RolandSubject: Sonic The Hedgehog, Subject: Blast City, Developer: Sega, Year: 1996, Arcade: Game Spot 21, Location: Shinjuku

Against the Machine

RolandSubject: Sonic The Hedgehog, Subject: Blast City, Developer: Sega, Year: 1996, Arcade: Game Spot 21, Location: Shinjuku
Against the Machine
20200106 - Sonic the Hedgehog..Blast City - Cabinet and Out of Order Sign - Sega - 1996 - Game Spot 21 - Shinjuku - Resized.jpeg

"Sorry, I'm taking a break."

That's cool, man. You chill out. 🍹😎☀️

It says © SEGA but this is a fake, homemade notice in the dodgy dive that is Game Spot 21 (see 1,000 other posts about this seedy little game-hole) 🕹💉

Custom cardboard is all over Tokyo. Dreamt in your tech-utopian youth that it was all flying cars and shit. True, but *boy* do they love the ‘board.

Think: when 80s/90s sci-fi was lickable spaceships, Akira was bombed-out hell.

Still the international totem of tech-based boom, Japan carries a surprise suspicion of the machine. Traces of the tangible are a reassuring check on the robot takeover.

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

RolandYear: 2013, Arcade: Club Sega Shinjuku Nishiguchi, Location: Shinjuku, Developer: Sega-AM1, Developer: Sega Interactive

What’s Code of Joker?

Code of Joker was a Trading Card Game from Sega – purveyor of some longstanding and well-loved TCGs. But what's that sign on the top? It says "free to play". Are they giving out free starter decks?! Yes!

RolandYear: 2013, Arcade: Club Sega Shinjuku Nishiguchi, Location: Shinjuku, Developer: Sega-AM1, Developer: Sega Interactive
What’s Code of Joker?
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