RolandSubject: Arcade Artefact, Year: 2015, Arcade: Game Spot 21, Subject: Museca, Developer: Konami, Location: Shinjuku

Game Spot 21 Again

RolandSubject: Arcade Artefact, Year: 2015, Arcade: Game Spot 21, Subject: Museca, Developer: Konami, Location: Shinjuku
Game Spot 21 Again
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Another visit to Tokyo’s grubbiest games arcade.

The sign’s S is worn off – the natural place to grab when dragging this lump to the street and back. Day-in-day-out for years and years. Count the years in the layers of grime on its nevercleaned foot.

The standees advertise not-that-new games, but are mostly there to hide the cave entrance and block out the daylight and air.

Museca: "Music game × Complete New Illustration Work". Bemani branded, with a sort of harlequin / Virtua Fighter polygonal knickerflash front-centre. Handbills: "TAKE FREE".

No. In Game Spot 21, touch nothing but the joysticks.

Photographer and writer covering Tokyo arcade life – the videogames, the metropolis and the people

RolandSubject: 中国龍プリティチャンス, Developer: Alta, Location: Shinjuku, Year: 1996, Subject: Blast City, Arcade: Game Spot 21, Year: 2001, Subject: Chinese Dragon Pretty Chance, Developer: SegaComment

Your Irresistible Game

Through Chinese Dragon Pretty Chance you will come to terms with your harrowing desires.

RolandSubject: 中国龍プリティチャンス, Developer: Alta, Location: Shinjuku, Year: 1996, Subject: Blast City, Arcade: Game Spot 21, Year: 2001, Subject: Chinese Dragon Pretty Chance, Developer: SegaComment
Your Irresistible Game
RolandSubject: Blast City, Subject: Arcade Interior, Subject: Arcade Artefact, Developer: Sega, Developer: Konami, Year: 2013, Year: 2016, Arcade: Game Spot 21, Location: Shinjuku

Japanese Arcade Observations

Game Spot 21 is a real-deal arcade. Finger-crossing that it comes back post-Covid – and dirtier than ever.

RolandSubject: Blast City, Subject: Arcade Interior, Subject: Arcade Artefact, Developer: Sega, Developer: Konami, Year: 2013, Year: 2016, Arcade: Game Spot 21, Location: Shinjuku
Japanese Arcade Observations
RolandArcade: Game Spot 21, Subject: Tokyo Street, Subject: Arcade Exterior, Year: 2017, Location: Shinjuku

What Game Spot 21 Did

If you say the machines don’t need to be cleaned on the parts people don’t touch then that’s your thing, I guess. If you think it’s OK to laminate a “Watch it! Bagsnatchers!” Sign over the urinal instead of creating an establishment where it doesn’t happen, your call.

But…

RolandArcade: Game Spot 21, Subject: Tokyo Street, Subject: Arcade Exterior, Year: 2017, Location: Shinjuku
What Game Spot 21 Did