Katsuyuki Seki 
Inside Game Center Mikado. (©Sankei by Katsuyuki Seki)
Step through the gates of Takadanobaba Station in Tokyo, and you're immediately surrounded by the lively voices of students. In this bustling student district, there's a retro game arcade that transports visitors to a bygone era.
Inside, the dim lighting and flickering screens create a nostalgic atmosphere.
Game Center Mikado first opened in Shinjuku in 2006 and relocated to Takadanobaba in 2009. Today, it features around 230 arcade machines, drawing in fans of all ages. Most visitors are men, ranging from middle school students to people in their 60s, with international tourists also making regular appearances.
A Shared Experience
About 20 of the machines date back to the Showa era. The oldest is Speed Race, released in 1974. Other classics from that time include Pengo, Hotball Hockey, Ghosts 'n Goblins, and Renegade.
"Maintaining these old machines isn't easy, but there are still plenty of customers who enjoy them," says store manager Yuji Kawashima. By transferring the circuit boards of these vintage games into newer Heisei-era machines, he's keeping the legacy of retro gaming alive.
Yasunori Yoshinari, visiting from Tokushima Prefecture with his family, said, "Playing the games I loved in my youth brought back a wave of nostalgia. I'm really happy I got to share that experience with my son," as the two enjoyed the retro games side by side.
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(Read the article in Japanese.)
Author: Katsuyuki Seki, The Sankei Shimbun
