Sega just put out a comprehensive guide on Japanese arcades for tourists, including tips for winning, etiquette and more
Sega Group’s toy and arcade subsidiary Sega Fave launched an official website titled Japanese Game Center Guide on January 20. The site is meant as an introduction to Japanese arcades (nowadays called game centers) for tourists visiting Japan. It is available in English, Korean, Chinese and Japanese.
The Japanese Game Center Guide introduces the six main types of games you’ll typically find in a Japanese arcade – crane games, rhythm games, racing games, video games, token games and purikura (photo booths). It gives recommended Sega titles of each genre as well as tips on how to play them. You’ll also find some detailed advice on how to pull prizes from crane games depending on the type of prize you want (figure, plushie, etc.).
Aside from game-related information, the guide also includes explanations of local rules and social norms you’ll be expected to bear in mind at Japanese arcades – like not hogging machines for multiple rounds. There’s also a section dedicated to how payment works and what alternatives you may use other than good old coins.
The Japanese Game Center Guide can be accessed here.
