100 Yen: The Japanese Arcade Experience Demo
Description
Vocal Characteristics
Language
EnglishVoice Age
Middle Aged (35-54)Accents
North American (General)Transcript
Note: Transcripts are generated using speech recognition software and may contain errors.
Title was founded 60 years ago. We started as an import goods company and we would bring in items from overseas like pinball games. Our president then decided that arcade seemed to be working well in America and that they would suit Japan equally well. We created our first arcade story and it was a success. They made us say, why do we start making our own games? In 1978 Space Invaders was born, the programmer and director of the game was Nishikata in the standard arcade. There were space invader cabinets and various other games, usually around 50 to 100 games throughout the arcade. But customers really only wanted to play Space Invaders and the other games were only taking of space. So we decided to make arcades with only space invader cabinets. These became known as Invader houses. It turned out to be a great idea. A game of Space Invaders cost a single 100 yen coin per plate and customers would pump their coins into the machine, spending hundreds of coins per person every day. It became such an epidemic that Japan actually ran out of 100 yen coins. Historical records show that while the banks did their best to keep up, they couldn't print coins fast enough causing an incredible shortage. Of course, shooting games are my first love. Instead of a human running around with a gun, we have these futuristic spaceships shooting aliens. That idea alone was so new and such a romantic concept. Of course, Space Invaders is one of the most recognized Japanese games. But when you mention the word game to someone who grew up at the time, they immediately think of a space ship moving across the X and Y axis and shooting bullets.