Not including Mikado’s gamecenter on this list would be like ignoring the success of Undertale in the indie game field. Over the past decade, business owner Minoru Ikeda has grown it to be something of a giant in its own right, now running three locations in Tokyo (Takadanobaba x2 with Natsuge Museum, Ikebukuro) and even a Spanish affiliate. They are often the first call when the media needs a representative game center, as shown in their countless appearances.
Upon entering the arcade, visitors can find a multitude of arcade machines from the 1980s and 1990s on the first floor. The collection ranges from the original classic Pac-Man, to the shoot-em-up game Darius, and the very first Metal Slug game. The arcade also boasts two Atari Star Wars arcade machines and even after 25 years since its release, Capcom’s Street Fighter II arcade machines remain popular among the visitors. Apart from these retro hits, the arcade also features some musical games and pinball machines, including the iconic Medieval Madness.
On the second floor, there is a concentration of shoot’em up and versus-fighting games such as Virtua Fighter 5, Guilty Gear XX, Vampire Hunter but above all some candies offering Street Fighter 3rd Strike! This floor is also the venue for organizing big tournaments between high-level versus-fighting players. You can also find some action games like Ninja-Kun and Splatterhouse, a beat’em all action game developed by Namco and released in 1988.
Combining their quality game lineups and consistent event organisation – as well as shrewd business planning in the face of decline with successful crowdfunding campaigns, recent collaborations with fashion brands such as Hardcore Chocolate, and heavy involvement in the popular Hi-Score Girl animated series on Netflix – it’s not hard to see why Mikado have became such well-known custodians, preserving the idealised game center experience.
Visit the 3d arcade by Mikado x Natsuge Museum opened in 2022 with the owner Ikeda San :
Mikado Takadanobaba : 4 Chome-5-10 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 169-0075, Japan
Mikado Takadanobaba 2nd (including Natsuge Museum on the 2nd floor) : 4 Chome-8-8 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 169-0075
Mikado Ikebukuro : 1 Chome-41-16 Higashiikebukuro, Toshima City, Tokyo 170-0013, Japan
Mikado’s twitter : https://twitter.com/babamikado
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