Round 1 is a cool place

7/1/2024

It's very nice to have a Round1 withtin relatively close proximity to me, at the cost of my paychecks.

Me and my friends have been going there alot more often nowadays, with our most recent pilgrimage where stayed there til like 12AM, while my friends heed their gambling addicition spending what I think is far too much money on coin pushers, I meanwhile go to the Rhythm Game area.

Asmuch as I appreciate the genre they are still quite a bit daunting, I think I've finally scoped out the games I do enjoy seeing Improving at though. One of those games I'm particularly surprised at my enjoyment of is Dance Dance Revolution.

I felt an obligation to try as the dancing type games were the only games I hadn't tried at that point, my e-amusement pass also gave me mild incentive to play since I think using one is still pretty neat to me. You probably say I got hooked on it, after a few more card swipes and being mildly drenched in sweat.

Despite the fact some of the inputs dropped no matter how hard you pressed your foot on the arrows, and how the display can sometimes be distorted, I had quite a good time with the game, Once I got "in the groove" the game felt very natural to me. I'd argue that after playing DDR that it was certainly the least daunting Rhythm Game there. That makes me happy, It's also a good workout, though someone as light as me probably doesn't need to burn more calories, lol.

Song lists are always gonna be hit or miss for me in any kind of Rhythm game but I was particularly surprised at my enjoyment of the songs from Tokimeki Memorial Project, An Idol game that apparently closed down like 2 years ago. I have a bias towards cheery, bubbly songs unfortunately, so shoutouts Jewelry Days and Smiling Passion from that folder.

It is a shame that, when the DDR machine upgraded to WORLD, all those Tokimeki Idol songs (alongside many others) were wiped off, upsetting, but they'll probably bring some of them back if it's to my understanding?

Other than DDR, I've still been playing Music Diver (My arcade finally got Nesica Cards in stock, so I can finally save my play data and unlock songs :D) which is still good fun, and unlike some of the other games, still recieves new updates and music so I have genuine reason to go back. I think I still wanna give IIDX and Sound Voltex another go but I'm usually too preoccupied with other stuff there to focus on them, for IIDX I still don't quite understand how to position my hands to play well with, and Sound Voltex is a little too close to the air hockey tables for my liking, though they recently added another SDVX machine which is nice, the other one was already a bit damaged somehow.

I should probably try out more simulators for other rhythm games and save me the money, though playing on a keyboard won't ever replace the feel playing on the actual cab, nor will playing at home match the feel of playing at an actual location. I know IIDX Infinitas exists, but I don't particularly wanna spend $15 on a subscription for a game I don't particularly understand lol. Maybe I should play DJMAX Respect again, despite the fact it has DRM that makes it run worse, takes up like 60 GB of space, and the price of the Game + DLC require you to make a down payment on your house to buy when outside of a sale, It's probably the Rhythm Game I put the most time into, and I quite like the Music from the older DJMAX titles. I'm also going to a convention in some weeks, so hopefully the arcade setup there will give me more of a chance to try out Rhythm games that aren't at Round1 or I can't easily simulate on my laptop.

Other than Rhythm games, me and my friends have also tried our luck at the crane game type machines, Me and my girlfriend have won a good amount of figures and small plushes during our time which is neat. Again, arguably spending a bit too much on trying to win, but we've put a good effort into what machines are winnable and such. It's still nice to have an anime figure even if the prize figures are lower quality.

Unlike my friends though, thank god I don't spend any money on coin pushers. Jesus are those a time sink for something you aren't guarenteed to win, my friends huddled around a Smash Stadium coin pusher to win all the cards. We've been to that machine so much that the manager of Round1 actually started to collectively recognize us lmao. My friends actually did manage to get all the cards, with one of them cashing them in for the 3000 ticket bonus while the other 2 kept them cause the art is cool.

If it means anything, Smash Stadium atleast is pretty cool visually, gotta hook people who spend alot of money somehow! And the drawn art on the cards is quite nice aswell.

Coin pushers are atleast fun as a spectator surprisingly enough, there is a weird energy when theres like, 6 twenty somethings huddling around round seat waiting to see coins/balls/cards drop. I guess its like "the thrill of the hunt" for us.

Now to go on an only mildly related tangent; It really does suck that arcades died out in the states outside of some chains and local places, and even then, they can also suck.

I'm always gonna be a little envious of Japan for still having a relatively lively arcade culture (although don't get me wrong, arcades have been dwindling there aswell.) I am also jealous of Japan for having a robust transit system but that's neither here nor there.

I'm very lucky to have a Round1 open up nearby, as the other big chain in the states, Dave & Busters, sucks major balls.

If there's anything to take from this post, uh, play rhythm games or something.