If you are a racing game enthusiast, this stop will be very interesting for you. Game Center's history as a Sega arcade leaves behind a plethora of fun classics available to play, from Manx TT Supercar machinery to one Rad Mobile game that you play while sitting in a mini car. I could have spent at least an hour just moving between the different steering wheels of these classic machines.
Compared to when we visited the Namco game center earlier in the day on the street, the selection of rhythm games—where tapping the controller to the beat earns you points—was pretty similar. While in Gigo 3 we were able to play multiple rhythm games without feeling the need to move due to other customers waiting in line behind us. It's fun to try all the rhythm experiences for the first time and my personal favorite is Sega's Maimai console. I was in awe watching nearby players smash all eight buttons at precisely the right time along with the music, swiping their fingers across the screen as they performed combos—I was content playing at a level of difficulty that is accessible, rather than adventurous. sweat.
Another interesting experience at Gigo 3 for visitors is the photography area. Although it was mostly teenage girls perfecting their makeup, using irons for touch-ups, and trying on crispy blonde wigs, we had fun taking photos in the booths and couldn't stop laughing as the software distorted our facial features until we looked like ghostly aliens. One booth we tried even had a horror theme with light storytelling as you do the poses.
We played very hard and never spent more than 5,000 yen (about $33 USD) at any arcade in Tokyo. Overall, our experience at Gigo 3 was budget-friendly and engaging.
If you travel with children
After taking the outdoor escalator to the entrance of 1-chome Playlandlies on Tokyo's artificial island of Odaiba, I was surrounded by nostalgic neon colors and the most mechanical video games I'd seen on my entire trip. Yes, it has a few other options for gameplay, but the main attraction here is the variety of classic machines, often with some kind of interactive, mechanical element. Despite their age and general use, the majority of the games here are in good condition.
The space is not big, but in every corner, we had unique experiences and happily spent every handful of yen. I used a small chef's pan to crush the rodent as the target light flashed on the screen. My partner and I got a little too competitive when it came to spinning the pointer and trying to win our game of ping pong. I almost hit three pinballs in a row while playing the game Sailor Moon-tic-tac-toe themed.
At 1-chome Playland, I saw many families with young children as well as couples going on cosmetic dates. The location is easy to miss, right next to other family-friendly options such as Legoland Discovery Center And Tokyo Joyopolisbut it's really worth the train ride alone. We spent an hour and a half testing the machine and probably could have spent another 30 minutes on a less busy night.
Just be forewarned, any family outing at this arcade will almost certainly end in a trip to some nearby locations cream Shopping on the way back to the hotel. It just feels right.
Looking for other Japanese game centers worth visiting in Tokyo? We also enjoyed our time at the hotel Namco, GOOD skillsAnd GIGO #1—all in Akihabara and just a few blocks from each other. For a more intimate experience, head to Takadanobaba, where Mikado Game Center there's a wide selection of vintage machines, and the nearby Tsuge Museum is a great stop for pinball enthusiasts.