*Two* Atari 2800's found in the wild!

[spacecadet]

Ok, in Japan, but still. A loooooooooooooong time ago, I posted that you can find Atari 2800's literally sitting boxed on the floor at retailers in Tokyo and nobody believed me. Well, here you go:

 

 

They had another one in a glass case, but this one was just lying out. They were both about 30,000 yen, or around $270.

 

This was at Super Potato in Akihabara, if anyone cares to go.

 

Myself, I'm off to the Tokyo Game Show tomorrow! Can't wait.

[Mord]

Ok, in Japan, but still. A loooooooooooooong time ago, I posted that you can find Atari 2800's literally sitting boxed on the floor at retailers in Tokyo and nobody believed me. Well, here you go:

 

 

They had another one in a glass case, but this one was just lying out. They were both about 30,000 yen, or around $270.

 

This was at Super Potato in Akihabara, if anyone cares to go.

 

Myself, I'm off to the Tokyo Game Show tomorrow! Can't wait.

 

 

I find it funny that just looking at the picture I could tell it was likely in Akihabara before you confirmed it. ^^;;;

[yuppicide]

People tell me I don't need a translator if I goto Japan? I'd looooooooooooove to visit there someday and go video game hunting.

[Cheese007]

Should've taken the Jag as well, iirc there are less than 1,000 of the Japanese ones.

[spacecadet]

Should've taken the Jag as well, iirc there are less than 1,000 of the Japanese ones.

 

I didn't check, but it's not necessarily a Japanese one. They have pretty much everything, so it could be an import from the US.

 

Also, their prices are usually pretty bad... I was surprised at how low the 2800's were set at. I ended up not buying anything there, even though the place is practically a museum of video gaming.

[Artlover]

Boy I'd love to go to Japan. One of the best techie shoping experiences in the world. That and the back alleys of Singapore.

[2600Lives]

Someday I'ma go to Akihabara and just wander the shops for hours. Some of the smaller ones are where you're supposedly able to find some real bargains, and I didn't realize that retro gaming was so huge over there. I figured the Japanese gamers would be on the constant bleeding edge of gaming technology, but apparently, even the hardcore modern gamers also love the older stuff. That's cool as hell.

 

Something like 99% of Japanese people understand English, though they may not speak it very well. I believe it is a required course in their schools. I had a friend go to Japan some years ago, and he got along just fine by writing things down on a notepad, and when in a restaurant, pointing at what he wanted. He also said that he'd get crowds of people following him around, even asking for an autograph or a picture because they thought he was famous (he was a teacher), and random people on the buses and trains would come up and want to link GameBoys and trade Pokemon. Weird.

 

I actually got an offer when I was wrestling to go to Japan and wrestle for New Japan (we had a scout who was a long time friend of the guy who owned the promotion in the audience watching). Me and like 4 other guys got offers, but only one actually said yes. I couldn't leave because of my mom's health (that and my whole life is here). Apparently, he did pretty good as a heel over there until he got injured and had to head back to the states. Damn, that sure would have been fun to go over there, though.

[spacecadet]

Something like 99% of Japanese people understand English, though they may not speak it very well. I believe it is a required course in their schools.

 

It is required, but I wouldn't go so far as to say 99% can understand it even a little bit. Most American schools have a requirement that you take a foreign language too, but how much of that language do you remember now? In my experience, most Japanese can understand a few common English words (like "okay" and "thank you") but that's about it. Some do understand more and in Tokyo, at least, maybe a couple percent of people can actually speak it well enough to carry on a basic conversation. But they don't get a lot of practice unless they've got a specific kind of job dealing with foreigners (like someone who works at a major hotel front desk or for an airline or something), so even if they're interested in English, they lose what they learn pretty quickly.

 

I had a friend go to Japan some years ago, and he got along just fine by writing things down on a notepad, and when in a restaurant, pointing at what he wanted. He also said that he'd get crowds of people following him around, even asking for an autograph or a picture because they thought he was famous (he was a teacher), and random people on the buses and trains would come up and want to link GameBoys and trade Pokemon. Weird.

 

I sort of felt that way the first time I went, but it's a less common reaction now. Westerners don't stick out as much. There are a lot of tourists now, definitely more than there used to be. On my current trip, I've actually felt my first hint of backlash. One of our waiters in a noodle restaurant actually physically left whenever he was helping us and my wife would start talking to me in English. It was really weird. The only explanation I could think of was that he was prejudiced against foreigners; some Japanese are (especially guys).

 

You can definitely get by without knowing much Japanese in Tokyo, though. But you're a little limited in where you can go and what you can do.

 

To keep this somewhat on-topic, yeah, Akihabara still has a lot of retro stuff. I was disappointed on my last trip because they've torn down and closed a lot of places I used to go, but I found some new ones on my current trip. I can't believe I'd never actually been to Super Potato until now; that place is crazy. Anyone need a top-loading Famicom? They've got about 10 of 'em stacked up on a shelf. They've got literally every rare system you can think of, and usually multiple units, and usually boxed. Problem is, like I said they are expensive - they get a lot of western customers and they know the prices we pay for stuff. It's hard to find a deal there like you can in a lot of Japanese stores, where they're catering more to a Japanese crowd that's got a different set of priorities. Just for example, Super Potato was selling the Serial Experiments Lain game for PS1 for around $110. I bought the same game a couple years ago in a store in the Tokyo suburbs for $9.

 

The reason people go to Super Potato, though, is just that they have everything. It's harder to find anything particular at other stores, even in Akihabara. I do like Traders, though; they always have something that I want, and at a good price.

[S1500]

I wish I spent more time in Akihabara when I was there. Woudl have been fun to try Super Potato and all the other monster-sized electronics stores.

[shadow460]

I've been to Japan four times. The first time I got by with the help of a college student who was fluent in English and had an interest in me (as a person, not romantic). The remaining times I got by simply by asking if anyone spoke English and more or less by common sense. You pick out what you want, put the money up for it, and you're good. I never even considered going to Tokyo, though I could if I'd wanted to.

 

The gaming scene in Yokosuka was fantastic. The arcades they had simply blew my mind, and I think it was here I worked up the courage to risk 100 yen on Daytona USA for the first time.

 

As for shopping, the best I've done is in the streets of Hong Kong. You could find anything there.

 

Enjoy the game show. I wish I had Paypal and a few hundred bucks...you'd have some funds magically appear with a request to bring a 2800 back.

[Video]

Enjoy the game show. I wish I had Paypal and a few hundred bucks...you'd have some funds magically appear with a request to bring a 2800 back.

 

Me too (well, I got paypall, but no money at the moment )

 

That kinda shows me what it looks like though. I always assumed the 26JR was probably the Japanese system repackeged in the US It's a totally different design though. Would be interesting to see some closeups of it though, and I can't tell what the controller is supposed to be, lioks like a Gemini pad from waht little I could see...

[Bruce Tomlin]

Enjoy the game show. I wish I had Paypal and a few hundred bucks...you'd have some funds magically appear with a request to bring a 2800 back.

 

Me too (well, I got paypall, but no money at the moment )

 

That kinda shows me what it looks like though. I always assumed the 26JR was probably the Japanese system repackeged in the US It's a totally different design though. Would be interesting to see some closeups of it though, and I can't tell what the controller is supposed to be, lioks like a Gemini pad from waht little I could see...

Sears released a version of the 2800. The controller port is electrically wired up like the Gemini, with one paddle per port. The normal 2600 is wired up with two paddles each on the first two ports, and none on 3 and 4.

 

[superjudge3]

Should've taken the Jag as well, iirc there are less than 1,000 of the Japanese ones.

 

Actually, it was 40,000. JSII has details, it was packaged with AvP.

 

Just thought you might like to know.

[Asaki]

Would be interesting to see some closeups of it though, and I can't tell what the controller is supposed to be, lioks like a Gemini pad from waht little I could see...

 

There's pics of it and a bunch of other rare Atari stuff at the Atari History Museum: http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/cons...2800/A2800.html

 

I spent a couple hours a few weeks ago just going through everything [insert bloodshot emoticon here]

[SINGLE TOOTH]

Nice find.

 

Do they have famicom disc systems there? if so, how much?

[ubersaurus]

Japanese game stores are great. I found 2 Bandai Vectrexes at one in Osaka, as well as a smattering of classic games, both Japanese and Western in origin.

 

Nothing more surreal than being surrounded by Japanese games, and then coming across the Super Nintendo aisle.

[Video]

Cool, thanks for the pics. Would I be correct in assujming that the second button on the stick is for paddle games, or is there some Jap games that used the second button?

[Asaki]

I was wondering about the second button, myself. I just assumed it's for 7800 compatibility. Maybe?

[SINGLE TOOTH]

im guessing its the same button

[Lord Helmet]

It's the same button. You can play right or left handed.

[spacecadet]

Nice find.

 

Do they have famicom disc systems there? if so, how much?

 

Are you kidding? Dude, I wish I could have taken more pics in there. They frown upon it; I didn't really even test them because I've heard plenty of stories from others about getting kicked out. I only got the 2800 pic by palming my wife's pocket cam and blindly clicking the shutter button with my thumb.

 

They had an entire shelf full of Famicom disk systems stacked 5 units high all the way across. I don't remember the price, and they weren't all priced the same (depending on condition and completeness), but I think they were around $60-$80.

 

They also had a shelf full of Famicom Twin systems. I've only ever seen one of these in my life in person, so it was pretty shocking seeing so many in one place. They were over $100 if I remember right, but still a bit less than typical ebay prices. I almost bought one, but the savings wasn't so great that I thought it'd make it worth carrying the thing around all day (and on the plane coming back home).

 

btw, look at the pics they have at this link, this is their official site: http://superpotato.com/free_html.php?html=about_shop.html

 

In the first one, you can see the shelves full of systems. The Famicoms are towards the far end of this photo, you can just see the white sticking out. The disk systems are on the shelf below that. The Twins are on the bottom shelf.

 

Another edit: this site has some great pics, I don't know how they didn't get kicked out: http://reloadbz.unblog.fr/2007/03/01/super-potato/

 

Their stock has been rearranged a bit since then but you can see all the disk systems they've got.

Edited September 25, 2007 by spacecadet

[yuppicide]

Do Japanese things run on PAL and the same voltage as United States?

 

Even though costly, is shipping stuff back to myself easy to do?

 

Although I am afraid the amount of stuff I'd want to buy would be enough for 5 or 10 boxes worth lol.

[SINGLE TOOTH]

Nice find.

 

Do they have famicom disc systems there? if so, how much?

 

Are you kidding? Dude, I wish I could have taken more pics in there. They frown upon it; I didn't really even test them because I've heard plenty of stories from others about getting kicked out. I only got the 2800 pic by palming my wife's pocket cam and blindly clicking the shutter button with my thumb.

 

They had an entire shelf full of Famicom disk systems stacked 5 units high all the way across. I don't remember the price, and they weren't all priced the same (depending on condition and completeness), but I think they were around $60-$80.

 

They also had a shelf full of Famicom Twin systems. I've only ever seen one of these in my life in person, so it was pretty shocking seeing so many in one place. They were over $100 if I remember right, but still a bit less than typical ebay prices. I almost bought one, but the savings wasn't so great that I thought it'd make it worth carrying the thing around all day (and on the plane coming back home).

 

btw, look at the pics they have at this link, this is their official site: http://superpotato.com/free_html.php?html=about_shop.html

 

In the first one, you can see the shelves full of systems. The Famicoms are towards the far end of this photo, you can just see the white sticking out. The disk systems are on the shelf below that. The Twins are on the bottom shelf.

 

Another edit: this site has some great pics, I don't know how they didn't get kicked out: http://reloadbz.unblog.fr/2007/03/01/super-potato/

 

Their stock has been rearranged a bit since then but you can see all the disk systems they've got.

 

dude, i would have went fucking apeshit in there. that place is awesome...

[spacecadet]

Do Japanese things run on PAL and the same voltage as United States?

 

They run NTSC. Voltage is 100 vs. 110/120 in the US, but it's not enough of a difference to hurt anything. I run all sorts of Japanese stuff in my house. Most components are made to run 100-120 just so they can work in both territories.

 

Even though costly, is shipping stuff back to myself easy to do?

 

They have FedEx and also regular mail just like anywhere. I don't think it's hard to ship, but yeah, it's very expensive.

[y-bot]

Do Japanese things run on PAL and the same voltage as United States?

 

They run NTSC. Voltage is 100 vs. 110/120 in the US, but it's not enough of a difference to hurt anything. I run all sorts of Japanese stuff in my house. Most components are made to run 100-120 just so they can work in both territories.

 

Even though costly, is shipping stuff back to myself easy to do?

 

They have FedEx and also regular mail just like anywhere. I don't think it's hard to ship, but yeah, it's very expensive.

 

I've shipped tons of stuff back from Japan. It's about the same price as sending stuff from the US to Japan. About $100 for a medium size 30-40 lb. box via Sea Mail. $200 for EMS. It's pretty unlikely anyone at the post office will speak English so if there's a problem like your box is overweight or oversize it can be a nightmare. I always have the forms filled out before I get there and usually there is no problem. Like spacecadet said before, most people in Japan do NOT understand English. They learn to write it a little in school but that's it. Super Potato is an awesome store to window shop at but it's pretty expensive. I've bought a few things there but the bargains are elsewhere.

 

y-bot