Sega. Nintendo. Capcom. Konami. And, of course, Sony.
If any of those names rings a bell then perhaps you owned, or played one of their consoles or games at some point during your childhood. It was here, in the so-called ‘Electric Town’ of Akihabara that 80s and 90s gaming culture was pioneered, and many arcade titles birthed. As the spiritual home of these iconic console and game brands; the Akihabara district prominently features the SEGA multiplex, along with a smattering of anime and manga shops. Scantily clad cafe staff dressed in maid outfits try to lure you into their establishments, while arcades to test your gaming skills are a dime-a-dozen.
To this day, Akihabara is still known as ‘Electric Town’ - a moniker derived from its role as a post-war electronics hub. Some sad news, recently, is that long-standing Akihabara landmarks like the Sega arcades and 10-storey Adores building have closed down due to the economic impact of COVID. In memory of these gaming icons, what were some of your arcade favourites growing up?
