Great video and awesome pickups! Nice to see you back in Japan! I found Papuwa Kun in the junk section. Great platformer! And that SFC Jr was nice. Hoping to pick one up later too!
First started hitting up Den Den back when I moved to Osaka in 2002 to go to school. Man, the place back then was just amazing. Way more electronics stores, and way more gaming stores big and small. It still stayed a nice area to hit up over the years even as some of the stores went away and you could feel the swing from "electronics district" to "otaku district" (aka, more anime), and as Osaka is my second home, I'll always put Den Den over Akihabara. However, finally going back last year after not being able to head over since before the pandemic, I feel kind of sad going now. I would always walk this same path from Namba station to Den Den, and now the Super Potato along the way is gone, another game store that was there is long gone, and the Sofmap you hit if heading down the back streets swapped out its 1F game area for a PC / streamer section. The stores are more minimal than they used to be, and the prices are all higher across the board. I used to balance out looking for games in Den Den with hitting up some of the local shops down in my "home turf" of southern Osaka (Izumi), but things aren't as strong down there as they used to be either. There's still games, but you keep finding mostly the same selections over and over, with the stand-outs less and less. And literally a week after I flew back to the States, one of my favorite recycle shops down there closed for good. I still got some great deals on games and hardware during my last trip over there that I could only get by getting out and hitting up the shops in person, and it's still so much fun getting to around shopping in Japan, but it's hard not to be sad when remembering what the glory days of Den Den Town (and game shopping across the country period) used to be.
I agree with so much of this. I missed a few shops that have gone and the selection is def smaller. But like you the nostalgia of all my trips there and the good times we’ve had there means that it will always hold a special place in my heart. I still had a great time but your right it isn’t what it used to be.
Great vid and nice pickups. Thanks. The few shelf prices I could see from your video seem to be pretty close to ebay prices. Is that the general trend? Or are there still bargains to be found? Cheers.
Depends on the rarity and quality. We factor in the shipping costs and the mint condition of so many of their games that you are better off than eBay. There are still plenty of bargains to be had and obviously the experience of shopping in the wild not online can’t be beaten. Thanks for watching
Sorry I realized after the vid I shouldn’t have referred to it as it’s nickname cause it doesn’t show on google maps. Here’s the link Retro TV Game Revival +81 6-6636-8175
@@den_den_boys Hi again, Thanks for that. I built an itinerary around game hunting in Japan and Tokyo is our first stop. I am buying primarily on condition not price, but price obviously has some sway on the matter. Do you recommend Tokyo or Osaka for the rarer items? I've got about 10 on my list of wants. Have you ever shopped in Tokyo and found that all the items were in Osaka and cheaper? Once we hit Osaka we are not going back to Tokyo as plane home is from Osaka.
Def a little bit cheaper in Osaka. In Tokyo the hard off/ book off stores get cheaper the further away you get from the city center but you might not get the stock. If you want to give yourself the best chance to find the rarer items than it’s def best to look at mandarake and super potato chain stores but you will pay the bigger prices. Good luck always happy to help
Omfg. I guess I am that old. 😊 I used to go to den den town regularly when I lived in Osaka in the early 90s. Super Famicon days. Those boxes. I guess I shouldn't be surprised they still look good 30 years later. There's an amazing super Famicon multiplayer Tetris from 92/93 with crystals to collect to do nasty stuff to your friends boards. Was our favorite game at Orange House Gaijin residence. Thanks and good luck
Hey mate, just found your channel and watched some vids. Great stuff! Gold Coast? I'm up on Tamborine Mountain. Haven't found many GC collector channels. Fun to find someone doing similar! 😁👍
Flights are pretty cheap domestically and it’s only 45 mins but the hassle of getting to the airport check in and the rest is less enjoyable than the experience of the train. I’ve always done the train, get on a real early one and have a snooze wake up in Osaka!
Great video and awesome pickups! Nice to see you back in Japan!
I found Papuwa Kun in the junk section. Great platformer! And that SFC Jr was nice. Hoping to pick one up later too!
Thanks dude yeah was so good to be back after all these years from Covid
Great pickups and very enjoyable vlog.
Thanks homie
First started hitting up Den Den back when I moved to Osaka in 2002 to go to school. Man, the place back then was just amazing. Way more electronics stores, and way more gaming stores big and small. It still stayed a nice area to hit up over the years even as some of the stores went away and you could feel the swing from "electronics district" to "otaku district" (aka, more anime), and as Osaka is my second home, I'll always put Den Den over Akihabara.
However, finally going back last year after not being able to head over since before the pandemic, I feel kind of sad going now. I would always walk this same path from Namba station to Den Den, and now the Super Potato along the way is gone, another game store that was there is long gone, and the Sofmap you hit if heading down the back streets swapped out its 1F game area for a PC / streamer section. The stores are more minimal than they used to be, and the prices are all higher across the board.
I used to balance out looking for games in Den Den with hitting up some of the local shops down in my "home turf" of southern Osaka (Izumi), but things aren't as strong down there as they used to be either. There's still games, but you keep finding mostly the same selections over and over, with the stand-outs less and less. And literally a week after I flew back to the States, one of my favorite recycle shops down there closed for good.
I still got some great deals on games and hardware during my last trip over there that I could only get by getting out and hitting up the shops in person, and it's still so much fun getting to around shopping in Japan, but it's hard not to be sad when remembering what the glory days of Den Den Town (and game shopping across the country period) used to be.
I agree with so much of this. I missed a few shops that have gone and the selection is def smaller. But like you the nostalgia of all my trips there and the good times we’ve had there means that it will always hold a special place in my heart. I still had a great time but your right it isn’t what it used to be.
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it
Great vid and nice pickups. Thanks.
The few shelf prices I could see from your video seem to be pretty close to ebay prices. Is that the general trend? Or are there still bargains to be found? Cheers.
Depends on the rarity and quality. We factor in the shipping costs and the mint condition of so many of their games that you are better off than eBay.
There are still plenty of bargains to be had and obviously the experience of shopping in the wild not online can’t be beaten.
Thanks for watching
I looked for atoo on Google maps but it Seemed to be a suragaya store. Can you please link the location please?
Sorry I realized after the vid I shouldn’t have referred to it as it’s nickname cause it doesn’t show on google maps.
Here’s the link
Retro TV Game Revival
+81 6-6636-8175
Retro TV Game Revival
+81 6-6636-8175
maps.app.goo.gl/T4HxAS3GUmbPcJxg6?g_st=ic
@@den_den_boys Hi again, Thanks for that. I built an itinerary around game hunting in Japan and Tokyo is our first stop. I am buying primarily on condition not price, but price obviously has some sway on the matter. Do you recommend Tokyo or Osaka for the rarer items? I've got about 10 on my list of wants. Have you ever shopped in Tokyo and found that all the items were in Osaka and cheaper? Once we hit Osaka we are not going back to Tokyo as plane home is from Osaka.
Def a little bit cheaper in Osaka. In Tokyo the hard off/ book off stores get cheaper the further away you get from the city center but you might not get the stock.
If you want to give yourself the best chance to find the rarer items than it’s def best to look at mandarake and super potato chain stores but you will pay the bigger prices.
Good luck always happy to help
Omfg. I guess I am that old. 😊
I used to go to den den town regularly when I lived in Osaka in the early 90s. Super Famicon days. Those boxes. I guess I shouldn't be surprised they still look good 30 years later. There's an amazing super Famicon multiplayer Tetris from 92/93 with crystals to collect to do nasty stuff to your friends boards. Was our favorite game at Orange House Gaijin residence. Thanks and good luck
Such a cool story! Would love to have seen both aki and den den in their prime. Thanks for watching
I was in few days ago. It was amazing!! I wanted to take a famicom plus some cartridges but my luggages are so full packed
😅😢😂
Wish I was there with ya
Hey mate, just found your channel and watched some vids. Great stuff! Gold Coast? I'm up on Tamborine Mountain. Haven't found many GC collector channels. Fun to find someone doing similar! 😁👍
Thanks for checking out the channel. Yep I’m halfway between GC and Brissy. Vaughan is over the border
Would u recommend the train ride or flight from Tokyo for day trip to Osaka?
Flights are pretty cheap domestically and it’s only 45 mins but the hassle of getting to the airport check in and the rest is less enjoyable than the experience of the train.
I’ve always done the train, get on a real early one and have a snooze wake up in Osaka!
I also haven't been back for 6 years 😭 prices seem to have shot up too.
Yeah unfortunately it’s not like the glory days of 12 years ago when I first travelled there. Still some good finds to be had if your willing to look
I've also wanted to get that power digger controller! Amazing, how much did you pay for it?
I think I paid about 120 Australian
I'll make it there one day
Happy to play tour guide homie
Why bother putting the mask on if you aren't going to use it ?
Don’t worry I wore it plenty