Tokyo’s best video game arcades in Akihabara: where to go, what to do

If you are a fan of racing games, this station will be fun for you. The arcade’s history as a Sega arcade leaves many great classic games available to ride from Manx TT Super bike machines to a Rad Mobile The game you play while sitting inside a small car. I could spend at least an hour switching between the different steering wheels of these ancient machines.

Compared to when we visited the Namco Game Center earlier in the day down the street, the selection of rhythm games – where tapping controllers to the beat earns you points – was fairly similar. Although on Gigo 3 we were able to play multiple rhythm games without feeling the need to move due to other customers waiting in line behind us. It was fun to experience all the percussion experiments for the first time, and it was my personal favorite Sega’s Maimai Machine. I was fascinated by watching nearby players smash all eight buttons perfectly in time with the music, and swiping their fingers across the screen as they put together combos – I was content to play on the easy, accessible difficulty levels, rather than risk breaking them. In an evil vein.

Another fun experience in Gigo 3 for travelers is the photo section. Although primarily filled with teenage girls perfecting their makeup, using curling irons to apply finishing touches, and trying out crunchy blonde wigs, we had fun taking pictures in the booths and couldn’t stop laughing as the program distorted our facial features disproportionately until we looked like… Ghostly aliens. One booth we tried even had a horror theme with light narration while you did the poses.

We tried our best at gaming and never exceeded 5,000 yen (about $33) at any of the arcades in Tokyo. Overall, our experience with Gigo 3 was budget-friendly and engaging.

Mario rules his home turf.

Photography: James Matsumoto/Getty

If you are traveling with children

After taking the outside elevator to reach the entrance 1- Chumi Playlandfalls on Tokyo artificial island In Odaiba, I was surrounded by nostalgic neon colors and the most mechanical arcade games I’d seen all trip. Yes, it had a few other options for games, but the main attraction here was the variety of vintage machines, often with some sort of interactive mechanical element. Despite the age and general use, the majority of the toys here were in great condition.

The space isn’t huge, but around every corner we bumped into unique experiences and happily spent handfuls of yen. I used a mini chef’s pan to mash the rodents while target lights flashed across the screen. My partner and I have become very competitive spinning the pointers and trying to win a game of ping pong soccer. I almost dropped three balls in a row while playing Sailor Moon– Tic Tac Toe themed.

At 1-chome Playland, I saw many families with young children as well as couples on beauty appointments. It’s easy to overlook the location, next to other family-oriented options such as LEGOLAND DISCOVERY CENTER and Tokyo JoyopolisBut it’s honestly worth the train ride alone. We spent an hour and a half trying out the machines, and probably could have spent another 30 minutes on a less crowded night.

Just be careful, any family outing on this trail is almost certain to end with a trip somewhere nearby Ice cream Shopping on the way back to the hotel. It feels right.

Looking for other Japanese gaming centers worth visiting in Tokyo? We also enjoyed our time at Namco, Hello Taitoand Jeju #1– All in Akihabara and only a few blocks away. For a more intimate experience, head to Takadanobaba, where… Mikado Game Center It has a large collection of vintage machines, and the nearby Natsuge Museum is a great stop for pinball fans.