Arcade gaming has always had a cult following in Japan and now Canadian film maker Brad Crawford explores the obsession through his latest film 100 Yen: The Japanese Arcade Experience.
Delving deep into the coin-op amusement industry, the film's title is inspired by the fact that Space Invaders caused a nationwide 100 Yen coin shortage when it was released in the 80s; people were spending coins faster than they could circulate.
"Experiencing gaming culture in Japan is something that I felt hadn't been given enough exposure," said Crawford. "We all know that many of our favourite games come from Japan, but I don't think people realise the level of dedication people have to gaming, especially arcade gaming."
It was during his three years living in Japan that Crawford was exposed to the sheer magnitude of Japan's love for coin-op games. "Moving to Osaka from the middle of Canada was a big shock and as an avid gamer I was greeted with a whole new world of technology and extravagant games that I'd never even heard of," he said.
"I saw the rise of Dance Dance Revolution in the US but those types of experiences are just the tip of the iceberg in Japan. Just the sheer size of some of the arcades that litter the landscape of major and smaller cities across the country is daunting. To have five or six-storey buildings filled with arcade cabinets and packed with people playing them is a dream come true.
"Clearly the population density plays a large role in this success, but also the thought that's put into their organisation and layout. If you're a fan of music games, go to that floor and you'll be greeted with all kinds of possibilities. You'll find players of all skill types who clearly have similar interests and you can play and chat and spend more time than you'd thought possible. Fighting games more your cup of tea? You've come to the right place. Arcades in Japan don't just carry the newest titles either. The nostalgia factor alone makes you wish the places never closed."
Source: Eurogamer
