Author Topic: StreetPassin' in Akihabara (Read 6183 times)

the_dan_x · « **on:** May 21, 2011, 10:13:57 AM »

Two-thirds of the Famicast crew hit the streets of Tokyo to try out StreetPass.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blog/26370

Your friendly Nintendo World Report Japan Correspondents took to the streets of Tokyo in an attempt to take advantage of one of the main capabilities of the Nintendo 3DS – StreetPass. James Charlton and Danny Bivens ventured into Akihabara on a Friday afternoon in early April to see how many StreetPasses they could come across in the bustling electronic capital of Tokyo. Lucky for you, all of this was captured in video form (available in 720p). If you want to get a closer look at the crowded streets of Akihabara, an awesome arcade, the infamous old-school games store Super Potato, and of course the number of StreetPasses the Famicast crew picked up on that fateful day, check out and enjoy the video below.

UncleBob · « **Reply #1 on:** May 21, 2011, 10:27:30 AM »

LAYTON AND LUKE PLUSHIES!

DO WANT!

Ceric · « **Reply #2 on:** May 21, 2011, 11:12:49 AM »

Should I blame Typ for the Music being way louder then the speakers... Its movie style annoying.
Besides that I enjoyed the feature and thought it was cut together very well. Is Super Potato really as cramped as it looked?

Jonnyboy117 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 21, 2011, 11:28:14 AM »

Awesome video, guys! I like how you started near the sakura tree. Super Potato is perhaps #1 on my list of must-see Japan destinations. You got an amazing deal on Pilotwings 64. Does Danny actually have a 64DD? Some of the games for it are extremely expensive. Also, I think Danny looks a bit like Shane Bettenhausen but with darker hair.

the_dan_x · « **Reply #4 on:** May 21, 2011, 01:04:15 PM »

Ceric, Super Potato is SUPER cramped. That's my only complaint about the store. A lot of shops in Tokyo have no choice, though. I've read that they recently opened up a new location in Ikebukuro, and that they have several other locations in Osaka.

Johnny, I unfortunately DON'T have a 64DD, but I have four games for it (including the two I bought from the video). A few years back, they had one for sale at Super Potato for like 50,000 yen (at the time, roughly $500) that came with 5-6 games, N64 mouse, Radnet connecter and a number of other goodies. I saw it at the store for two years or so until somebody bought it. I really want to get one and try out Sim City and the F-Zero Expansion disk that I have. Freakin' awesome!

Btw, somebody once told me I looked like George Michael. I didn't know what I should think of that...

pololmejor · « **Reply #5 on:** May 21, 2011, 01:51:37 PM »

How did you guy's know each time you got a hit?

NWR_pap64 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 21, 2011, 04:01:36 PM »

Excellent video, guys! This was really well done, unique and very fun! I loved seeing all those arcade machines, games and collectibles, especially the plushies.

Sundoulos · « **Reply #7 on:** May 21, 2011, 04:15:03 PM »

Nice video! I loved this.

By the way, I noticed that several people in the video were wearing facemasks. I had no idea that it was so common. Is this due to any health incident in particular, or was it because of a general aversion to germs?

NWR_pap64 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 21, 2011, 04:39:36 PM »

Quote from: Sundoulos on May 21, 2011, 04:15:03 PM

Nice video! I loved this.

By the way, I noticed that several people in the video were wearing facemasks. I had no idea that it was so common. Is this due to any health incident in particular, or was it because of a general aversion to germs?

Danny and James might have a better answer for this, but from what I've read in Japan it is common courtesy to wear a mask if you have a cold or any other disease so you don't infect other people. In TYP's Akiba video there were people like that.

famicomplicated · « **Reply #9 on:** May 21, 2011, 09:32:00 PM »

Thanks for the comments guys!

Quote from: pololmejor on May 21, 2011, 01:51:37 PM

How did you guy's know each time you got a hit?

We didn't, it's called "artistic license for dramatic effect"

LOL@ the face mask comments (I think every Japan video has caused these same questions!)
Pedro was right, it's for cleanliness, stopping the spread of your cold/disease to others.
Japan was among the first countries to get rid of the H1N1 flu epidemic, now you know why!

For a more in depth look at Super Potato (every single floor of it!) check out the video TYP and I did back in 2009: right here

Dozy Boy · « **Reply #10 on:** May 22, 2011, 04:28:25 AM »

As for the masks, it's mostly for cedar allergies this time of year. I heard that something like a fifth or fourth of the population has cedar hayfever. But, yeah, I remember my first day in Japan. Saw all those masks and thought, "what the...? Get me the heck of this infected train!"

LittleIrves · « **Reply #11 on:** May 23, 2011, 11:13:41 AM »

Cool video, guys.
Ooh, how excited I was for the 64DD to come out in the States. And then... it didn't. Very curious about that Mario Artist game.
Probably the closest thing to Super Potato I've been to is Video Games New York in NYC. If you're close to the city, I'd definitely check them out. Packed full of new and old games, imports, neat curiosities.

famicomplicated · « **Reply #12 on:** May 24, 2011, 03:46:12 AM »

I'd like to share a little funny story that happened to Danny and I while we were making this video.

We'd just finished browsing the umpteenth video-games store of the day which was on the 5th floor of this tiny building, (I know that doesn't make sense, but this is Japan) we were making our way back to the 1st/ground floor in this impossibly small lift/elevator that can only fit 4 people max, and a third guy walked in.
I noticed he was carrying a 3DS and he was checking out his Mii plaza, as I was looking I noticed Danny's Mii pop onto his screen, I thought, that's cool seeing StreetPass happen in realtime in front of our eyes, I said to the guy (In Japanese) "oh this is the guy you just got" as I indicated towards Danny.
He looked at me from the corner of his eye, without turning towards us and as soon as the lift doors opened he bolted out as fast as he could without saying a word!

Isn't it great how StreetPass is helping normally shy people meet new friends!
/sarcasm

Of maybe it was the Katana I had strapped to my back, who knows.