of giving them a virtual hand job for doing something every other shop in the country does.

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