Just posting to share first finds from today. Largely from hardoff and bookoff up in Ueno and the bookoff at akihabara station since it was already late. Spent about ¥5000 total.
PS1:
Paqa
King of Producer
Mezase!Airline Pilot
Rage Racer
PS2:
Over the Monochrome Rainbow
Virtual On Marz
My Home o tsukurou 2
Bikkuri Mouse
Saturn:
Outrun
Some oddballs found, outrun for my friend. Over the Monochrome Rainbow - never heard of or encountered, no manual but whatever! Looks interesting. The Bikkuri Mouse was in the junk area, has a kids homework folded up in the manual. I can dig art software on ps2 that supports generic usb mouse control. King of producer looks like a proto game dev story. Never knew there was another virtual on. Recently got a pocket station and haven’t had much compatibility, Paqa looks like an attempt to do more than nothing. Rage racer has NeGcon support so I was in for 110¥. My Dream Home on ps1 had dope visuals and I’ve been lookin for 2. Flyin a plane looks nice and earnest.
Planning to go over to Nakano Broadway tomorrow, then hit up ikebukuro super potato and assorted bookoffs. Also realizing I might look for a Olympus Pen film camera if anyone seeing this has a tip for film camera shops.
I almost never watch Japanese television, but I was feeling a bit foggy after getting my Omicron shot earlier today and decided to just channel surf a bit at random. This is the first time I have actually used my TV for old-fashioned TV-programming in over half a year, but what do I randomly come across in the first 5 minutes, but this….
In conclusion from my trip: I’m more of a surugaya person than a mandarake person. Also a reminder that most other surugaya aside from the game-focused one are just places to go if you’re trying to be forced to look at anime boobs.
Didn’t make it out to ikebukuro and beep was closed for staff training but otherwise a good trip. Can confirm shibuya surugaya is a good scene (you get to play the ‘find the best price on this thing there are multiples of, which is a mini game I enjoy)
@“vmu_beep”#p88472Neko Do have any suggestions for Osaka?
You might be coming right on time for [the opening of the Nintendo OSAKA store.](https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/news/nintendo-is-opening-its-second-official-japan-store-in-osaka-101722) Sadly no exclusive Splatoon-themed takoyaki announced as of this writing.
Somehow missed it but I was at pretty complete saturation by the time I left. Next time!
Also I just need to shout out here as well - the final game I purchased (on first sight, never previously having heard of it) before leaving was Panekit on ps1. If you have any interest in ps1 and/or physics or just meticulous design, I highly recommend that you just blindly check that game out. My mind has been completely blown, and this may be one of my top games ever now.
Some thoughts on buying games in Tokyo now that I have done it in 2022, 4 years after the last time:
Generally harder to find retro and everything is more expensive.
The BookOffs in Shinjuku have got rid a lot of their retro. The west exit store still has a lot of PS4, PSP and PS2 but not much else. POOR SHOPPING.
Surugaya in Shinjuku is good. Good selection and okay prices for the quality. HOWEVER, see below.
Mandarake in Nakano has high quality and generally high prices but I found a number of games (e.g. PS1 Strider 1+2) that were half the price they were in Surugaya and they were in better condition. I bought them.
Tomorrow is my last day and I may do Akiba but I also may not. I'll update if I do.
Also, I went to a Hard Off in the shadow of Mt. Fuji and bought Evergrace.
Yeah, it‘s a lot harder to find stuff - you’ve really got to LOOK.
But I will say if you go to akiba don't make the mistake I did - don't miss the book off, the north one I think. It's got tons of stuff in it, or used to, and I totally blanked on it this trip.
@“Chopemon”#p95757 btw did you go to daikaiju salon in Nakano? I should‘ve mentioned it earlier. If you’ve still got time, go and say I sent you lol. They may or may not remember me but you can see this costume in the cramped bar
@“exodus”#p95760 damn, that would have been good to do. Forgot all about that after hearing it on the podcast. Tonight's the last night before a really early travel home so no bars tonight!
