I remember Street Sk8ter and it's sequel when I was growing up and while they may not be on the same level as the THPS games, they were still fun. Upon reflection, they were like the closest thing we ever got to a home version of Sega's Top Skater but without the arcade set-up.
I only had the first one, and I never could get the hang of it. I liked the style of it, the visuals and music were neat, I just couldn't win and progress.
I'm on to the 3rd course but I can't understand how to gain the amount of points needed. I also don't know if time is a factor. I guess I'd better check the manual.
Great to hear your opinions. Hard Off is a huge blindspot for me when we were in Tokyo. We went to a small one in Akihabara and it felt way less frequented. The one you showed looks primo.
I missed your vids like this man! Thank you so much! Planning to go to Japan to visit some of these shops❤ Never knew about the PS1 you showcased and even if they looked janky or bad, you piqued my interest so I'm gonna try them, especially Cybernetic Empire 😂 Loved Kage on the NES as a kid❤
Stuff I bought 40 years ago still looks new too. It's just that many people in western countries don't look after stuff. Saying that, used Korean stuff is normally bloody awful. China obviously is since they don't care about keeping anything good.
If I sold all my Mega Drive games, at current prices, I'm sure to get a about 1.5 million yen. I have about a hundred original Japanese games. Many of which command a high price these days.
C1 Circuit is a complete honker to the point it's genuinely funny, worth 50 yen for the strange way cars bounce off walls and music that sounds like it was made up on the spot. I got it off eBay absolutely years ago for something like a fiver. You do end up racing against opponents after a while (I think up to two?) and there can actually be a lot of traffic on screen for a PS1 game, but it's just lousy and feels like some early development version they released. You're not wrong about the condition of games, I buy off Mercari a lot and pretty much everything turns up immaculate - the last batch even the jewel cases looked brand new. Actually I'll just send you a photo and you can stick it on the next pickup video!
Hey what's up, Mark, and greetings from the United States. You've really got some solid pick-ups right there. Thanks for sharing them with us. Too bad I didn't have time to take any picture of gaming-related items and send them right over to you.
Yeah that Hard Off was expensive, and they're all much the same these days. I was in Niigata not long back and that was the first time in well, years that. I felt like I walked into a pretty well priced Hard Off store. Street Boarders is OK, I see it as being more like Top Skater for the 32bit systems. Street Boarders 2 is indeed better, and it's nice to have that, THPS2 and Thrasher Sk8 as they tick off different boxes (arcade style, console, simulation).
Yeah, Hard Off these days is incredibly expensive for the most part. There can be bargains found in the junk area but yeah, going to a independent store would yeild better deals.
Nice. To be fair, Miyazaki is very poor so I'm not surprised you could find some deals down there. Oita is a surprise with all the overseas university students in Beppu.
Since these were from the junk area (apart from the Wolfteam game) they wouldn't have been resurfaced but they do resurface some stuff. With a PlayStation game though, it's easy to see if the disc was resurfaced due to the black lacquer they apply to the discs.
Nice collection you got there, honestly the Japanese really know have to take care of their games. I’m not surprised that Mega Drive games are going up in. Price in Japan which games are getting expensive anyway. That Legend of the Ninja game on PS4 looks, cool I’m surprised the Switch version doesn’t run as well considering its pixel art but yeah in general with the Switch 3rd party games are a bit hit or miss. Anyway great video as always.
Speaking as a fan of Drakengard (the western name for Drag on Dragoon (and the better name imo)), ...yeah it's decent. It's a musou style game with a fairly deep story. The first 2 games are connected but divided by a few years. And the 2nd game really delves into the aftermath of the main original characters with some surprising turns and redemption. Also, the Nier series is an offshoot of the first game's final ending (featuring the real world and missiles!!) Oh yeah, and you also ride a dragon and can stomp around and breathe fire and all that. Or dash around slashing with various kinds of weapons that have little stories as they evolve. All good fun
Sounds like a fun title. Thanks for the input. I'll grab that next time I'm down in Hard Off. I do like the Nier games so it's likely I'll enjoy this as well.
I was in Kagawa last year visiting my partner’s family. I was expecting to find a bunch of bargains thinking I’m outside the regular tourist spots. The only thing genuinely cheap was the DSi. Bought one in box for 4000 yen. I also bought a gameboy pocket that was a few hundred more and in a plastic bag. I wanted that so I could play my dank studio GB games I made on real hardware. I wanted a 3DS, but 15 000 yen was too much for my blood. Anything cheaper was faulty. Lose famicom and gb cartridges were cheap. But honestly I’m fine with roms. Coco curry fixed all the emotional pain of the pain caused by the false TH-cam promise of rural Japan being where all the top retro bargains are.
I've been saying that all along, unfortunately many TH-camrs will falsify thumbnails and talk utter balls just to pull in views which is very disingenuous. This is especially the case since Japan reopened its borders. I live here and travel frequently all over and pop into second hand stores if I have time, and it's a similar story in almost all stores, most are overpriced and even Mercari (online marketplace) has begun to get very expensive.
@@vix_in_japan all the geek stuff I loved about Japan since my first time there 24 years ago has been heavily turned down. I still like going back, but the angry monkeys are the highlight now.
Kagawa wouldn't be a good place to find deals. Especially in stores like Hard Off. Where I live is not a place for tourist yet Hard Off is way over priced. These days their pricing is nuts.
Hi Mark! I see you're back to your ninja videos. Sadly, the prices for decent consoles and games are on the steep side, or at least that's my impression. Oh well, at least the business is still up and nothing has been closed due to economic struggle. Have a good one!
Running High look interesting, and I bet everyone will like in the west with that name 😏, I swear Japanese title back then so SUS and I am all for it LOL.
Running High has the aesthetics of WipeOut games, with runners instead of Anti-G racers. As for KILLING ZONE, it was featured on Matt McMuscles channel "Worst Fighting Games of All Times" series. Have fun with that one!
My pickups in a list: Game Boy: Ultra Golf NES: Tengen Ms. Pac-Man SNES/SFC: Jikkyou Power Pro Yakyuu 96 Jikkyou Power Pro Yakyuu 97 Jikkyou Power Pro Yakyuu 98 Dino Land Major Title aka Irem Skins game Konami NFL Football (awful game) Libble Rabble (old Namco goodness) Prince of Persia Midway Presents Arcade Greatest Hits the Atari Collection 1 Super High Impact Football Super Off Road Went with a lot of sports, some for the Konami part of my collection (the GB Golf game, and the baseball games) 209 now in total for the company, others as arcade ports (Off Road, Major Title, High Impact Football). Closing in on 220 SNES/SFC games, never thought I'd be able to get so many due to high prices on some games. Christmas time gets will likely be Star Fox, and Side Pocket, all these years collecting, and never picked up Star Fox amazingly. But that will change soon.
I am currently in Japan right now on holiday and I was in Sapporo looking for a Gintama figure for my Friend and the Bookoff there had one for 2800yen (around $28AUD for me) I was amazed at how many cool figures they had there, many under 10000yen. Also the Pokemon games especially the DS ones like Heartgold and Soulsilver are WAAAAAAAAAAAY cheaper than the Western versions, shame they dont have english language options haha. Also whats the difference between Hardoff and Bookoff, is Hardoff strictly electronic goods?.
I trully don't understand the wests fascination with Pokemon games making them so expensive. Originally book off only covered books but they moved in to audio, video and games. Soon after other stuff like models. Hard Off sells electronics where as book off didn't but I think some now do.
street boarders reminds me of top skater! i bought calisto protocol but it is really broken and some of the boss fights are so broken too! recently got world heroes anthology and art of anthology for ps2! ps you forgot to pick me up kof for the neogeo aes! 🤣🤣 pps whens the keijo anime series review lol
Oh man, that's a tough one. Here we go. 1. Saturn (Japanese of course) 2. Super Famicom 3. Mega Drive 4. Xbox 360 5. PlayStation 1 6. PC Engine (including CD) 7. Dreamcast 8. Master System 9. Neo Geo 10. PS2
Finally one of these videos after decades!
It's been a while and sure does seem like decades 😅
@@RetroCore thx for taking us there!
Glad to see another one of these videos pop up! Maybe a life in Japan video sometime in the near future? Thanks!
I've been collecting footage for the next life in Japan video. Once I have enough ill publish a new video 👍
I remember Street Sk8ter and it's sequel when I was growing up and while they may not be on the same level as the THPS games, they were still fun.
Upon reflection, they were like the closest thing we ever got to a home version of Sega's Top Skater but without the arcade set-up.
Yeah, I'd agree. Playing it really did remind me of TOP skater.
I'll have to pick up the second game if I can find a good copy of it.
I only had the first one, and I never could get the hang of it. I liked the style of it, the visuals and music were neat, I just couldn't win and progress.
I'm on to the 3rd course but I can't understand how to gain the amount of points needed. I also don't know if time is a factor.
I guess I'd better check the manual.
Great to hear your opinions. Hard Off is a huge blindspot for me when we were in Tokyo. We went to a small one in Akihabara and it felt way less frequented. The one you showed looks primo.
Love that Mushihimesama music! 😍
Man, games and consoles in Japan second hand stores are so well preserved. Thanks Mark 👍🏼
A Hard Off video is like retro Retro Core! Good times.
Looooove this kind of content.
Learning about so many new games
Glad you could find something new via the video.
I missed your vids like this man! Thank you so much! Planning to go to Japan to visit some of these shops❤
Never knew about the PS1 you showcased and even if they looked janky or bad, you piqued my interest so I'm gonna try them, especially Cybernetic Empire 😂 Loved Kage on the NES as a kid❤
Have fun on your trip. Best to bring a lot of cash though. The great prices for hardware are long gone.
Still, plenty of deals in the junk sections.
Cave shump Bug Princess music!
Importing from Japan, the discs are always in perfect shape. This goes for vinyl records too. Albums that were released 40 years ago look brand new.
Stuff I bought 40 years ago still looks new too.
It's just that many people in western countries don't look after stuff. Saying that, used Korean stuff is normally bloody awful. China obviously is since they don't care about keeping anything good.
I was surprised to see a Game Gear TV Tuner in the wild (in a local CeX store) for £8. It's now plugged in to the Game Gear I have on display at home.
Cool. They're pretty much useless these days but still a great display item.
Nice, fancy running high. am seeing Megadrive prices get mad on YAJ, rarely a barg to be had now.
If I sold all my Mega Drive games, at current prices, I'm sure to get a about 1.5 million yen. I have about a hundred original Japanese games. Many of which command a high price these days.
That Hori stick for 5500 seems like a good price. Looks like it's in great condition and would be easy to fix whatever is making it "junk".
Right on
C1 Circuit is a complete honker to the point it's genuinely funny, worth 50 yen for the strange way cars bounce off walls and music that sounds like it was made up on the spot. I got it off eBay absolutely years ago for something like a fiver. You do end up racing against opponents after a while (I think up to two?) and there can actually be a lot of traffic on screen for a PS1 game, but it's just lousy and feels like some early development version they released. You're not wrong about the condition of games, I buy off Mercari a lot and pretty much everything turns up immaculate - the last batch even the jewel cases looked brand new. Actually I'll just send you a photo and you can stick it on the next pickup video!
I'll have to play C1 Circuit some more just to see how it is once we get to race on a populated street.
Hey what's up, Mark, and greetings from the United States. You've really got some solid pick-ups right there. Thanks for sharing them with us. Too bad I didn't have time to take any picture of gaming-related items and send them right over to you.
No worries. Maybe you can send some over for the next show.
Yeah that Hard Off was expensive, and they're all much the same these days. I was in Niigata not long back and that was the first time in well, years that. I felt like I walked into a pretty well priced Hard Off store. Street Boarders is OK, I see it as being more like Top Skater for the 32bit systems. Street Boarders 2 is indeed better, and it's nice to have that, THPS2 and Thrasher Sk8 as they tick off different boxes (arcade style, console, simulation).
Yeah, Hard Off these days is incredibly expensive for the most part. There can be bargains found in the junk area but yeah, going to a independent store would yeild better deals.
@@RetroCore Absolutely, they can be hit and miss but I found a good one in Oita, and one down in Miyazaki back this the spring.
Nice. To be fair, Miyazaki is very poor so I'm not surprised you could find some deals down there.
Oita is a surprise with all the overseas university students in Beppu.
Definitely more fun than a trip to Tesco's 😎👍
Lol, I'd say so.
I am so glad that this type of store does not exist in Czechia... I would need another apartment for all of this 😀
Also: Mushihimesama music 🥰
Lol, I know just what you mean.
Before moving in to a house I used to live in an apartment with very little space for such toys 😅
I have been buying digitally for so many years now that I can hardly remember the beauty of some packages.
That's the evil of digital media. You loose any true ownership and the beauty of the packing.
6600 yen for a boxed Dreamcast... That's a little over 40 euros/dollars! Incredibly cheap if you ask me.
Not for Japan. They were once half that. The MSX2 in the glass case which can't really be seen on the video was something crazy like 58,000 yen 😱
Cool video...i m getting running high too.....keep up
It's a fun game but the fact all characters must finish first place to open up that last course is a bummer.
Do they sell resurfaced discs at Hard Off? You mentioned the good condition of the discs and I wondered if resurfacing could be the reason for that.
Since these were from the junk area (apart from the Wolfteam game) they wouldn't have been resurfaced but they do resurface some stuff. With a PlayStation game though, it's easy to see if the disc was resurfaced due to the black lacquer they apply to the discs.
Nice collection you got there, honestly the Japanese really know have to take care of their games. I’m not surprised that Mega Drive games are going up in. Price in Japan which games are getting expensive anyway. That Legend of the Ninja game on PS4 looks, cool I’m surprised the Switch version doesn’t run as well considering its pixel art but yeah in general with the Switch 3rd party games are a bit hit or miss. Anyway great video as always.
Thanks for watching!
Speaking as a fan of Drakengard (the western name for Drag on Dragoon (and the better name imo)), ...yeah it's decent. It's a musou style game with a fairly deep story. The first 2 games are connected but divided by a few years. And the 2nd game really delves into the aftermath of the main original characters with some surprising turns and redemption.
Also, the Nier series is an offshoot of the first game's final ending (featuring the real world and missiles!!)
Oh yeah, and you also ride a dragon and can stomp around and breathe fire and all that. Or dash around slashing with various kinds of weapons that have little stories as they evolve. All good fun
Sounds like a fun title. Thanks for the input.
I'll grab that next time I'm down in Hard Off.
I do like the Nier games so it's likely I'll enjoy this as well.
It's weird that the Japanese version of Kage doesn't have a manual, but the PAL version has.
Really? Oh man, we got ripped off on this one.
Yes. I was shocked. :D
Sweet, been waiting for one of these.
Hope you like it!
@@RetroCorenice shorts Mark😂
Nice haul, even if some of them are less 'triple AAA' and more 'triple eh?'. 👍😁
You got that right!
I was in Kagawa last year visiting my partner’s family. I was expecting to find a bunch of bargains thinking I’m outside the regular tourist spots. The only thing genuinely cheap was the DSi. Bought one in box for 4000 yen. I also bought a gameboy pocket that was a few hundred more and in a plastic bag. I wanted that so I could play my dank studio GB games I made on real hardware. I wanted a 3DS, but 15 000 yen was too much for my blood. Anything cheaper was faulty. Lose famicom and gb cartridges were cheap. But honestly I’m fine with roms.
Coco curry fixed all the emotional pain of the pain caused by the false TH-cam promise of rural Japan being where all the top retro bargains are.
I've been saying that all along, unfortunately many TH-camrs will falsify thumbnails and talk utter balls just to pull in views which is very disingenuous. This is especially the case since Japan reopened its borders. I live here and travel frequently all over and pop into second hand stores if I have time, and it's a similar story in almost all stores, most are overpriced and even Mercari (online marketplace) has begun to get very expensive.
@@vix_in_japan all the geek stuff I loved about Japan since my first time there 24 years ago has been heavily turned down. I still like going back, but the angry monkeys are the highlight now.
Kagawa wouldn't be a good place to find deals. Especially in stores like Hard Off.
Where I live is not a place for tourist yet Hard Off is way over priced. These days their pricing is nuts.
Lol, the angry monkeys can be a right hoot until they come too close.
@@sloppynyuszi Haha the Japanese monkeys are indeed fun, I see them from time to time where I live in Mie.
It's safe to say, I want them all Mark. But of course anything Neo-Geo will receive seniority first in the collection brother man. 8^)
Anthony..
Hi Mark! I see you're back to your ninja videos. Sadly, the prices for decent consoles and games are on the steep side, or at least that's my impression. Oh well, at least the business is still up and nothing has been closed due to economic struggle. Have a good one!
Running High look interesting, and I bet everyone will like in the west with that name 😏,
I swear Japanese title back then so SUS and I am all for it LOL.
I totally agree. The designers were most very likely running high.
Running High has the aesthetics of WipeOut games, with runners instead of Anti-G racers.
As for KILLING ZONE, it was featured on Matt McMuscles channel "Worst Fighting Games of All Times" series. Have fun with that one!
Oh man, Killing Zone is very bad. I'm so surprised at how bad it actually is.
It’s been 84 years…
I thought that Street Sk8ter on the PS1 was a decent game. It has good music.
It was fun competing with friends for the high score.
Well said!
i just got a genius idea for gamers and gaming developers, outside retro inside powerhouse
It's been done I'm afraid.
11:21 Of course スケベ Mark had to go there...
I wouldn't say I'm a スケベ. I just like the shape 😉
Would have loved to see some prices on PC98 machines. 😊
Ah, they're about 40,000 to 50, 000
My pickups in a list:
Game Boy:
Ultra Golf
NES:
Tengen Ms. Pac-Man
SNES/SFC:
Jikkyou Power Pro Yakyuu 96
Jikkyou Power Pro Yakyuu 97
Jikkyou Power Pro Yakyuu 98
Dino Land
Major Title aka Irem Skins game
Konami NFL Football (awful game)
Libble Rabble (old Namco goodness)
Prince of Persia
Midway Presents Arcade Greatest Hits the Atari Collection 1
Super High Impact Football
Super Off Road
Went with a lot of sports, some for the Konami part of my collection (the GB Golf game, and the baseball games) 209 now in total for the company, others as arcade ports (Off Road, Major Title, High Impact Football). Closing in on 220 SNES/SFC games, never thought I'd be able to get so many due to high prices on some games. Christmas time gets will likely be Star Fox, and Side Pocket, all these years collecting, and never picked up Star Fox amazingly. But that will change soon.
That's quite a lot you got there.
About side pocket, if possible maybe get it for the Mega Drive if you can. It's nicer than the SNES version.
You love cave shumps music... :P
I sure do.
My brother and I played the hell out of Street Sk8er bitd, but as soon as THPS came out we never played it again.
I can see that if you're really in to Skateboard ing.
I am currently in Japan right now on holiday and I was in Sapporo looking for a Gintama figure for my Friend and the Bookoff there had one for 2800yen (around $28AUD for me) I was amazed at how many cool figures they had there, many under 10000yen.
Also the Pokemon games especially the DS ones like Heartgold and Soulsilver are WAAAAAAAAAAAY cheaper than the Western versions, shame they dont have english language options haha.
Also whats the difference between Hardoff and Bookoff, is Hardoff strictly electronic goods?.
I trully don't understand the wests fascination with Pokemon games making them so expensive.
Originally book off only covered books but they moved in to audio, video and games. Soon after other stuff like models.
Hard Off sells electronics where as book off didn't but I think some now do.
street boarders reminds me of top skater! i bought calisto protocol but it is really broken and some of the boss fights are so broken too! recently got world heroes anthology and art of anthology for ps2!
ps you forgot to pick me up kof for the neogeo aes! 🤣🤣
pps whens the keijo anime series review lol
Yeah, street boarders definitely has that Top Skater vibe. I bet that's what influenced the developer.
By the way, what on earth is Keijo?
@@RetroCore keijo is an over the top japanese anime!
Ah, I see. Maybe my son knows it.
A hot and sticky day calls for a trip to Hard Off! 🤣
It sure does. 😅
i'm wondering what are your favorite consoles
can you make a top 10 ? xD
Oh man, that's a tough one.
Here we go.
1. Saturn (Japanese of course)
2. Super Famicom
3. Mega Drive
4. Xbox 360
5. PlayStation 1
6. PC Engine (including CD)
7. Dreamcast
8. Master System
9. Neo Geo
10. PS2
@@RetroCore very happy to know that Saturn has a lot of love from Japan hahaha
Did the Xbox 360 were popular back in the day as well ?
I love how Retro Core picks up some games then tells you how shit they are lol.
Yep, I take the hit so you don't have too :D
@@RetroCore Joking aside RC, thanks as always for the awesome content.
Maybe in future video give an opinion were you think the Japanese game/console industry is going.
Nah, it's so random who knows.
Just when I think I have PS1 covered I hear about a bunch of games I never heard of.
Yep, theres so much on that system.