Be sure to not miss any episodes of *RETRO GAME HUNTING in JAPAN 2023!* I created a *PLAYLIST* with all the *episodes here:* czcams.com/play/PLSba06mG5MnOD04ZpsZegKcTjxtw4ENQp.html
You're right. But it also depends on who is doing it. I think Metal Jesus Rocks and BeatEmUps for example, have way more influence over that since they are huge channels. I've been mostly filming in Nagoya for years, and there are still as many games there, compared to a few years ago.
@@RetroMoments Oh yeah for sure, I wasn't really blaming you in general. It is indeed mostly those types of people with that kind of following. In the end, they've kind of ruined things for most people who are willing to collect or still even want to enter the hobby. I like your content over theirs without question, yours feels down to earth and not fake, nor are you trying to influence the market and I respect that.
@joury900 Yea, no I got that. I was just giving you my two cents on the topic you started :) I totally agree with you on that. Most people who are getting into the hobby now are usually choosing a newer console to collect for, because of the prices. Thank you so much, I really appreciate that! I am trying to give the viewers more of a personal vlog when it comes to game hunting. I'm glad it comes through :)
When I lived in Japan during 2005-2006, I frequently visited many retrogame stores at Nipponbashi, Osaka and at of these stores, I acquired my Castlevania Chronigles for PS1 for about 2000 yens of that time and now look how much cost it!
Yea prices around that time was perfect! Before they hype of collecting retro games on YT. Ive had so many offers I turned down back in the days. But I did get some games that has skyrocketed as well.
We would have crossed eachother surely since I am in Japan since 2000 until now. Yes, they had baskets of ¥100 games like neogeo, pcengine, Famicom.. CZcams killed the hobby frankly. But it took some times though. The smartest way to collect is to buy online. All these stores like super potato or beep are gaijin tourist traps.
@@supergrafxengine4620 Oh nice! In Tokyo? Even NEO-GEO and PC Engine games!? Must've been NGCD then. Never seen AES that cheap ever. Yea Yahoo Auction is way better if you are looking for thee best prices possible.
Thank you for sharing such great footage with us... Could you imagine those pique mid to late 2000s era of playing ps2 and watching dvds on a Japanese night..
Precis så, Bubba! Det är utvecklingen av Akihabara tyvärr. Dock är det fortfarande sjukt kul att bara gå runt och titta på allt. Ett ställe fyllt med magi! Tack! Uppskattar att du tittar!
It is sad to see how empty some shelves are and this is going to be more and more like that. I live in Japan and I know the country since 2007…. boy that was so different. In Japan if you look for something rare forget Akihabara because as soon it is for sell it will be out in less than 1 day ! There is those hard off with some great variety of consoles and games ( outside of Tokyo !!)
Yea definitely sad to see. I was a bit chocked after visiting Friends with those empty shelves. Something happened after the pandemic. Thats when I could clearly see a rise in the prices. Before that I saw fair prices everywhere. Yea, so even though the prices are high, people still buy it. Thats the problem. And yes, HARD OFF outside the bigger cities can be really good. Each HARD OFF is different so always worth visiting them.
Retro Game Camp is actually great, especially if you're an english speaking person that needs help. Most of their staff is fluent in english and honestly their prices are pretty normal for most things. If someone was going to buy a system I'd send them there in a heartbeat. If you want really good deals then you need to leave Tokyo/Osaka. The further you are from those cities the cheaper the systems/games.
Yea I agree with you. Common games were defintiely reasonable priced. Some of the rare games could be another story however… But I didnt know that they were fluent in English at the store. Thats very cool. Thank you for the information!
Many people complain about prices. Prices are going up for everything, not just games! In the last 10 years, have you even seen how much housing has gone up? the stock market? and even Pokemon cards has shot up! Supply and demand, more people want to collect vintage nowadays.
Thank you! Finally someone that understand how it works. People are so quick to blame CZcamsrs for the prices of retro games. Its so much bigger than that.
The shop Friends had better moments in the past, I remember before the pandemic that they have 2 floors and they were full of games, now 1 floor and the shelves are half empty, but well, they still have good games a decent prices.
Yea that was really sad to see honestly. So many empty shelves. But I get why it happened to them. Their prices are actually decent compared to many other stores in Akihabara.
Yea colorful and very organized to make us buy all the games haha! I agree that the big crowds are not the most satisfied thing. But its definitely worth visiting!
So great to see Gimmick! I'd say it's the best platform game ever on Famicom/NES. It's a shame it wasn't released to a bigger market, but I see it's available on Switch these days so more people get the chance to enjoy it. I used to have it, although the Nordic version, which was called Mr. Gimmick.
Oh yea! I loved seeing it too. First time I saw the Famicom version! And I agree with you. Its my favorite Famicom/NES game ever! I had Mr Gimmick when I was a kid, and I do own the Nordic version still to this day! Its great they re-released it on the Switch. I think it holds up so well.
Been going to Japan since 2012 when I started to collect SFC, been there almost every year since and was there this summer (first since Covid) and I was also there right before Covid. And man, the amount of retro games have really really been lowered. In my opinion there is barely nothing compared to just 2019. The prices have sky rocketed. Same for GameCube and such. It was the same in Osaka, Hiroshima etc. I was very happy that before this trip I felt kind of done with my GC and SFC collection and instead was hunting for Pokemon cards which was great. Beto local market really went crazy during Covid and of course the increase in tourists.
Yea I definitely agree with you. Its a huge increase in prices compared to 2019! But the funny thing is, that even though the prices increased, retro games are still dissapearing from Akihabara! Imagine if they didnt increase, there would probably be even less games. Interesting to see whats going to happen in a few years…
@@jamesherman3750 Really!? I wouldn't expect that! But then again, it is pretty close to Tokyo still. The BOOK OFFs Ive been to in the middle of nowhere have some pretty good deals and still lots of games.
I was surprised how much all the games in the cases have gone up. The English section gave me a chuckle as it was neat to see North American games being imports there. PSPs are really cheap on eBay, under $100. The 1000 modules will often have replacement IPS screens, new battery and memory cards, etc. I have about getting one but I don't have nostalgia for it but it could be fun to discovery new games. In North America prices have come down a little bit but I don't think it will go back to what it was before COVID. It was fun to hear you hang out with Scruffy for a bit and such. 😃
Oh yea they are increasing, man! I mean, as long as people pay those prices I'm sure they're raising them bit by bit. Yea its kinda cool to see American games here. But the prices of those games are even crazier than in the states of course xD Yea PSP's are really well-built I have to say. Ahead of its time! The ones you saw in the bin were about 2-3000 yen. That's super cheap. But I have no nostalgia for PSP either. Thanks man! I was hoping someone would enjoy hearing our conversations in the video :D
I went to Super Potatot in Osaka, they were charging around $150 USD for Little Ralph wrapped in seran wrap hanging from a pole, just the disc. Definitely don't do game shopping in Japan anymore for the past 10 years. I used to go to Mandarake for good deals, then they also started going crazy on prices. They're just good to look, but I will never buy anything from these late blooming shops. I once bought Bare Knuckle 2 and 3 complete in the box respectively for about $10USD and $30USD. around 2012.
Oh wow! Thats crazy. I cant imagine many collectors who would buy disc only games. And Mandarake to me has always been more expensive than other stores because of how picky they are with condition. Yea 2012 and anything before the pandemic was great. I found many really good deals in 2019 even. But after that the biggest rise in prices ever came. Its going to be interesting to see the evolution of prices in Akihabara and its retro games the coming few years...
Thank you for the support, man! Really appreciate it! There will be a lot more Japanese Exclusive games on the channel as it is mainly what Im looking for!!
@@RetroMoments mostly because tourism resumed after it. But it also goes back to supply and demand as well. The Akihabara shops know this since Akihabara has been a tourist spot for more than ten years now for foreigners
Yea a lot of people just waiting for years to come back just to buy games. I can imagine that Akihabara pretty much control most of the market for prices of Japanese games.
Oh yeah definitely! Akiba is mostly for the atmosphere nowadays. And treating the shops like a museum. However, I would say that its possible to find deals in Surugaya!
Totally! Its a joy just walking around and looking at everything. Hope you get to visit Japan again sometime. Thanks man! Great to see you in the comments!
Tar Jung is the game from an old manga, the manga is a gag cartoon but turn very seriously into fighting martial art in each arc. It's very very good, I recommended it.
Was just there in October. Buying retail stuff, like new PS4, PS5, and Switch games is great, especially at the exchange rate we had in Oct. Retro stuff is kinda iffy. I probably did end up with stuff from all those places though. I saw a Dracula X for Saturn for almost 30,000 JPY. Way more than eBay, but I guess they expect you to buy into the hype of the fact that you're in Japan. I checked "sold" prices on eBay before I bought ANY games. I bought only if equal or less.
Oh yea, just the exchange rate is very nice right now. Definitely! They know about the hype and as long as people are buying the games, they will continue to raise the prices sadly.
Haha thats exactly what I was thinking looking at some games in Trader. I know Trader are known for having some of the highest prices in Akihabara, but this was crazy. But then again, most of the games were pretty much in mint condition and apparently thats the reason for the prices.
Before all youtubers start Retro Gaming contents and came in mass in Akihabara and Ueno to scalp all stuffs, it was cool. I bought 10 Gameboy Pockets for 105 yens each, a Dreamcast Black edition for 2000 yen, 1500 yen for a N64 and 5000 yen for an unopened Virtual Boy. But it was in 2009. Nobody gave a shit to old retro gaming market. Now, just stop. I'm so surprised that still youtubers came to Tokyo for "retro gaming hunting" in late 2020. You lost your time. Better stay home and looking on eBay.
We are all aware of the better prices before the pandemic. And the people you see/hear in the video live in Japan. With that said, those are some crazy deals you got there for the consoles. You should be happy you picked them up at the right time because prices will probably go up even more as long as tourists keep buying em for the ridiculous prices. Because its not CZcamsrs fault. They just show the places. You can find out about these stores in many different ways. Its not hard and Akihabara has always been very popular for tourists. Its the fact people buy overpriced games there that makes them raise the prices even more.
such a tourist trap lately. even crappy PC Engine games are a couple hundred bucks in B/C Condition.. meanwhile they're like 2-3000 yen max couple stations away.
It really is! They will keep rising in prices as long as tourists buy them up. If people actually stopped buying overpriced games Im sure they would go down. They have to sell eventually as they are a business...
Hehe roligt att se när jag och lillbrosan bode i Kyoto för 10 år sedan så hittade vi massor av skit. Mycket bättre priser där än i Tokyo. Ett tips är thrift affärer :)
Oj! Ja 10 år sen var det rena retrospelsparadiset i Japan! Bra priser och mycket grejer överallt! Yes, har några videos från Thrift affärer redan på kanalen. Och fler kommer det bli. Tack för att du tittar, Thomas! :)
Right on. If people actually stopped paying these crazy prices, the stores would be forced to decrease the prices. But apparently, the games are still moving…
Hi mate cool video when i was there the prices was crazy i bought kirby wrapped up in retro game camp and got it home and it didnt work in my famicom 😡 i did go out of town and games are much cheaper 👍 👍 i think these places are just cashing in on traveler's after covid ?
Hey Wicket :D Oh really? Did you clean the pins on the cartridge? How does it look in there? Oh yea definitely a tourist spot since Akihabara is so famous!
@@jamesherman3750 Real influencers yes. But Akihabara has always been a famous destination for tourists. And many people buy overpriced games so prices keep going up year after year...
No, you actually cant. You can play them. Not get them. Not hold them. Not preserve them. Each to their own, but I prefer the original hardware as intended. And collecting games is so much fun!
@@RetroMoments I. Have no joke over 300,000 emulated games or more that says different (I’ve got the Singapore hook up). Now I live in Japan but I was flying missions here for 27yrs fell in love with the place retired and moved to Japan. What I noticed over the years mainly starting in 2004, the amount of Chinese buying old cartridge games, it was a lot ,I mean a lot. It was at the point we some used retailers were beginning to limit the used game one could buy. I was with a friend who was computer I.T. savvy he said “they are buying them to crack them”. I had no idea he explained the process. I absolutely understand the collectors mentality. My action figure and comic book collection are out of control. All I need is the Daiclone DX-100A and I am finished (by orders of my Japanese wife). As for my video game collection good god. Before Japan became the trendy tourist spot it is, there was my favorite used game store in Shinjuku 4 floors of paradise. The games were dirt cheap. I didn’t pay over the equivalent of $15 USD for a game so over 20yrs my collection grew when I visited Japan, On missions (Okinawa had a great spot it opened at 11pm to 5 pm I busted crew rest many a time). I just went to Hard off in Kichijoji, Damn! They wanted $150 for castlevania symphony of night. The cartridge games were as high also $400 up. I had most of them in emulation so I was good. I do have a spot in The Nerima district that keeps it real. I picked up a copy of Hagane (super famicon) that I wanted a physical copy of for $6. As for my console collection it’s huge as well, I actually had to put them in storage. My favorite is the Panasonic game cube. Unfortunately I just tried to use it and the Disc tray won’t open. So I’ll be doing some maintenance. Take care keep up the good work I will like and subscribe.
The sad thing is that the weak yen causes foreign tourists to think that they are getting a good deal. In reality their willingness to pay the absurd prices are encouraging those stores to keep pushing prices up.
Honestly, i would recommend a Vita for the emulation, its truly is a wonderful experience. You would have so much emulation and media in one little machine on the go.
Yea Ive had several people recommending me either a Vita or PSP for that. Its supposed to be a better experience than those portable chinese handhelds like Anbernic and so on.
I also have one of the Anbernics but when it comes to power and performance you get alot for your buck on a emulated buff PSP Vita. The only downside is finding a good condition one in the States, im sure thats no probs in Japan ✌@@RetroMoments
@@RetroMoments yeah defo PS VIta, it does everything the PSP can do with the added bonus of larger screen and bluetooth for headphones. It is funny though, to play PS1 games on a Vita you emulate a PSP emulating a PS1, same for a lot of the other emulators which don't have native Vita support. You run them via the PSP emulation. Once set up though it seamless, just use 'adrenaline bubbles' and you can launch straight into stuff and forego browsing the PSP xmb.
So, now that you’ve recently been in northern Japan, would you say Akihabara is drastically more expensive that the shops you’re used to? Or are prices high overall?
Great question, Björn! I would say that Akihabara definitely has higher prices than any other place in Japan. But at the same time I see prices climbing fast in Nagoya for example. So I wouldnt be too surprised if they are slowly going towards "Akihabara prices". I mean will see. If tourists keep buying the games for "the higher kind of prices", it will continue to increase...
I've been away from Japan since 2019 but went back earlier this year. I was kinda dreading to see how much prices had gone up but was pleasantly surprised - found it wasn't really that bad at all. Picked up a ton of nice Vita games for 330 yen each, and for example Sin & Punishment for N64 was 3900 CIB - cheaper than the loose cart in the video. This is in a non-touristy, industrial part of Shizuoka prefecture.
Yea, looking outside Akihabara and the bigger cities, its definitely possible to find deals in Japan still. Those are some great scores! Congrats! Was this Hard Off or what was the store you bought that stuff in?
@@RetroMoments A couple of local "used media warehouse" type stores like this one for example: maps.app.goo.gl/z7jb59KHUTAPW2Lv9 I have a route of 5 or so of these stores plus a couple of Hard-Off locations that I usually stop by whenever I go back.
Nope. Sad to say they just dont have enough games in stock. With rising prices its crazy that this happens. But then again, prices looked pretty fair in Friends compared to some of the other stores.
@@RetroMoments I was there a year ago... it was starting to feel empty compared to my first time in 2019... then this video is scary empty. that's left was there a year ago. it seems they are just emptying the stocks before closing seriously... being a front store in Akiba they could refill all this in a day with common cheap SNES games or else, make a little profit at least
Another thing worth noting is the type of game that Japanese stores have started to put in their glass cases. These cases are supposed to be for the rarer/more expensive titles, but at Book Off/Hard Off you can see really common titles behind glass now because they have nothing better to put in there.
@@indiaalphanovember8217 Friends always gets hit hard by the wave of tourists/collectors buying stuff it seems. The mother there is nice - the two brothers....well.....
Yea that SNES was waaaay overpriced, unless it was modded or something. All those PSPs were untested. So Im sure its possible to find one if you spend some time in the store.
How much were the psp console there? I love the ps vita 😊❤ need time to play stuff lol 😂 yup that’s the story of my life lol and most grown ups lol 😂. I have the salander cart with the red light. I got sim and punishment on the Wii but the n64 one seems like it’s so expensive.
About 2-3000 yen. Very cheap! Like 23 CAD! But its untested stuff. Could be worth taking a chance there! Yea thats whats its like to be an adult. And Curtis is a very hard working man. Oh nice! Best looking Famicom cartridge! Sin & Punishment is awesome! Both the N64 and Wii game!!
Because people like to collect physical games. More fun to play on original hardware with original games & controllers. Some people are fine with just emulating though. Each to their own. Giving timeless games attention is the important part.
Well, the further you go outside Tokyo, the better the prices will be. Check local Thrift Stores and Hard Off’s. Always different prices in each store. If you stay in Akihabara your best bet is Surugaya!
@@RetroMoments I have heard of handoff. I don’t mind traveling a bit outside of Tokyo. We have a 2 day trip planned to hakone. So maybe on the way back I can look for a hard off. Thank you for the response.
Retro gaming ''secret'' is out........... thanks to no name youtubers like Fatmetaljesus and others that for years told us you could find this or that and was worth this or that........... Retro gaming is best played on EMULATORS!
I used to do that before, but then people complained that the conversion rate was wrong because some time passed on. I'll see what I can do in the future. But I agree with you. Its better to have dollars I think.
Which CZcamsrs are you talking about? Just curious. Akihabara has been famous for a long time. Good prices and lots of retro games couldnt last forever.
WOAH PRICES ARE INSANE! ME AND ALL MY FRIENDS ARE MAKING CZcams CONTENT ABOUT COLLECTING IN JAPAN! WE CANT POSSIBLY BE PART OF THE PROBLEM! Insert surprised Pikachu face!!! -- glad I finished my set before things got really stupid and ruined like the US...
Hahahaha thanks for making me laugh, dude! That was hilarious to read :D What set did you complete? And yea, other CZcamsrs have been making Akihabara content for years. Of course it wont last forever.
This ain't new, I used to live there and have got what I needed, going there recently, the price of one game was like a whole week of having a week of good times. I chose the good times. Thank you emulation and ODE's.
@@helgenx Great to hear! And theres nothing wrong with emulation! I like emulation too. But I see it as a different thing to collecting / getting physical games.
Think about local habits/culture instead of assuming covid automatically. It's flu season here. lots of Japanese people wear masks every flu season and also in the spring for allergy season when the hinoki pollen is bad. In western parts of Japan, many people will wear masks when yellow sand blows over from China and the air quality gets bad.
Japan finally caught up with the high eBay prices and now they want that dough too thanks to some over rare talking over hyping fools that even the bad games are over priced
They definitely did, man! Retro game collecting is also bigger than ever and they know it. Akihabara is a tourist spot, so overpriced games are kinda expected nowadays.
Be sure to not miss any episodes of *RETRO GAME HUNTING in JAPAN 2023!*
I created a *PLAYLIST* with all the *episodes here:* czcams.com/play/PLSba06mG5MnOD04ZpsZegKcTjxtw4ENQp.html
In your next video can you show us a lot more psvita, that would be awesome
@@Fantictrash There will be more PSVita in future videos. I can promise that. Not sure if there is any in the next one though.
Finally somebody did the amazing job of putting a bit of the game in the corner of the screen. THANK YOU
@@salsichalivre5401 Glad to hear that you appreciate that!! I will continue with this!
you very kind! Thanks for the content. @@RetroMoments
When content creators keep exposing all of these places, it's bound to happen. Kind of did it to yourselves, honestly.
You're right. But it also depends on who is doing it. I think Metal Jesus Rocks and BeatEmUps for example, have way more influence over that since they are huge channels. I've been mostly filming in Nagoya for years, and there are still as many games there, compared to a few years ago.
@@RetroMoments Oh yeah for sure, I wasn't really blaming you in general. It is indeed mostly those types of people with that kind of following. In the end, they've kind of ruined things for most people who are willing to collect or still even want to enter the hobby. I like your content over theirs without question, yours feels down to earth and not fake, nor are you trying to influence the market and I respect that.
When foreigners buy them home, the games are just out of circulation within Japan reducing the supply hence prices go up.
@joury900 Yea, no I got that. I was just giving you my two cents on the topic you started :)
I totally agree with you on that. Most people who are getting into the hobby now are usually choosing a newer console to collect for, because of the prices. Thank you so much, I really appreciate that! I am trying to give the viewers more of a personal vlog when it comes to game hunting. I'm glad it comes through :)
@gmr2gnr Yea, couldnt have said it better. Thats how it goes.
When I lived in Japan during 2005-2006, I frequently visited many retrogame stores at Nipponbashi, Osaka and at of these stores, I acquired my Castlevania Chronigles for PS1 for about 2000 yens of that time and now look how much cost it!
Yea prices around that time was perfect! Before they hype of collecting retro games on YT.
Ive had so many offers I turned down back in the days. But I did get some games that has skyrocketed as well.
We would have crossed eachother surely since I am in Japan since 2000 until now. Yes, they had baskets of ¥100 games like neogeo, pcengine, Famicom.. CZcams killed the hobby frankly. But it took some times though. The smartest way to collect is to buy online. All these stores like super potato or beep are gaijin tourist traps.
@@supergrafxengine4620 Oh nice! In Tokyo? Even NEO-GEO and PC Engine games!? Must've been NGCD then. Never seen AES that cheap ever.
Yea Yahoo Auction is way better if you are looking for thee best prices possible.
Prices went up as soon as the west made it a big deal. Blame the american content creators of CZcams.
Haha yea, Im with you! Its all those americans doing it for years xD
Thanks for this vlog. I love looking at Retro Game Shopping in Japan
Thank you for watching! Really appriciate it. Awesome! Thats what my channel is all about. Enjoy!
Thank you for sharing such great footage with us... Could you imagine those pique mid to late 2000s era of playing ps2 and watching dvds on a Japanese night..
Well thank you for watching it too! Oh yea, Akihabara at its peak!
Lite som en turistfälla för retrospelsamlare. Det ser jävligt häftigt ut men galna priser mestadels. Grymt bra videor!
Precis så, Bubba! Det är utvecklingen av Akihabara tyvärr. Dock är det fortfarande sjukt kul att bara gå runt och titta på allt. Ett ställe fyllt med magi!
Tack! Uppskattar att du tittar!
It is sad to see how empty some shelves are and this is going to be more and more like that. I live in Japan and I know the country since 2007…. boy that was so different. In Japan if you look for something rare forget Akihabara because as soon it is for sell it will be out in less than 1 day ! There is those hard off with some great variety of consoles and games ( outside of Tokyo !!)
Yea definitely sad to see. I was a bit chocked after visiting Friends with those empty shelves.
Something happened after the pandemic. Thats when I could clearly see a rise in the prices. Before that I saw fair prices everywhere.
Yea, so even though the prices are high, people still buy it. Thats the problem.
And yes, HARD OFF outside the bigger cities can be really good. Each HARD OFF is different so always worth visiting them.
Retro Game Camp is actually great, especially if you're an english speaking person that needs help. Most of their staff is fluent in english and honestly their prices are pretty normal for most things. If someone was going to buy a system I'd send them there in a heartbeat. If you want really good deals then you need to leave Tokyo/Osaka. The further you are from those cities the cheaper the systems/games.
Yea I agree with you. Common games were defintiely reasonable priced. Some of the rare games could be another story however…
But I didnt know that they were fluent in English at the store. Thats very cool. Thank you for the information!
I love it how random collector types you run into just share bits of info about their collection… without being asked. LOL
Many people complain about prices. Prices are going up for everything, not just games! In the last 10 years, have you even seen how much housing has gone up? the stock market? and even Pokemon cards has shot up! Supply and demand, more people want to collect vintage nowadays.
Thank you! Finally someone that understand how it works. People are so quick to blame CZcamsrs for the prices of retro games. Its so much bigger than that.
The shop Friends had better moments in the past, I remember before the pandemic that they have 2 floors and they were full of games, now 1 floor and the shelves are half empty, but well, they still have good games a decent prices.
Yea that was really sad to see honestly. So many empty shelves. But I get why it happened to them. Their prices are actually decent compared to many other stores in Akihabara.
this shit is hilarious, every noob and foreign english teacher is trying to ride the train as it crashes and burns
What's so hilarious? The people in the video have been in Japan for many years and are not only teachers. Its just a way in.
I enjoy the Italian scalpers the most 😅
Hey it's Scruffy Lookin RGB!
Yea Brian! It sure is my man Scruffy!
Very colourful shops, lots of choice. Your video makes me want to visit Japan, despite the crowds 😊.
Yea colorful and very organized to make us buy all the games haha!
I agree that the big crowds are not the most satisfied thing. But its definitely worth visiting!
So great to see Gimmick!
I'd say it's the best platform game ever on Famicom/NES. It's a shame it wasn't released to a bigger market, but I see it's available on Switch these days so more people get the chance to enjoy it.
I used to have it, although the Nordic version, which was called Mr. Gimmick.
Oh yea! I loved seeing it too. First time I saw the Famicom version!
And I agree with you. Its my favorite Famicom/NES game ever! I had Mr Gimmick when I was a kid, and I do own the Nordic version still to this day!
Its great they re-released it on the Switch. I think it holds up so well.
Good 'ol Akiba! Even though the prices are way up now it's still a great place to spend a day.
Oh yea, dude! I definitely agree. Its just a good feeling walking around there checking out stores!
That intro was 🔥, and the prices 😮
Thanks man! Really appriciate that someone took the time to mention the intro :D
And yea prices in Akihabara these days... Its getting wild.
Been going to Japan since 2012 when I started to collect SFC, been there almost every year since and was there this summer (first since Covid) and I was also there right before Covid. And man, the amount of retro games have really really been lowered. In my opinion there is barely nothing compared to just 2019. The prices have sky rocketed. Same for GameCube and such. It was the same in Osaka, Hiroshima etc. I was very happy that before this trip I felt kind of done with my GC and SFC collection and instead was hunting for Pokemon cards which was great. Beto local market really went crazy during Covid and of course the increase in tourists.
Yea I definitely agree with you. Its a huge increase in prices compared to 2019!
But the funny thing is, that even though the prices increased, retro games are still dissapearing from Akihabara! Imagine if they didnt increase, there would probably be even less games. Interesting to see whats going to happen in a few years…
Even in fcking Asakadai just on the borders of Saitama, Bookoff had blatantly nothing. A lot of old 80s CDs were gone too, something I collected.
@@jamesherman3750 Really!? I wouldn't expect that! But then again, it is pretty close to Tokyo still. The BOOK OFFs Ive been to in the middle of nowhere have some pretty good deals and still lots of games.
I was surprised how much all the games in the cases have gone up. The English section gave me a chuckle as it was neat to see North American games being imports there. PSPs are really cheap on eBay, under $100. The 1000 modules will often have replacement IPS screens, new battery and memory cards, etc. I have about getting one but I don't have nostalgia for it but it could be fun to discovery new games. In North America prices have come down a little bit but I don't think it will go back to what it was before COVID. It was fun to hear you hang out with Scruffy for a bit and such. 😃
Oh yea they are increasing, man! I mean, as long as people pay those prices I'm sure they're raising them bit by bit.
Yea its kinda cool to see American games here. But the prices of those games are even crazier than in the states of course xD
Yea PSP's are really well-built I have to say. Ahead of its time! The ones you saw in the bin were about 2-3000 yen. That's super cheap. But I have no nostalgia for PSP either.
Thanks man! I was hoping someone would enjoy hearing our conversations in the video :D
I went to Super Potatot in Osaka, they were charging around $150 USD for Little Ralph wrapped in seran wrap hanging from a pole, just the disc. Definitely don't do game shopping in Japan anymore for the past 10 years. I used to go to Mandarake for good deals, then they also started going crazy on prices. They're just good to look, but I will never buy anything from these late blooming shops. I once bought Bare Knuckle 2 and 3 complete in the box respectively for about $10USD and $30USD. around 2012.
Oh wow! Thats crazy. I cant imagine many collectors who would buy disc only games.
And Mandarake to me has always been more expensive than other stores because of how picky they are with condition.
Yea 2012 and anything before the pandemic was great. I found many really good deals in 2019 even. But after that the biggest rise in prices ever came. Its going to be interesting to see the evolution of prices in Akihabara and its retro games the coming few years...
It's amazing to see how this channel has grown!😊
Maty! Nice to see you here! Thank you! 😃
@@RetroMomentsI really miss you Adam
Miss you and Raškovice too! I hope you are fine and doing good in life!
@@RetroMoments Things are good, thanks for asking! I hope it's the same for you😊
@@MatyTofel Yes, everything is going well, thanks! :D
Great video. Keep showing us games we haven't seen in the states. Thumbs up this video guys!!!!
Thank you for the support, man! Really appreciate it! There will be a lot more Japanese Exclusive games on the channel as it is mainly what Im looking for!!
The prices have been going up the past few years because of COVID, tourism, and the exchange rate.
Youre completely right. It was a big jump after the pandemic.
@@RetroMoments mostly because tourism resumed after it. But it also goes back to supply and demand as well. The Akihabara shops know this since Akihabara has been a tourist spot for more than ten years now for foreigners
Yea a lot of people just waiting for years to come back just to buy games. I can imagine that Akihabara pretty much control most of the market for prices of Japanese games.
i love akiba but its one big tourist trap for prices. go looking in a random shop outside of tokyo and you'll find the same for alot less
Oh yeah definitely! Akiba is mostly for the atmosphere nowadays. And treating the shops like a museum. However, I would say that its possible to find deals in Surugaya!
Tokyo is such a mecca for retro gaming! Can't wait to go back sometime! Cheers and rock on!
Totally! Its a joy just walking around and looking at everything.
Hope you get to visit Japan again sometime.
Thanks man! Great to see you in the comments!
I hope to visit here one day🙂
@@MikeJaun You definitely should!
Tar Jung is the game from an old manga, the manga is a gag cartoon but turn very seriously into fighting martial art in each arc. It's very very good, I recommended it.
Oh yea! Definitely a hidden gem. I shouldve bought it. Thanks for watching!
I actually never knew about Friends, guess I'll have to check it out next time I'm there.
Oh wow! Friends is a must! Second best prices after Surugaya I would say!
Was just there in October. Buying retail stuff, like new PS4, PS5, and Switch games is great, especially at the exchange rate we had in Oct. Retro stuff is kinda iffy. I probably did end up with stuff from all those places though.
I saw a Dracula X for Saturn for almost 30,000 JPY. Way more than eBay, but I guess they expect you to buy into the hype of the fact that you're in Japan. I checked "sold" prices on eBay before I bought ANY games. I bought only if equal or less.
Oh yea, just the exchange rate is very nice right now.
Definitely! They know about the hype and as long as people are buying the games, they will continue to raise the prices sadly.
Nice! Looking forward to visit Akihabara next summer. 🙂
Thanks! Oh nice, thats going to be a real hot, but enjoyable summer for you then :D
I hope to buy some nice gems. 🙂@@RetroMoments
I hope you find some great games. My recommendations are Surugaya and Friends! Best places for sure.
Yeah yeah yea
Thanks a lot! 🙂@@RetroMoments
i wait for your shop with low price !!!
Its coming soon. I promise! I found a crazy cheap Thrift store in Japan…
Hey congrats for 10k followers reached ❤
Thanks Nicky! Yea 10k, its incredible. Very thankful people like you who has been here since the start are still here! ❤️
@@RetroMoments you welcome 🤗
I knew Akihabara prices are inflated but not by this much!! Thats more expensive than buying games on Ebay and shipping them to the USA.
Haha thats exactly what I was thinking looking at some games in Trader.
I know Trader are known for having some of the highest prices in Akihabara, but this was crazy. But then again, most of the games were pretty much in mint condition and apparently thats the reason for the prices.
Before all youtubers start Retro Gaming contents and came in mass in Akihabara and Ueno to scalp all stuffs, it was cool. I bought 10 Gameboy Pockets for 105 yens each, a Dreamcast Black edition for 2000 yen, 1500 yen for a N64 and 5000 yen for an unopened Virtual Boy. But it was in 2009. Nobody gave a shit to old retro gaming market. Now, just stop. I'm so surprised that still youtubers came to Tokyo for "retro gaming hunting" in late 2020. You lost your time. Better stay home and looking on eBay.
We are all aware of the better prices before the pandemic. And the people you see/hear in the video live in Japan.
With that said, those are some crazy deals you got there for the consoles. You should be happy you picked them up at the right time because prices will probably go up even more as long as tourists keep buying em for the ridiculous prices.
Because its not CZcamsrs fault. They just show the places. You can find out about these stores in many different ways. Its not hard and Akihabara has always been very popular for tourists. Its the fact people buy overpriced games there that makes them raise the prices even more.
Impresive. It's impossible go there and dont carry a great lots of games. 500 Yens a Suoer Famicon. Crazy
That is crazy good deal. And whats even crazier is, that it could work… Junk is never junk :D Just a section!
Yeah Akihabara is way over priced now, better to take a 30 or 40 minute trip outside the city to a smaller town and you'll see good prices.
Yea difference can be quite huge too! Still amazing feeling walking around Akiba and just looking around. Treating it like a museum basically!
Long time age " Friend " shop was called " Family " owned by an Old grandma
Oh really!? I didn't know that. Talk about dedication running that store for such a long time.
Thanks so much for the upload mate! I'm going to re-watch this on the bus ride to work tomorrow. Are there normally so many Westerners in Japan?
Awesome! Thank you so much for the support man!
Well, after the pandemic there has been a lot all year around, crazy enough!
I would have picked up that Gley Lancer for Mega Drive, fantastic horizontal shooter.
GleyLancer looks very cool! Ive never played it but definitely interested to try it out someday. Shooters are just so perfect on the Mega Drive!
such a tourist trap lately. even crappy PC Engine games are a couple hundred bucks in B/C Condition.. meanwhile they're like 2-3000 yen max couple stations away.
It really is! They will keep rising in prices as long as tourists buy them up. If people actually stopped buying overpriced games Im sure they would go down. They have to sell eventually as they are a business...
sugoi~!
Suuuuuugoi!
damn. that shop 6:00 is very cheap. where location is that?
GEO Mobile! Its in the middle of Akihabara!
@@RetroMoments thanks . add planning into my trip. is that psp junk or working?
@@apadia8447 No problem! Great to hear that! PSP is untested. But very easy to just try them in the store!
Hehe roligt att se när jag och lillbrosan bode i Kyoto för 10 år sedan så hittade vi massor av skit. Mycket bättre priser där än i Tokyo. Ett tips är thrift affärer :)
Oj! Ja 10 år sen var det rena retrospelsparadiset i Japan! Bra priser och mycket grejer överallt!
Yes, har några videos från Thrift affärer redan på kanalen. Och fler kommer det bli.
Tack för att du tittar, Thomas! :)
@@RetroMoments gå även på loppisar. Gjorde massor med snes och nes fynd där. Men pruta inte det uppskattade inte när jag var där iaf.
Guld! Hoppas du har kvar spelen!
first part of the video: yeah ha yeah yeah yeah ha yeah yeah ha expensive
Hahaha! Yea the excitement dies fast when looking at the pricetag! xD
@@RetroMoments feel ya xD
I used google to find that retro game costed $375 Canadian wow that's nuts
Haha yea that happens when the game is rare and really sought after, not released in high quantities…
2:39 Wow, At that price really don’t feel bad about shelling out $19.99 for the Sunsoft Evercade cart
Haha I feel ya on this! Even though theres nothing that beats having the original cart. But at that price, no thanks xD
@@RetroMomentsFor sure, gotta be realistic especially with how high prices are these days in every region.
Right on. If people actually stopped paying these crazy prices, the stores would be forced to decrease the prices. But apparently, the games are still moving…
Have you had any luck finding a Nintendo NES classic?
Absolutely! Famicom version then of course. Around 7000 yen!
8:43 the saddest game boy shelf I’ve ever seen
Edit: *yes it’s just 1 game*
Terrible. Right!? One day, this will all be gone...
@@RetroMoments yeah
Hi mate cool video when i was there the prices was crazy i bought kirby wrapped up in retro game camp and got it home and it didnt work in my famicom 😡 i did go out of town and games are much cheaper 👍 👍 i think these places are just cashing in on traveler's after covid ?
Hey Wicket :D Oh really? Did you clean the pins on the cartridge? How does it look in there?
Oh yea definitely a tourist spot since Akihabara is so famous!
Awesome content. How do you restrain your self from being surrounded with games. I would live in those game store/thrift shops.
Thank you so much Agustin! Haha believe me, I can easily spend hours in the stores... :D
Because they're so overpriced, it's not even worth it.
@@helgenx Check out all my pickups from all the videos. I find great deals in every video. Just saying.
I remember shopping around 2015 and retro games and consoles were so cheap in Akihabara
Yes! Even in 2019 it was cheaper! After the pandemic something happened...
CZcamsrs with Millions of subs happened..... Sadly @@RetroMoments
@@jamesherman3750 Real influencers yes. But Akihabara has always been a famous destination for tourists. And many people buy overpriced games so prices keep going up year after year...
You can get all the games in emulation. Saves a lot of space.
No, you actually cant. You can play them. Not get them. Not hold them. Not preserve them.
Each to their own, but I prefer the original hardware as intended. And collecting games is so much fun!
@@RetroMoments I. Have no joke over 300,000 emulated games or more that says different (I’ve got the Singapore hook up). Now I live in Japan but I was flying missions here for 27yrs fell in love with the place retired and moved to Japan. What I noticed over the years mainly starting in 2004, the amount of Chinese buying old cartridge games, it was a lot ,I mean a lot. It was at the point we some used retailers were beginning to limit the used game one could buy. I was with a friend who was computer I.T. savvy he said “they are buying them to crack them”. I had no idea he explained the process. I absolutely understand the collectors mentality. My action figure and comic book collection are out of control. All I need is the Daiclone DX-100A and I am finished (by orders of my Japanese wife). As for my video game collection good god. Before Japan became the trendy tourist spot it is, there was my favorite used game store in Shinjuku 4 floors of paradise. The games were dirt cheap. I didn’t pay over the equivalent of $15 USD for a game so over 20yrs my collection grew when I visited Japan, On missions (Okinawa had a great spot it opened at 11pm to 5 pm I busted crew rest many a time). I just went to Hard off in Kichijoji, Damn! They wanted $150 for castlevania symphony of night. The cartridge games were as high also $400 up. I had most of them in emulation so I was good. I do have a spot in The Nerima district that keeps it real. I picked up a copy of Hagane (super famicon) that I wanted a physical copy of for $6. As for my console collection it’s huge as well, I actually had to put them in storage. My favorite is the Panasonic game cube. Unfortunately I just tried to use it and the Disc tray won’t open. So I’ll be doing some maintenance. Take care keep up the good work I will like and subscribe.
Yeah
Oh yeah!
HEY MAN! This is Japan! Is there a video game store here that sells English version of games, consoles and accessories?
yeah i gotta get that TMNT 1 for nes, where it wasnt even called TMNT before ninja turtles kicked off over in japan.
Its a classic. Tough but classic. Yea it full name for that game is actually: Gekikame Ninja Den Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
thats why i couldnt find it in my full famicom list, its in the G's LOL@@RetroMoments
@@BanditsBest686 Exactly lol
@retromoments Where are you located? Im headed to Osaka/Nara over new years. Would be cool to meet up and hunt some Book Offs :)
Dude! I went to Sweden now haha! Oh nice choice for New Years. How long are you there!? Im coming back in March I hope.
Those are some crazy prices some not so bad but others like damn what they smoking
Hahah right! Akihabara is not for buying games anymore. Just looking and dreaming!
The sad thing is that the weak yen causes foreign tourists to think that they are getting a good deal. In reality their willingness to pay the absurd prices are encouraging those stores to keep pushing prices up.
@@ericng5707 So true Eric! And when people buy these overpriced retro games, the value becomes higher...
Wow tokyo❤
Tokyo is love!
Random question, but does anyone know what song is being played at 11:30?
Great video as well.
Honestly, i would recommend a Vita for the emulation, its truly is a wonderful experience. You would have so much emulation and media in one little machine on the go.
Yea Ive had several people recommending me either a Vita or PSP for that. Its supposed to be a better experience than those portable chinese handhelds like Anbernic and so on.
I also have one of the Anbernics but when it comes to power and performance you get alot for your buck on a emulated buff PSP Vita. The only downside is finding a good condition one in the States, im sure thats no probs in Japan ✌@@RetroMoments
Gotcha! PS Vita it is then! Yea they are kind of common in Japan, so I will be able to pick one up sooner or later! Thanks.
@@RetroMoments yeah defo PS VIta, it does everything the PSP can do with the added bonus of larger screen and bluetooth for headphones. It is funny though, to play PS1 games on a Vita you emulate a PSP emulating a PS1, same for a lot of the other emulators which don't have native Vita support. You run them via the PSP emulation. Once set up though it seamless, just use 'adrenaline bubbles' and you can launch straight into stuff and forego browsing the PSP xmb.
@@lee3r24 Oh wow haha! The Vita must be really powerful then! Thats crazy! And the emulation works well too I suppose!?
So, now that you’ve recently been in northern Japan, would you say Akihabara is drastically more expensive that the shops you’re used to? Or are prices high overall?
Great question, Björn! I would say that Akihabara definitely has higher prices than any other place in Japan. But at the same time I see prices climbing fast in Nagoya for example. So I wouldnt be too surprised if they are slowly going towards "Akihabara prices". I mean will see. If tourists keep buying the games for "the higher kind of prices", it will continue to increase...
I've been away from Japan since 2019 but went back earlier this year. I was kinda dreading to see how much prices had gone up but was pleasantly surprised - found it wasn't really that bad at all. Picked up a ton of nice Vita games for 330 yen each, and for example Sin & Punishment for N64 was 3900 CIB - cheaper than the loose cart in the video. This is in a non-touristy, industrial part of Shizuoka prefecture.
Yea, looking outside Akihabara and the bigger cities, its definitely possible to find deals in Japan still.
Those are some great scores! Congrats! Was this Hard Off or what was the store you bought that stuff in?
@@RetroMoments A couple of local "used media warehouse" type stores like this one for example:
maps.app.goo.gl/z7jb59KHUTAPW2Lv9
I have a route of 5 or so of these stores plus a couple of Hard-Off locations that I usually stop by whenever I go back.
Nice! Ill check it out. I also aim to visit some more local stores for better deals in the future. I have a few in the scope already!
what does going on with the empty shelves likes "Friends"... are they about to close ?
Nope. Sad to say they just dont have enough games in stock. With rising prices its crazy that this happens. But then again, prices looked pretty fair in Friends compared to some of the other stores.
@@RetroMoments I was there a year ago... it was starting to feel empty compared to my first time in 2019... then this video is scary empty. that's left was there a year ago. it seems they are just emptying the stocks before closing seriously... being a front store in Akiba they could refill all this in a day with common cheap SNES games or else, make a little profit at least
Another thing worth noting is the type of game that Japanese stores have started to put in their glass cases. These cases are supposed to be for the rarer/more expensive titles, but at Book Off/Hard Off you can see really common titles behind glass now because they have nothing better to put in there.
Is the old woman still working in Friends? She was very nice even though I understood ZEROOOOOO of what she said.
Haha yea she doesn't speak English :D And yes, shes still there. FRIENDS is a family business :)
@@RetroMoments Amazing! No one understands me as I am Scottish (lol) but just a smile makes the difference!
@@indiaalphanovember8217 Friends always gets hit hard by the wave of tourists/collectors buying stuff it seems. The mother there is nice - the two brothers....well.....
18:19 what's the game there called with the girl with a ball and chain on her leg?
Great question! I've never seen that game before. Hopefully some can help out with the title.
Super Famicom 「SM調教師 瞳」
English Translation → ″BDSM Trainer Hitomi″
SNES 3300 yen and PSP 2200 yen working ??? or for repair?
Yea that SNES was waaaay overpriced, unless it was modded or something.
All those PSPs were untested. So Im sure its possible to find one if you spend some time in the store.
Do not hunt for games in Akihabara. It’s for gullible tourists
I know! But treating it like a museum or amusement parks works pretty good!
These are foreigner prices. Japanese people almost never buy😓
Tourist prices you mean. Yea, business is business :/
How much were the psp console there? I love the ps vita 😊❤ need time to play stuff lol 😂 yup that’s the story of my life lol and most grown ups lol 😂. I have the salander cart with the red light. I got sim and punishment on the Wii but the n64 one seems like it’s so expensive.
About 2-3000 yen. Very cheap! Like 23 CAD! But its untested stuff. Could be worth taking a chance there!
Yea thats whats its like to be an adult. And Curtis is a very hard working man.
Oh nice! Best looking Famicom cartridge! Sin & Punishment is awesome! Both the N64 and Wii game!!
@@RetroMoments great price But would have to test it lol
@@segagirladventurespico Well, I mean you can always test it in the store of course. So I guess thats not an issue :D
y pay for those games they r available free on net
Because people like to collect physical games. More fun to play on original hardware with original games & controllers. Some people are fine with just emulating though. Each to their own. Giving timeless games attention is the important part.
How long do u stay in jp at a time Adam?
Its always different. Theres a video from Sweden coming after Akihabara. Holidays are for home.
Can you recommend a good cheap place near tokyo? I want to buy a GBA and some game for it but cant afford to much. I am gonna be in tokyo in feb.
Well, the further you go outside Tokyo, the better the prices will be. Check local Thrift Stores and Hard Off’s. Always different prices in each store.
If you stay in Akihabara your best bet is Surugaya!
@@RetroMoments I have heard of handoff. I don’t mind traveling a bit outside of Tokyo. We have a 2 day trip planned to hakone. So maybe on the way back I can look for a hard off. Thank you for the response.
Sounds like a good idea! Hard Off wont dissapoint! Good luck!
Retro gaming ''secret'' is out........... thanks to no name youtubers like Fatmetaljesus and others that for years told us you could find this or that and was worth this or that........... Retro gaming is best played on EMULATORS!
Haha! Each to their own. Im just happy people are playing retro games. If you wanna play it with a potato, thats still better than nothing!
PS2 Ibara was expansive?
Where did you see it?
it's the one next to outrun2 at 2:10@@RetroMoments
Put the prices in dollars so we can understand something to your video !!
I used to do that before, but then people complained that the conversion rate was wrong because some time passed on. I'll see what I can do in the future. But I agree with you. Its better to have dollars I think.
yeah it was a lot better before all the cringe youtubers made these videos.
Which CZcamsrs are you talking about? Just curious.
Akihabara has been famous for a long time. Good prices and lots of retro games couldnt last forever.
日本語わからんのに日本語のゲームを買うんや😂
私たちは日本語が理解できないなんて誰が言ったの？
@@RetroMoments
できるや！
それは失礼しました！
WOAH PRICES ARE INSANE! ME AND ALL MY FRIENDS ARE MAKING CZcams CONTENT ABOUT COLLECTING IN JAPAN! WE CANT POSSIBLY BE PART OF THE PROBLEM! Insert surprised Pikachu face!!! -- glad I finished my set before things got really stupid and ruined like the US...
Hahahaha thanks for making me laugh, dude! That was hilarious to read :D
What set did you complete?
And yea, other CZcamsrs have been making Akihabara content for years. Of course it wont last forever.
This ain't new, I used to live there and have got what I needed, going there recently, the price of one game was like a whole week of having a week of good times. I chose the good times. Thank you emulation and ODE's.
@@helgenx Great to hear! And theres nothing wrong with emulation! I like emulation too. But I see it as a different thing to collecting / getting physical games.
That many people are still wearing masks?! So sad, Japan.
Japan has a reputation for wearing masks in public anyway. Especially if one is sick. I guess that trend only grew stronger after the pandemic.
Think about local habits/culture instead of assuming covid automatically. It's flu season here. lots of Japanese people wear masks every flu season and also in the spring for allergy season when the hinoki pollen is bad. In western parts of Japan, many people will wear masks when yellow sand blows over from China and the air quality gets bad.
@@ericng5707 not to forget about the respect of not wanting to spread their flue etc. to other ppl.
Shit doesn't do anything but ruin your own lungs @@retrogames_jp1404
Japan finally caught up with the high eBay prices and now they want that dough too thanks to some over rare talking over hyping fools that even the bad games are over priced
They definitely did, man!
Retro game collecting is also bigger than ever and they know it. Akihabara is a tourist spot, so overpriced games are kinda expected nowadays.