Once upon a time, before Japanese retro gaming shops discovered eBay, Japan was a retro gamer’s paradise. Rare, vintage Japan-only games and systems were dirt cheap, and the only way to procure them from overseas was through someone physically traveling to Japan.
Those days are long gone. A surge of nostalgia for vintage video games has sent prices soaring, with rare games now selling in the millions of dollars. But is Japan still a haven for retro game hunters?
Japan’s retro gaming early days
I was already into collecting old video games when I first came to Japan in the 1990s.
I’d not only purchase games for myself but also resell some to fund my annual visits to my Japanese girlfriend. At that time, Japanese stores hadn’t discovered eBay yet, so the only way for Americans to acquire Japan-only games was through someone bringing them back in a suitcase, such as myself, and reselling them online. The easiest profits I made were from new game promotional posters. Game shops would usually have them at the entrance and you could take as many as you wanted for free. Those would sell for around $30 to $50 each in the 1990s.
The Nintendo Family Computer, or “Famicom,” and its games were (and still are) especially desired. It has many Japan-only titles that collectors crave. Other systems had similar exclusives; for example, around 75% of Sega Saturn’s games were Japan-only releases.
However, around 2001, Japanese retro game stores discovered eBay and began putting their inventories online. This collapsed prices, making it difficult to profit from reselling.
Super expensive potato
More recently, tourism to Japan has exploded, drawing retro game collectors to famous spots such as Akihabara.
Their first stop is almost always Super Potato. While it’s a famous destination, prices are extremely high and it’s quite the tourist trap. Instead, locals know that great finds can be had at any Hard Off store across the country, a used item shop that always has a retro video game section. With over 900 stores, Super Potato’s six stores are minuscule in comparison. The chain Book Off also has a huge amount of stores across Japan, but not all carry games, and the selection in Hard Off is usually better. Local chains that sell retro games at decent prices exist as well, such as greater Nagoya’s Otakara Souko and Surugaya.
Some game collectors have even turned their passion for treasure hunting at stores like Hard Off into YouTube channels. Japan Gemu, who has over a million subscribers, chronicles his hunts. Similar channels include Mad Panic Gaming, 4 am Laundry and Retro Moments.
Mom-and-pop retro game shops still exist, but buying games online has put many out of business. While you can still snag a rare treasure in Hard Off, prices online on Yahoo! Auctions or Mercari (Japan) will usually be cheaper. However, for game collectors, sifting through Hard Off’s “junk” bins for a rare game find is still a ritual most cannot give up. Plus, although most prices are cheaper online, you now also see some astronomical “Buy It Now” prices online for high-end, rare items. Those seem to be geared toward buyers abroad, though (more on that below).
Plus, when you are bidding online, you are essentially competing with the entire country, so physical shops can still be reasonable. In fact, there are now services in English for proxy bidding on Yahoo! Auctions or assisting with purchasing on Mercari, so you are now even competing with overseas collectors.
Martinis and Mario Kart
Japan became a video game fan’s paradise yet again around the early 2010s when video game bars started popping up in major cities. Some of these bars focused on the newest games, while smaller hole-in-the-wall bars focused on retro gaming. Shops that focused on new releases were eating into video game companies’ bottom line by essentially renting out games (which is illegal in Japan), so authorities began to crack down on them around 2018.
Multiple owners were arrested for copyright infringement, prompting many shops to shut down voluntarily to avoid legal repercussions. However, some retro gaming bars continue to operate, such as Tokyo’s Game Bar A-Button. Unfortunately, one small bar run by an American for ten years in Nagoya decided to close this year partly due to fears of prosecution.
“Game prices have, in turn, skyrocketed in recent years as nostalgic collectors now possess disposable income to fulfill childhood dreams. In 2021, a sealed, mint copy of Super Mario Bros. sold for $2 million, making headlines.”
North America’s game nostalgia boom
In recent years, many YouTube channels that focus on retro gaming have gained huge followings, such as Scott the Woz. Game prices have, in turn, skyrocketed as nostalgic collectors now possess disposable income to fulfill childhood dreams.
In 2021, a sealed, mint copy of Super Mario Bros. sold for USD$2 million, making headlines. This demand from overseas has led many sellers in Japan to make huge profits. However, the opposite is not true in that retro American games are not — and never have been — popular in Japan with collectors.
The focus of collections has also expanded. Collectors are now also pursuing elusive Japan-only items, such as TVs with built-in Super Famicom systems, vintage store kiosks or game prototypes.
I’ve even begun to collect games signed by those involved with its production, such as the programmers and graphic designers, etc. Though this is something I have yet to see in the collecting market.
Competitive retro gaming
Esports is a huge industry globally, but many gamers also engage in competitive retro gaming.
Retro games like Tetris have a massive following, with players competing for top scores or the fastest completion times, known as “speedrunning.”
New controller techniques, such as hypertapping and rolling, have led to new records being set in the game. The speed at which leaders play now is shocking. Not only Tetris, but new records have been set in many other retro games as well, such as Punch Out. I’m even a world top ten Dr. Mario speedrunner on levels 1-20, but have given up on ever breaking into the top five because the leaders play on a savant level that breaks my brain to merely watch, let alone attempt to emulate. Japan’s Inari 80000 holds many Dr. Mario top spots.
I recommend the YouTube channel Summoning Salt to learn about past and present speedrunning legends in general.
Both American and Japanese players are actively involved in such retro gaming competitions.
The Street Fighter series remains popular, with Japan’s Daigo Umehara and America’s Justin Wong being two of the most renowned players. In the early years of their competitive gaming, a video was recorded of them battling at the Evolution Championship Series 2004 in California. Umehara made a then-unheard-of move to beat Wong. It is known as “Evo Moment 37,” and the video snippet even has its own Wikipedia page. The sound of the crowd roaring in this video shows just how much excitement there still is regarding these older games, both abroad and in Japan.
Is Japan still a retro gamer’s dream?
The retro scene is actually stronger than it has ever been. Enthusiasts can go to events where gaming gods like Daigo Umehara compete or give talks. Those looking for a quick drink and a game of GoldenEye 007 with a few friends can easily relive their college years at various retro game bars across the country. Retro game shops like Hard Off and sites like Yahoo! Auctions and Mercari are still exciting places to treasure hunt at.
So, to answer the question (and despite the recent pricing boom): yes. Japan is still a video game nerd’s paradise.
Dr. James Rogers is a tenured university professor who has published books and over 50 articles on linguistics and Japanese studies. He is the author of the book "On Living and Working in Japan." He's also the Dr. Mario speedrunner “HaHaHaHaHaHaHaYatta” on www.speedrun.com.
© Japan Today
3 Comments
Login to comment
kohakuebisu
This is a very informed article. Thank you.
Most of these games can be played on an emulator, such as the browser you are reading this comment on, but some people have just got to have the original device and the original box and the original whatever.
ak
Hard off is the best but the repeating music drives me crazy.
SalarymanDaishi
So sad that the "small retro gaming bar in Nagoya" just closed down. Been there before and it was on my Nagoya itinerary for this very month. Such a hospitable place, and there's nothing lovelier than having a few beers, playing SNES classics, and getting into impromptu conversations with like-minded people from around the world.
Game Bar A-Button in Tokyo might still be around but it's quite cramped, quiet, and not particularly suited for foreign tourists.