Players’ paradise: Four of Tokyo’s most exciting game centers

This article is part of a new collaboration between Nikkei Asia and FT Globetrotter, showcasing the best journalism from Nikkei Asia writers about cities across the region. You can read more from Globetrotter here.

Tokyo is a frenetic city. With a population of about 14 million, it is one of the most densely populated urban areas in the world. So as you can imagine, there are a lot of options when it comes to entertainment. But for many of its residents, amusement arcades (called game centers in Japan) are a favorite pastime.

Japanese arcades, commonly known as ge-sen and usually located near train stations, are the epitome of fun mixed with convenience. Game centers first appeared in the 1960s, located within movie theaters, department stores and bowling alleys. They grew hugely popular -- even more so in the late '70s, when the Japanese shooting game Space Invaders became a worldwide phenomenon.

Games range from solo to group games for friends and commonly start at 100 yen per play. Each center has its own vibe, from those with blaring anime music to older, more subdued establishments that still occasionally allow smoking. There are centers with the latest virtual reality technology where you can wrestle with zombies, and those with nostalgic arcade games that hark back to the '70s and '80s. Gamers are equally diverse: families, teenagers, young couples on dates, foreigners, salarymen (white-collar male workers), people with disabilities, the elderly -- and the list goes on.

In the heart of Tokyo, Akihabara, or Akiba, is known as "Electric Town." It's popular with tourists and brimming with cheap electronics stores. But Akiba is also synonymous with otaku (geek) culture, and it is filled with anime shops, "maid cafes" and, of course, game centers.

Most notable are the GiGO game centers around Akihabara station. Previously run by gaming giant Sega, who had been operating them since the early 1990s, the arcades were recently rebranded as GiGO.

All the usual games are here -- claw machines, card games, racing games and rhythm games, including one of the most popular, Taiko no Tatsujin, which involves a traditional Japanese percussion instrument.

The beloved game features a catalogue of tracks from the latest in J-pop to classical music and Disney hits such as "Let It Go." The goal is to hit the drum accurately as notes appear on the screen.

This center in a shopping mall on the outskirts of Tokyo specializes in one particular game: claw machines. With more than 400, it is one of the largest arcades of this type in the world.

Aisle after aisle, you'll see claw machines with prizes ranging from BTS dolls, Minecraft swords, Minion soft toys and gigantic bags of potato chips to practical products such as frying pans, cooler bags, portable phone chargers and fake security cameras.

After marveling at the sheer scale of the place, you should make your way to the change machine, because you will need an ample supply of 100 yen coins. Use one of the red cups stacked near you as a makeshift purse and you'll be ready to play.

From my own experience, I've learned that persistence pays when it comes to claw machines. But if you are stuck and struggling to find a good strategy, don't hesitate to ask the employees for help -- they're very friendly and will kindly give you tips on how to score a prize.

Less than a minute's walk from Takadanobaba train station is Mikado, a fairly well-known destination among gamers. The place is packed with vintage video games from the '80s and '90s, with the upstairs floor almost entirely occupied by fighting games such as Guilty Gear and Street Fighter. There are also shooting games like Darius, rhythm games such as Beatmania and good old pinball machines.

This place is a treasure trove of iconic games. Despite the shabbiness and the strong smell of cigarettes, it holds a mysterious, nostalgic power that makes you want to return for the chance to slip back in time.

Mikado has a relaxed atmosphere and isn't too crowded except when it holds tournaments, which gather a few dozen participants and spectators. As a host of these events, it plays a key role in preserving Japan's gaming-center culture and its community. For anyone eager to play classic games, I can't think of a better place.

Admittedly this is more of an amusement park with game-center qualities. But Joypolis, as the biggest indoor theme park in Japan, is your best bet for test-driving virtual reality games.

The most exciting of these is the Zero Latency VR, a free-roaming multiplayer. It requires a reservation and is a little on the expensive side, starting at 2,200 yen. You choose from five games, including the adrenaline-charged Undead Arena, which is set in a post-apocalyptic world where players are participants on a live TV show who must shoot down zombies to survive.

After some instructions, you are equipped with a VR headset, a pair of headphones, a 5-kilogram backpack and an equally heavy gun. Once the game starts, there is no turning back. Zombies will come at you relentlessly from all sides, and you will find yourself frantically screaming while trying to aim the gun at their heads. After completing the game, I desperately needed a handkerchief to wipe away the sweat.