It's been a while since I wrote much on the blog. Whenever I lost inspiration I found it's better to let it be for a while, rather than force myself to write something. Of course that leads to me having a lot of old pictures in the "backlog", but I'm slowly starting to publish them today.
We took our annual trip to Hong Kong in November 2012, and as always I visited some game arcades. I can't believe I've kept these pictures to myself for a year, but here they are.
Showing posts with label Hong Kong. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hong Kong. Show all posts
Monday, November 11, 2013
Monday, September 24, 2012
Hong Kong and Tokyo November 2011 - Part 13
We have come to the final post in this series of visits to arcades in Tokyo and Hong Kong. It's been a long journey, and I hope you have enjoyed at least some of the pictures!
We're back in Hong Kong again, after an eventful week in Tokyo. This time we're in the middle of the tourist area, Tsim Sha Tsui. Right at the Star Ferry Pier, Avenue of Stars and the view to the famous skyline there is a small arcade in the second floor of a shopping mall building. I wonder how much longer it will remain in that place. Hong Kong has changed a lot the recent years, and I'm honestly fearing that this arcade will disappear. The interesting shops are rapidly being replaced by expensive brand shops like Prada, Gucci and LV. And those obviously don't blend well with game arcades.
We're back in Hong Kong again, after an eventful week in Tokyo. This time we're in the middle of the tourist area, Tsim Sha Tsui. Right at the Star Ferry Pier, Avenue of Stars and the view to the famous skyline there is a small arcade in the second floor of a shopping mall building. I wonder how much longer it will remain in that place. Hong Kong has changed a lot the recent years, and I'm honestly fearing that this arcade will disappear. The interesting shops are rapidly being replaced by expensive brand shops like Prada, Gucci and LV. And those obviously don't blend well with game arcades.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Hong Kong and Tokyo November 2011 - Part 2
We're continuing our small tour of Hong Kong and Tokyo. I'm still in Hong Kong, specifically in Tsuen Wan, in the Golden Cedar arcade in the Tsuen Wan City Landmark.
At least that is what my wife tells me! I honestly don't remember, as this is seven or eight months ago. As I mentioned in part 1, please excuse me if my memory doesn't serve me right. I am fairly certain that this is accurate, and please send me a comment if it's not.
We start off with the Google street view:
View Larger Map
The game arcade in City Landmark is large, bright clean and nice, and I ended up spending many hours with the games. As I mentioned in part 1, gaming in Hong Kong is generally very cheap, only 1 HKD per credit.
That's it for now from Hong Kong. In the next post I fly to Tokyo, Japan!
At least that is what my wife tells me! I honestly don't remember, as this is seven or eight months ago. As I mentioned in part 1, please excuse me if my memory doesn't serve me right. I am fairly certain that this is accurate, and please send me a comment if it's not.
We start off with the Google street view:
View Larger Map
The game arcade in City Landmark is large, bright clean and nice, and I ended up spending many hours with the games. As I mentioned in part 1, gaming in Hong Kong is generally very cheap, only 1 HKD per credit.
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| A rare view! Multi with 2000 games in a Sega Blast City cab |
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| The feel of this game arcade is unusually light and clean |
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| Taiko Drum Master. It doesn't get as much play as it did five years ago |
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| Konami Gashaaaan. I wish I had given this a go. Throw balls at the screen! |
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| Wangan Midnight Maximumtune 3DX Plus |
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| Initial D |
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| SEGA BlackJack Nailed Ace |
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| I just love these toppers! |
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| Another large and flashy coin pusher |
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| Tekken 6. I don't like the cabinet much, but the game is great |
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| The usual rows of SEGA Blast City candy cabs |
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| Deadstorm Pirates! An exciting shooter with moving cabinet. |
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| This was actually eight(!) times more expensive to play than the other games. 8 HKD |
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| They also had a nice mix of music games. Here's Guitar Freaks XG2 |
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| ..and more |
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| ..and more |
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| ..and more! |
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| Mario Kart 2. Great fun, and at 1 HKD per credit it's fantastic value for money |
That's it for now from Hong Kong. In the next post I fly to Tokyo, Japan!
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Hong Kong and Tokyo November 2011 - Part 1
I visited a few arcades in Hong Kong and Tokyo in November 2011, and I will write a series of posts about it here on Slowcade. It's interesting to see how the arcade scene is changing also in Asia. A lot had happened in Hong Kong since my previous visit five years earlier. I was sad to see that my two favourite large arcades (in Metroplaza, Kwai Fong and New Town Plaza, Sha Tin) had disappeared, and I was left having to look for new places to play. It looks like it's going in the same direction as the rest of the world. Kids stay at home playing consoles, and the game arcades are replaced by fashion shops and cinemas.
If you ever find yourself in Hong Kong, here is a useful list of game arcades:
Translated by Google
Time is passing fast, and November 2011 is beginning to seem like a distant (but very happy) memory. I hope that I'm not mistaken with the locations and experiences, but please excuse me if I mix up now and then.
It's not easy finding the few large game arcades left in Hong Kong. They used to be in virtually all shopping malls, but nowadays you can walk for an entire day and only find the occasional small place. My wife luckily found the list I mentioned earlier, and we decided to check out a couple of them. The first one we visited was the New Golden Star, in Tsuen Wan's Nan Fung Centre 3rd floor.
View Larger Map
Gambling games, coin pushers and cranes are increasing in popularity, but the rows and rows of candy cabinets are trying to hold their ground. What's really nice (and in this day and age, surprising) about Hong Kong is that one credit usually costs 1 HKD. If you look that up, you'll find it's something like 0.1 USD, so you can stay there playing for a whole day without spending a big amount.
There is a strict "No photos!" policy in most of the game arcades, so I had to be stealthy and quick when taking pictures. Some of them may be blurry and less good, but please bear with me.
New Golden Star is reasonably well kept. It's not very large, but most of the games are working properly, and they have the occasional interesting title.
If you ever find yourself in Hong Kong, here is a useful list of game arcades:
Translated by Google
Time is passing fast, and November 2011 is beginning to seem like a distant (but very happy) memory. I hope that I'm not mistaken with the locations and experiences, but please excuse me if I mix up now and then.
It's not easy finding the few large game arcades left in Hong Kong. They used to be in virtually all shopping malls, but nowadays you can walk for an entire day and only find the occasional small place. My wife luckily found the list I mentioned earlier, and we decided to check out a couple of them. The first one we visited was the New Golden Star, in Tsuen Wan's Nan Fung Centre 3rd floor.
View Larger Map
Gambling games, coin pushers and cranes are increasing in popularity, but the rows and rows of candy cabinets are trying to hold their ground. What's really nice (and in this day and age, surprising) about Hong Kong is that one credit usually costs 1 HKD. If you look that up, you'll find it's something like 0.1 USD, so you can stay there playing for a whole day without spending a big amount.
There is a strict "No photos!" policy in most of the game arcades, so I had to be stealthy and quick when taking pictures. Some of them may be blurry and less good, but please bear with me.
New Golden Star is reasonably well kept. It's not very large, but most of the games are working properly, and they have the occasional interesting title.
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| Sengoku Basara X, evidently powered by Windows |
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| Huge Monopoly coin pushers |
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| Gambling games and card games |
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| Some rows of candy cabs |
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| There's usually a healthy mix of racers, and the most common cabs in Hong Kong: Sega Blast City and Versus City |
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| You can win (and waste) tokens on these tables, trying to catch fish swimming around on the screen |
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| (Time Crisis) Razing Storm and another shooter |
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| Mobile Suit Gundam: Bonds of the Battlefield |
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| These pods were in virtually all of the game arcades, but I rarely saw anyone actually play |
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| They take up a lot of floor space, so I guess they must be popular |
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| Gambling had certainly taken a much larger portion of the floor since my last visit five years ago |
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| Non-working cabs were placed near the entrance, which made the first impression a bit untidy |
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| These two were placed behind the non-working cabs, so they weren't easy to get to |
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Hong Kong arcades
While I'm trying to find a new home for me and my games, progress is even slower than before. So I'll post some pictures I took in Hong Kong.
First of all, a picture of a tiny local arcade in Sha Tin, 2002. Lovely candy cabs. What a culture shock!
The rest of the pictures are all from 2006.
Before Mario Kart Wii, they had this great game! The cabinet even includes a camera, so you can get your face on your in-game avatar. This is from the basement arcade of the MetroPlaza mall in Kwai Fong.
I believe this is from the same, relatively large, arcade. Many rows of candy cabs, but also other interesting games.
A row of linked Outrun 2 SP cabs. A great place to challenge the local boys!
I believe this is House of the Dead 4.
Yet another arcade beneath a shopping mall. This time it's the New Town Plaza, Sha Tin. I don't remember the name of this sword game anymore. There are sensors all around the screen, and you wield a foam sword.
Of course, horse racing is big in Hong Kong.
I think this is another arcade, in Wan Chai, with some nice musical games.
This is a large linked football game.
If I'm not totally mistaken, this House of the Dead 4 is in Lai Chi Kok.
..and we're back to Kwai Fong. I must have messed up the order of the pictures. Or maybe I just returned to that arcade too often. Crayon Shinchan is certainly entertaining!
My favourite candy cab is Blast City, and that is purely for nostalgic reason. It must be the type I've spent the most time with. I was offered one in nice condition at a good price, but the shipping costs would certainly be higher than the cab itself.
And now for something completely different.. Old kiddie rides!
I didn't see these games anywhere else in Hong Kong:
Here's a picture from Tin Shui Wai. People were impressed with my DDR skills back then. Maybe because I'm an old gweilo. :-)
..and back to Wan Chai. Sorry about the jumping. What a great schmup!
The most spectacular coin pusher I've ever seen!
..and this is somewhere else. I think I took this picture because it reminded me of pinball. Which was nowhere to be seen in Hong Kong.
First of all, a picture of a tiny local arcade in Sha Tin, 2002. Lovely candy cabs. What a culture shock!
The rest of the pictures are all from 2006.
Before Mario Kart Wii, they had this great game! The cabinet even includes a camera, so you can get your face on your in-game avatar. This is from the basement arcade of the MetroPlaza mall in Kwai Fong.
I believe this is from the same, relatively large, arcade. Many rows of candy cabs, but also other interesting games.
A row of linked Outrun 2 SP cabs. A great place to challenge the local boys!
I believe this is House of the Dead 4.
Yet another arcade beneath a shopping mall. This time it's the New Town Plaza, Sha Tin. I don't remember the name of this sword game anymore. There are sensors all around the screen, and you wield a foam sword.
Of course, horse racing is big in Hong Kong.
I think this is another arcade, in Wan Chai, with some nice musical games.
This is a large linked football game.
If I'm not totally mistaken, this House of the Dead 4 is in Lai Chi Kok.
..and we're back to Kwai Fong. I must have messed up the order of the pictures. Or maybe I just returned to that arcade too often. Crayon Shinchan is certainly entertaining!
My favourite candy cab is Blast City, and that is purely for nostalgic reason. It must be the type I've spent the most time with. I was offered one in nice condition at a good price, but the shipping costs would certainly be higher than the cab itself.
And now for something completely different.. Old kiddie rides!
I didn't see these games anywhere else in Hong Kong:
Here's a picture from Tin Shui Wai. People were impressed with my DDR skills back then. Maybe because I'm an old gweilo. :-)
..and back to Wan Chai. Sorry about the jumping. What a great schmup!
The most spectacular coin pusher I've ever seen!
..and this is somewhere else. I think I took this picture because it reminded me of pinball. Which was nowhere to be seen in Hong Kong.
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