Japanese Arcade Observations

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

Things to look out for:

Shanghai storming the Blast Cities. Running it so long they’d keep going without the PCBs.

An incredible wire-drag scrawling the wall like a weed. Power and ethernet and the fire alarm, all traipsing over self-stick hooks and knotting into switchers. Real deal. No doubt. You don’t build a config like that: it grows.

Gunslinger Stratos 2, in back in blue: latest stuff playing, yes, but can’t shift the old-timers from the prime spots.

Vest under see-through shirt; face mask; face mask on chin so you can smoke; smoking inside; stainless steel ashtrays on every control panel.

Nobody’s alternating arcade night / gym night. Not some “barcade”.

Konami’s Quiz Magic Academy – the orange row – just some trivial trivia thing…? Checked Wikipedia and the contents table dwarfs other games’ whole entries. Since 2003 and still new versions hitting.

Hope to see you again soon, Game Spot 21!