Gaming outside Akihabara: Mandarake Galaxy

(tags game, import)

Since my main reason for heading to Tokyo wasn't Akihabara, but instead Ikebukuro, I decided to check out Krispy Kreme donuts and that "Best Video Game Store in Japan" as recommended by Chris Kohler. The store in question is Mandarake Galaxy (まんだらけギャラクシー) which is part of a cluster of Mandarake stores in one building in Nakano.

Unfortunately it was underwhelming given the other stores I'm used to. Sure they have some interesting stuff in the glass cabinets and old Nintendo stuff. I expected more volume, a whole rack of soundtracks like Nipponbashi / Den Den Town's Retro Gaming Revival and/or Super Potato, etc. But the shop was small. I don't think Nakano gets the traffic. That cassette tape of the Legend of Zelda mentioned by Kohler? It's still there, waiting to be purchased.

Then again, this is Mandarake. Figure this one out: The Dreamcast version of Ikaruga cannot be found on the shelves in many of the (premium) used game stores I frequent. Yet there are many copies here, all in the 6000-10000 yen price range. However, no copies of the Gamecube version could be had at all. Maybe they chaff the wheat?

I ended up buying just some copies of Arcadia magazine, since I'm still trying to save a "perfect copy" of the Ikaruga arcade era. I don't think I picked up any magazines new to my collection, probably just copies I already had.

Well, it wasn't a total loss. The rest of the cluster of Mandarake stores had some pretty nifty items. Anime DVD box sets, anime music CDs, signed items, old manga. Mandarake to me is all about bad lighting and dingy shelfs, but they have a lot of rare stuff.

Still I didn't buy anything.

On a strangely personal tip, I visited Nakano in my "former life", by walking from Shibuya / Meguro-ku. It took me about 1 hour to walk. I was looking for some interesting stores. I obviously missed Mandarake.

Still looking for Starcraft, but coming up empty-handed

(tags game, import, real-time strategy)

Eventually I'll play this game because I feel like it's a necessary part of gaming history (just not necessary enough to get it RIGHT NOW). Aso Bit City didn't have a copy even though they had an entire aisle of foreign PC games, the biggest assortment I've seen in Akihabara (but that's not saying much). As always Messe Sanoh Chaos had a copy on the third time I canvassed the shop in two days... Yup, the Battle Chest edition for 6000 yen.

No. Way.

In plain English: I didn't buy it.

I think I just want to play it for 1000 yen or less. (Yes the online store has it for USD 9.99 and ships to Japan but but...)

I don't understand, Starcraft is big in South Korea. Because Japan is close, you'd think they'd get some copies? But the Japanese version is nowhere to be found.

Update: maybe this page has the reasons why Japan doesn't "get" Starcraft.

So glad that I didn't buy Gripshift; Puzzle Quest for the DS

(tags game, Dual Screen, import, RPG, puzzle)

One of the themes of my trip to Akihabara was import gaming.

As I mentioned before, I was looking for Puzzle Quest for the Nintendo DS. I canvassed my regular haunts, Game Hollywood and Messe Sanoh Chaos but there was none to be found. Sure, there were plenty of copies of the PSP version, but who wants to play a Bejeweled clone with a DPad? Frankly I've already had enough time logged with my Palm version of the Bejeweled 2 to know the answer.

I kept my eye out, but still I didn't have any luck. Aso Bit City seemed to be very promising for import PC and console gaming, but they didn't have a copy. They did have some discounted games such as Gripshift for the PSP. (In the same bin there was a new import GBA Micro going for 2000 yen but I passed on it). I didn't know if this game was any good, and though 2000 yen is my insta-grab price, frankly I have enough to play with. So I waited to consult the Internet. My hotel had a free Internet terminal so "metacritic gripshift"... Given the comments, I decided to buy first thing on Sunday morning.

Unfortunately, Sunday morning and there was no more copies.

On a chance that maybe I overlooked where they put the discount bin, I went to the store again at around 22:00 (no donuts, natch). But of course it wasn't there. However, Puzzle Quest was available!

I don't know why, but maybe they got a shipment late Sunday? In any case, score!

I'm not likely to open this game any time soon though, for reason I will reveal in another post.

Oh yeah, I already saw the video of some homebrew hacker giving himself the win with one touch.

Off to see the seiyuu

(tags anime, failure, games-of-chance, Ichigo Masimaro, live, seiyuu, Tokyo, voice actor, game, import)

Well I'm turning in, so that I can get a jump on the shinkansen tomorrow. So that I can attack the Akiba stores on Saturday. So I won't have to worry about Sunday. So that I can show up to the Ichigo Masimaro voice actor event (帰ってきた「苺ましまろでショー」in豊島公会堂イベント) with good seats (but seat assignment is a raffle).

But I'm laid back you see. The only thing I need to worry about is being at Ikebukuro at 16:00 on Sunday afternoon. No problem.

I haven't prepared anything except the invite and what import video games I should consider. Racketboy is putting spike in my punch with his recommendation for TMNT for the GBA. And I don't really want anything... except Puzzle Quest for the DS, and maybe some PSP games like After Burner: Black Falcon and Ratchet & Clank. Perhaps I'll see some telephone cards, or I'll see some CDs to complete my collection. Shoot, I should have prepared my inventory. My memory is not so good, but it keeps telling me it's excellent.

Well I am bringing an extra PSP battery (from my silver) and charge cables for iPod, DS and PSP, but its all really dead weight until I wait in line on Sunday. I should not be playing my games when stores are open! Plus I have a plan to reconnoiter Ikebukuro on Saturday night to make sure I don't get lost. I do wish that my copy of Harry Potter was electronic so I can get rid of dead-tree weight. I am not bringing my computer, there's plenty of Internet cafes to be had.

I am wondering if I'm going to write up this event. I failed to write up the Sachi Tainaka (タイナカサチ) live in-store event (last year), the Halko Momoi (桃井はるこ) live in-store event (last year), and even the recent Midori Karashima (辛島美登里) event (last month). I took notes,though! I'm not aiming to report at full verbosity like I did with Yoko Ishida (石田燿子) or Savage Genius, but just a liked it/hated it would be useful.

Um, maybe I should get to sleep now? With this, my vaction in Kobe (at home) is officially over.