Japan-based Brit David Coyle explains the appeal of this legendary shop
"I do not know where to start! I'm so excited," he snapped in a place of memories retro game, and a sentence that saved me from my own fear in a number of ways. Japanese department store Super Potato has a stimulating effect on most people visit - so or one of its many branches or column stores in Tokyo and Osaka - is strange how a chance encounter can make himself -Consider Such a measure.
This was the result of a collision with a retro player in the Middle East in the game retro renowned mecca Akihabara. In the silent and immediate, in the face of pure excitement and enthusiasm, reflection I made me realize how much I was going to separate with the scene. Something that come for many years, to take care for as another attraction for visitors granted, and instead of playing the cliché "I have X years here and was better," made me of the fact, I was thinking terribly tired ,
Super Potato has its critics - safely - and in some cases the reasons are partly of clay; Without packaging games are extremely high prices, some of the "new" elements are (we are talking about elements such as Mario Golf shoes here - so no ordinary product) usually exceptionally high prices, and - not a trend super potato especially from a distance the imagination - the high price of rare retro elements. In fact, the single most boring aspect of many retro collection / out games that are "not for sale" and highlighted some elements remain terribly difficult. However, this is still means that the elements are there to check and, as a collector, we must always be grateful at least.
It is not uncommon for Super Potato local actors to receive bad news. "It is too superficial", "the prices are too high", "which are pleasant for a specific audience." - These are the common attacks is carried out in the store, but usually not much of what you need. Super Potato Unlike similar stores Super Potato is an experience, as a real business, the original vision of the facade, we have clear evidence of their retro roots: Mario, Pac-Man and other symbols of pixel art adorn the outside while Song continuous background music that attracts inward intelligent.
The trip to the store itself is stunning setback in the store itself; a corridor with brick discreet dark stairs to the third floor, at the beginning, or the elevator. In a "Choose Your Own Adventure" style touch both have advantages: the elevator is full of retro art to clothing ads and dedicated predictable self-promotion. The staircase shows the custom art for games like Mega Man (or rock man, as he is called here), complete sets of letters and signed memorabilia from previous visitors. I suggest the stairs (all the way to the fifth floor) and the elevator down, do not forget some of the highlights, including a full staircase that the art of Rastan pixels and a Legend of Zelda-soundcard, original gifts ,
The fifth floor - dedicated to the retro arcade - has 80 centers packed a taste of leisure and the end of the first 90, including a candy store mocked-up with elements of the old tooth attack. Usually a Mario hat for extra comic effect - that's all elegant monitored with a full-sized Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake. Arcade games online from the usual rate of 2D beat em ups - like Final Fight and Double Dragon - staples-op area as Wonder Boy in Monster Land, while the strange curiosity and MAME machine based on the road, and of Pachinko machines that everywhere, at least, tend to be themed game, so that you at least try to Monster Hunter, Gradius and Ken the survivor as an interactive slot.
The fourth floor is around the latest retro-centered, and also the media and paper-based includes Soundtrack. There is also an allusion to the play of the "import" of the Japanese point of view with a small selection of games and some uninteresting Western machines like the Atari Jaguar, 3DO and the United States Super Nintendo. Although I visited the Osaka branch maybe 9 or 10 times, he still has a place in my heart for the only place in Japan where I witnessed a running software Sinclair ZX Spectrum. This is where the magic of Super Potato is perhaps most clearly - you never know what you see when you enter; Weekly, it may be different.
No ground, as evidence that the third party. During the fifth floor is home to such major items as the "Famicom throne" - a throne made entirely of Famicom cartridges, spare parts, natch - has and the fourth floor less gold MSX-Ace products PlayStation viewed Queen X68000 casual and crazy fluff selection the third floor, which is undoubtedly the heart and soul of the store. Hardware 8-Bit and 16-Bit-focused, the current input is a direct encounter with a "life-size" Mario - Before that it was a similarly large Game Boy Racing had on the screen. In this system, the actual level of dedication to the game is obvious; while the other floors have jewelry and items of note, it seems that every corner of the third floor is a kind of memorabilia of the game, the art of standard compressive strength for toys, "beads" Sprite covered crazy and curiosities such as Mario Golf Shoes mentioned. If you can imagine, it is likely (or was) in this work at one time or another.
Motor headache is the Virtual Boy has a place of honor next to the rows of boxes and retro gaming goodness Unboxed covers Famicom, Super Famicom, PC Engine, Megadrive and virtually any anything you can imagine. In the hardware section, it is not uncommon Famicom Twins AAA status along with the strange titrator hardware and CPS Exchange for those interested in really dark. While prices steadily to the merit store credit where moves honor: the reason Super Potato retains its popularity probably the best examples in the region is due to the fact that it really feels like a celebration of the game, and not as obvious business risk ,
Every corner, every angle of you to look each label in a game, each alphabetical dividers shines history of the game. No direction in which you without finding in this store, deeply in love combined hobby and a half that we all share. If the trip to Akihabara (or any other place with a production of super potato) go with a clear, relaxed attitude and absorb any way to make every element, every bit of it has to offer - the budget for hours, not minutes - and simply enjoy a walk in a paradise for players. Let jaded preconceptions at the bottom of the stairs covered with posters.
0 comments:
Post a Comment