I am in Japan, which system should I buy?

[botolo]

Hello,

First of all, let me introduce myself. I am 39 years old, originally from Italy but now living in the US.

Being 39 years old, I played most of the systems during my lifetime. I started with the Sega Master System and I then had the Super Nintendo, PC-Engine (Turbografx) Sega Genesis (Sega Megadrive in Europe), Gameboy, Gameboy Advance, Nintendo 64, Nintendo Gamecube, Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo DS, Playstation, Playstation 2, Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360 and I now have a PS3 and a Nintendo Wii U.

While I played so many times some of the first consoles (the Super Nintendo was my favorite), I started playing very few games on the most recent consoles, maybe because I was getting older and other interests started to appear in the horizon.

Anyway, in the US I currently have only some of the console mentioned above: the Nintendo 64 with Super Mario 64, the PS3 with a couple of FPS and the Nintendo Wii U with an Avengers game.

I am in Tokyo for the Summer, until the end of July, and I was thinking this would be a great opportunity to go to one of the best retro games store in the world, Super Potato, and buy some cool stuff. I would love to buy one or two systems and some games but I can't make up my mind.

Should I buy my favorite console, the Super Nintendo or should I go with a console that I never had before, like the Neo Geo? Should I buy a handheld device, so that I can play in the metro while going all around Tokyo, or should I buy a normal system and play it with the TV I have here in the apartment? And about games, should I buy some classic or should I use the opportunity of being here and buy some strange Japanese game?

I hope you will help me. Thanks a lot!

[Hobie-wan]

It will depend on what you want to play since different consoles have different strengths. There are a bunch of other 'what should I buy in Japan' threads, search for them and read over them as they had ideas on where to go besides just Super Potato.

[Sano]

Hmm, I don't know what advice to give you. I would say go with a system you are familiar with, but don't own. And welcome to the forums

[botolo]

Thanks to all of you for your feedback. I am trying to find some similar topics here but I had no luck so far. I'll keep searching. I found some threads on the "which game should I buy" theme but none related to "which system should I buy".

[fastbilly1]

If you like the Super NES/Super Famicom, then buy for that. I would also suggest getting a PC Engine Coregrafx or Duo and as many games that will fit around your SFC stuff. The Coregrafx itself is the size of two cd cases and the games are credit card sized. PCE games are like the step between the NES and SNES and are good solid fun.

[SpoonyBard]

What kind of games do you like?

[Menegrothx]

Sharp X68000 is the true elite retro gamers choice

[Retrodude]

I would also suggest getting a PC Engine Coregrafx or Duo and as many games that will fit around your SFC stuff. The Coregrafx itself is the size of two cd cases and the games are credit card sized. PCE games are like the step between the NES and SNES and are good solid fun.

I second this. The PCE has one of the best libraries overall IMO and there are tons of great games that never made it out of Japan.

[Gunstar Green]

If I was in Japan I'd go with something like the PCE or Saturn which had much more impressive Japanese libraries.

The Super Famicom isn't a terrible choice though since you can get some of the popular games for it a hell of a lot cheaper than you can for the Super Nintendo in the US.

If you go that route though I suggest you get a US model Super Nintendo even if it isn't as nice looking as the Super Famicom. You can pry the plastic tabs out of the cartridge slot pretty easily and it will play both Super Famicom and Super Nintendo games.

In other words buy loads of Super Famicom games in Japan then buy the system back home.

All of Nintendo's handhelds up until I think the DS Lite (I don't remember if the DSi started region locking or not) are region free as well if you want to stock up on those games.

[sosoyo180]

I second this. The PCE has one of the best libraries overall IMO and there are tons of great games that never made it out of Japan.

Definitely go for a PC Engine Duo if you're going to get a PCE, a lot of expensive TurboGrafx games are really cheap on the PCE and most don't have too much text involved (Gate of thunder, Winds Of Thunder, Air Zonk, Soldier games...)