Dude yes! BEEP is so damn cool. I never got into the old japanese computers, so it was cool seeing them all on that wall. The guy who runs it also makes custom rgb and jp21 cables too.
Man the choice of music over the shot of the SEGA logo proudly adorning what is now GiGO, all these years later it's kind of haunting and sad. Thanks for chronicling the history of Akiba through your videos, Jim.
This is my favorite store in Akiba. Just such a neat space and kind of hidden too. Very nostalgic smell inside and much more quiet than some of the other stores. Super Potato and Mandarake had a broader selection of the more mainstream stuff, but this is where you find treasure deals. We found some PS1/Saturn games for literally 50 cents each and they work just fine, CIB.
Love these videos when you go outside Japan and search for games in many different game stores while showing us around the places you go. Always enjoying it! :)
Man all that Sega stuff just looks so damn cool, seeing the X68000 and MSX games is really badass but like you said it's waaaay out of my element as well
So many times I've thought about picking up an MSX or X68000, but holy hell do those prices tend to scare me away. I'd love to get my hands on all the Konami MSX games because there are some damn good ones.
BEEP is the best retro store in Akiba, aside from maybe Super Potato. BEEP just felt more homey, friendly, and intimate. Less people. Great atmosphere.
Better start saving some money Jim for some of those really obscure titles, but that game shop definitely has one of the most and interesting selections of any gameshops I've ever seen on your channel. It was literally a hodgepodge of as many different gaming stuff as humanly possible.
Was there 6/7/2019 . Really enjoying these videos and you're right it is very cramped (especially with 5 people) . I had the pleasure of going to Beep with Kohei Ikeda (He worked on Thexder and is credited as H.Godai) and a mutual friend Takatoshi. Afterwards we all went to Hitachino Brewery and got pretty wasted , you should try that place if you haven't ever been, their lager is fantastic.
What a cool store. Tiny as can be, but that just makes the whole thing seem more fun to explore. If I ever end up in Japan again, I have to check out BEEP or at least Akihabara! I didn't know about this place back in 2001 :(
Right on! I will make it back someday and will take you up on that offer. At least it's a non-stop flight for me. Of course by the time I make it, my funds will be weakened from the flight ticket :P
Wow wow Wow! Now there was most certainly some choice items in there. I am sure they were all quite pricey though, but even so I would have to visit if I ever got over there. Sega's console before the Master System was the SG-1000, the Mark I console only plays those games, the Mark II introduces a card reader, and the Mark III also plays the Master System games, so probably the best one for you to get if you want a taste of both. Although saying that the model that looks like the Western one comes with the FM sound module built in. It depends on what you want to focus on. Can highly recommend either, definitely some very playable games and they won't cost you an arm and leg. The SG-1000 is very similar to both the Colecovision and the MSX, as they are all sort of decendants of the original Spectravideo computers. Even the Master System is related, but it has similar but different graphics capabilities to MSX 2 machines. Thanks for tour was well worth the wait, and I definitely will have to visit one day.
I knew you'd really dig this one! I'd love to start collecting for the older Sega consoles but space is so limited in my apartment right now that I really have no idea where I'd put everything. I need an upgrade!
Totally understand after the room tour. Good to see there seems to be a fair bit of Japanese Master System stock floating around. I haven't got into that as much as other systems, as I have a mostly complete Master System collection as it is. I have now collected most of the SG-1000 games though, only a couple of titles left to find.
You really do an awesome job with this series! I wonder if the prices of Sega Saturn games in Japan are any better then they are here in the USA on eBay. For example, Elevator Action Returns sells for like $300.00, which I think is ridiculous. I would love to get an MSX2; if nothing else, for all of the Compile shmups on it, like Aleste and Zanac, which I noticed in this video.
Thank you! Typically, Saturn games are cheaper here than elsewhere because the Saturn sold much better here in the 90's, even better than the N64 actually, so there are plenty of Saturn games lying around, but the prices for the rarer games can still be through the roof.
the song at the end is great! whats it from? also awesome video, though i dont think i'd ever be able to visit that shop with how cramped it is. still prety awesome
Last time I checked out the shops in Akihabara (late 2015) everything was really expensive. The selection in this store is some the best I have ever seen but over 300 USD for a boxed complete Contra seems crazy. I would love to go to Beep to look around but I'd probably leave annoyed after seeing so many games I wanted priced so high. Are Hard Off and Book Off pretty much the best places for getting lucky? The best pickups I had were a CIB SFC for about 3,000 Yen (H.O. in Akihabara I believe) and Gundam Wing Endless Duel (SFC) in a bargain bin for 500 Yen (at some random H.O.). As always, thanks for the awesome video.
Yep, Hard Off is your best chance for some decent prices. In a shop like BEEP, I marvel at the selection of games but I typically will only buy some of the cheaper PC Engine or Famicom games.
BEEP is an excellent shop but it is as you said; very expensive. I wanted to pick up an early issue of Gamest magazine but they wanted nearly $40 for it. The only thing I left with were flyers for PS4 Mahou Daisakusen.
When you said you're outta your element I imagined John Goodman saying "Forget it, Jim, you're outta your element" lol But yeah, damn! That store is cramped. Excellent video as always, sir!
It seems like the top floor of almost every store in Akihabara sells hentai. You gleefully ascend the buildings floor by floor until you wind up in a room surrounded by loli body pillows and a few dudes turn around and glance at you. I was always too embarrassed to join in the shameless browsing. But I didn't see a reason for this place to be 18+ either, maybe Shoryuken sheltered us ;).
Yeah, porno games with very explicit covers, on display with everything else. I was able to avoid having them in the video, though I forgot to mention them later.
Alot of really good stuff in there. I want a Sharp X68000 so bad but all the midi boards and stuff you need to play it right is just way too much. And seems the only way I am gonna get one is to go to Japan and find one I never see them on Ebay anymore. How were the prices on the console games there?
18 years of age to go to a game store eh? i heard the japanese version of hagane is alot cheaper compared to the US verison. i only know of a few games on japanese computers but mostly ports or games apart of a series i know
nice video and great shop! Visited them last year in March - bought shit for like 1400$ there xD they have a lot of very premium titles. but also premium prices..
Dude yes! BEEP is so damn cool. I never got into the old japanese computers, so it was cool seeing them all on that wall. The guy who runs it also makes custom rgb and jp21 cables too.
Cool! I had no idea. I'll have to keep that in mind.
An Akiba retro hardware shop video that starts with the ending theme to Space Manbow immediately deserves a like and add to a Favorites list.
Thank you!
It's like the 80's never ended in that shop lol.Great vid.
Thanks! The 80's never ended for a whole lot of people out here, haha.
This store is freaking amazing. Bought a boxed copy of THEXDER last time I was there!
Man the choice of music over the shot of the SEGA logo proudly adorning what is now GiGO, all these years later it's kind of haunting and sad. Thanks for chronicling the history of Akiba through your videos, Jim.
This is my favorite store in Akiba. Just such a neat space and kind of hidden too. Very nostalgic smell inside and much more quiet than some of the other stores. Super Potato and Mandarake had a broader selection of the more mainstream stuff, but this is where you find treasure deals. We found some PS1/Saturn games for literally 50 cents each and they work just fine, CIB.
Visit this shop every year
That music that plays in the starwell as the video starts is seriously good. Been trying to find it online since I visited the shop earlier today.
got Akumajou Dracula for X68000, Splatterhouse for FM Towns and Twinkle Tale for Mega Drive there.
shitloads of money xD
amazing old computer games love em . msx a fantastic computer many franchises started on there would love the snatchers on them .
Me too, but holy hell are they expensive.
yep sure are
simplicity of this channel is awesome,great job
Thank you!
Love these videos when you go outside Japan and search for games in many different game stores while showing us around the places you go. Always enjoying it! :)
Thanks, glad you're enjoying my videos. A lot more vids filmed in the city are on their way.
Man all that Sega stuff just looks so damn cool, seeing the X68000 and MSX games is really badass but like you said it's waaaay out of my element as well
So many times I've thought about picking up an MSX or X68000, but holy hell do those prices tend to scare me away. I'd love to get my hands on all the Konami MSX games because there are some damn good ones.
BEEP is the best retro store in Akiba, aside from maybe Super Potato. BEEP just felt more homey, friendly, and intimate. Less people. Great atmosphere.
I'll stop by this Golden Week. I have been too busy to go to Akihabara lately
Better start saving some money Jim for some of those really obscure titles, but that game shop definitely has one of the most and interesting selections of any gameshops I've ever seen on your channel. It was literally a hodgepodge of as many different gaming stuff as humanly possible.
Yes, it's definitely one of the best game shops in town. The only reason I want to get rich is so I can buy these damn games!
Was there 6/7/2019 . Really enjoying these videos and you're right it is very cramped (especially with 5 people) . I had the pleasure of going to Beep with Kohei Ikeda (He worked on Thexder and is credited as H.Godai) and a mutual friend Takatoshi. Afterwards we all went to Hitachino Brewery and got pretty wasted , you should try that place if you haven't ever been, their lager is fantastic.
I'm going to Japan in a week and this shop is the primary reason I'm going back so soon.
I've definitely heard worse reasons to visit Japan.
You said beep is mainly computer but what you show us console wise is huuuuge! I bought my sharp x68000 XVI boxed and shipped to France from them 😍
What a cool store. Tiny as can be, but that just makes the whole thing seem more fun to explore. If I ever end up in Japan again, I have to check out BEEP or at least Akihabara! I didn't know about this place back in 2001 :(
Well, if you ever end up here again just drop me a line, I'll give you the full Akiba retro gaming tour. :)
Right on! I will make it back someday and will take you up on that offer. At least it's a non-stop flight for me. Of course by the time I make it, my funds will be weakened from the flight ticket :P
I would watch these if they were hours long lol
I'll have to keep that in mind, a bit of live streaming from Akiba might be somewhere down the road after all.
Wow wow Wow! Now there was most certainly some choice items in there.
I am sure they were all quite pricey though, but even so I would have to visit if I ever got over there.
Sega's console before the Master System was the SG-1000, the Mark I console only plays those games, the Mark II introduces a card reader, and the Mark III also plays the Master System games, so probably the best one for you to get if you want a taste of both. Although saying that the model that looks like the Western one comes with the FM sound module built in. It depends on what you want to focus on. Can highly recommend either, definitely some very playable games and they won't cost you an arm and leg.
The SG-1000 is very similar to both the Colecovision and the MSX, as they are all sort of decendants of the original Spectravideo computers. Even the Master System is related, but it has similar but different graphics capabilities to MSX 2 machines.
Thanks for tour was well worth the wait, and I definitely will have to visit one day.
I knew you'd really dig this one!
I'd love to start collecting for the older Sega consoles but space is so limited in my apartment right now that I really have no idea where I'd put everything. I need an upgrade!
Totally understand after the room tour. Good to see there seems to be a fair bit of Japanese Master System stock floating around. I haven't got into that as much as other systems, as I have a mostly complete Master System collection as it is. I have now collected most of the SG-1000 games though, only a couple of titles left to find.
This looks like the ideal place for me to go if I ever get tired of having money.
It is indeed, because it can all be gone by the time you're out the door.
Wow awesome! Shop looks amazing
Super cool video especially seeing the Master System and Saturn games plus stuff from my PC game of all time: Thexder!! 👍
You really do an awesome job with this series! I wonder if the prices of Sega Saturn games in Japan are any better then they are here in the USA on eBay. For example, Elevator Action Returns sells for like $300.00, which I think is ridiculous. I would love to get an MSX2; if nothing else, for all of the Compile shmups on it, like Aleste and Zanac, which I noticed in this video.
Thank you!
Typically, Saturn games are cheaper here than elsewhere because the Saturn sold much better here in the 90's, even better than the N64 actually, so there are plenty of Saturn games lying around, but the prices for the rarer games can still be through the roof.
2:58 Nice Thexder figure! If only it was sold as such and not a DIY kit. Those things are so fragile.
the song at the end is great! whats it from? also awesome video, though i dont think i'd ever be able to visit that shop with how cramped it is. still prety awesome
Thank you! That song is from Melty Blood.
Yeah that SEGA system you were trying to remember is the SG1000
Good vidja as always
Thank you!
lol @ the "Lovedolls have dreams" Retro PC game for 70k yen at 04:17
they already had it back when I was there - so nobody bought it yet...
Last time I checked out the shops in Akihabara (late 2015) everything was really expensive. The selection in this store is some the best I have ever seen but over 300 USD for a boxed complete Contra seems crazy. I would love to go to Beep to look around but I'd probably leave annoyed after seeing so many games I wanted priced so high. Are Hard Off and Book Off pretty much the best places for getting lucky? The best pickups I had were a CIB SFC for about 3,000 Yen (H.O. in Akihabara I believe) and Gundam Wing Endless Duel (SFC) in a bargain bin for 500 Yen (at some random H.O.). As always, thanks for the awesome video.
Yep, Hard Off is your best chance for some decent prices. In a shop like BEEP, I marvel at the selection of games but I typically will only buy some of the cheaper PC Engine or Famicom games.
I really liked the editing on this one!
Thanks, Joe.
KidShoryuken np! I kinda called you out in my last video for some translation help haha
Cool beans, I'll go take a look.
BEEP is an excellent shop but it is as you said; very expensive. I wanted to pick up an early issue of Gamest magazine but they wanted nearly $40 for it. The only thing I left with were flyers for PS4 Mahou Daisakusen.
awesome stuff jim :D keep the good vids coming!
Thanks! Will do.
When you said you're outta your element I imagined John Goodman saying "Forget it, Jim, you're outta your element" lol
But yeah, damn! That store is cramped. Excellent video as always, sir!
Also, you never got into why Beep was 18's only.. What's the story there? They sell Hentai or something? lol
It seems like the top floor of almost every store in Akihabara sells hentai. You gleefully ascend the buildings floor by floor until you wind up in a room surrounded by loli body pillows and a few dudes turn around and glance at you. I was always too embarrassed to join in the shameless browsing. But I didn't see a reason for this place to be 18+ either, maybe Shoryuken sheltered us ;).
Yep, lots of porno games and even some displays which I had to film around, unfortunately.
so what was it that makes you have to be 18 to go in there
Early Japanese Pcs had a ton of erotic games released do to the open source nature of a pc. they probably have an extensive ero game section.
hentai/ecchi eroge games
Yeah, porno games with very explicit covers, on display with everything else. I was able to avoid having them in the video, though I forgot to mention them later.
Alot of really good stuff in there. I want a Sharp X68000 so bad but all the midi boards and stuff you need to play it right is just way too much. And seems the only way I am gonna get one is to go to Japan and find one I never see them on Ebay anymore. How were the prices on the console games there?
They're about on par with what you'll find at the other shops.
Great video! What's that awesome 8 bit song from that you used towards the beginning of the video?
Thanks! That song is the ending theme from Gradius 2.
Space Manbow on MSX2, actually.
Man, I'm so addicted to that Gradius 2 soundtrack. It's amazing! Best on the Famicom? Anyway thanks opening this up to me. Mind blown.
I want to go they’re and review all the games
I got the DBZ card reader for 15bucks on eBay. Wonder how much was it there?
I didn't check but I see a lot of them so I don't think it would too much.
Does anyone know what the song is called which is played at the front door? Was in the store less than a week ago and it still plays the same music!
They sure know how to use space there :)
Indeed they do.
Great video
Thank you!
I'd watch this if it was hours long 😁👍🏼
It just might come to that if I start live streaming from Akiba.
18 years of age to go to a game store eh? i heard the japanese version of hagane is alot cheaper compared to the US verison. i only know of a few games on japanese computers but mostly ports or games apart of a series i know
Cheaper? Yes. Cheap? No.
well shit lol
What was the music that was playing at the beginning of the video ,
The intro song is from a game called Space Manbow by Konami. The song during the montage is from Gradius 2, the X68000 port I think.
nice video and great shop!
Visited them last year in March - bought shit for like 1400$ there xD
they have a lot of very premium titles. but also premium prices..
Yes indeed, those prices are what's been scaring me off from picking up an MSX and X68000.
recca 92?
8:03 - What.. is that... on the top?
Well, it is an 18 and older shop after all. You should see the stuff I intentionally didn't film.
I would like to buy a used Nintendo Switch while my visit in Japan. Do you think I can find one in Beep or would you recommend another store? Ty! :)
You'd be better off going to Trader, Surugaya, or Hard Off for that.
@@MadPanicGaming You mena the Surugaya MEGA Don Kihote Rapakuutsunomiyaten?
Please Try focusing on Prices sometimes on the game
Heh heh I was here 5 years ago too ☺
spotted: that one SM porn game for the super famicom, in a box no less
You, sir, have a keen eye.
Why did ya have to be 18?
There's actually quite a bit of adults only games mixed in with the others.
BOOP