Game Center CX: Who knew watching someone play videogames could be so entertaining?

maximumzero

So hey, any other Game Center CX fans on the boards here?

Here's a quickie intro, ripped straight out of Wikipedia.

GameCenter CX (ゲームセンターCX Gēmu Sentā Shī Ekkusu?), also known as Retro Game Master in other regions, is a Japanese television series where Shinya Arino, a member of comedy duo Yoiko, plays Japan's most popular video games (a majority of which are Family Computer games) and records his progress as he works through a time limit, usually lasting up to one day. He is supported by his Assistant Directors (herein referred to as ADs) and Staff, both via moral support and actual gameplay. He also gets the chance to interview game designers and to play arcade games occasionally.

Basically you've got Shinya Arino, otherwise known as "The Kachō", (Kachō meaning "section chief," or his"position" in the "fictional" company known as Game Center CX) a 40-year old comedian and minor Japanese celebrity, who challenges retro videogames. These games are usually on the actual hardware (Exceptions are normally Nintendo-sponsored episodes where Arino plays on the Wii U or 3DS' Virtual Console) and there's typically no cheating of any sort, unless Arino hits a proverbial wall and is unable to continue. He generally plays Famicom software, but also plays Super Famicom games and the occasional Mega Drive, Nintendo 64, and Playstation game. Challenges generally span only an episode (or a entire day of shooting) unless Arino requests an extension, where is continues onto a second day (and a second episode).

Arino, being a comedian brings some lighthearted commentary to the show, and it's refreshing to see someone playing videogames who's generally of average experience, especially in this time of tool-assisted speedruns and longplays.

There's also special events and small segments, such as a 24-hour live broadcasted playthrough of Lemmings on the Super Famicom, visits to publisher and developer Headquarters for interviews, road trips to find "the northernmost game" and "the southernmost game" in Japan, and even Game Center (arcade) visits. (These I'm generally super-jealous of.) He also made a visit to the US last year, and that one's full of awkward moments.

Even though the series isn't aired outside of Japan, a collection of 14 of the "fan favorite" episodes have been subtitled and dubbed (in the case of the announcer, not Arino himself) and is available on Amazon.

However, there's a dedicated group of fansubbers over at the Something Awful forums that subtitle episodes for the internet's consumption. The blog http://gamingcx.com/ contains a complete list of them. I was super-addicted to this for about a month straight and here's a few of my favorites to get you started:

Comix Zone - Sega Mega Drive

Battletoads - Famicom

Prince of Persia - Super Famicom

Lemmings - Super Famicom (Documentary of 24-Hour Live Challenge

Game Center CX in the USA! Pt. 1 (Also some Robocop - Famicom)

Game Center CX in the USA! Pt. 2 (Also some Robocop - Famicom)

Madpanda

I've. followed this series for quite some time, really got interested once the SA GCCX crew started subtitling it. The Ninja Gaiden and Ghosts and Goblins episodes are great intros to the series. The US episode had some odd moments but overall it was great to see the turnout, earlier in the episode they were talking about if only ~6 people showed up they should just take them out to dinner.

Watching GCCX got me to break down and add a famicom to my retro collection.

Xenogears of Bore

First episode of season 17 promises to be a doozy.

WotanAnubis

I enjoy watching an episode of this once in a while, though I could do without the segments that aren't Arino playing the game. I mean, I understand why they're there, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

Except those segments where a Buddhist monk teaches an important life lesson from some game's strategy guide. Those were pretty fun.

Madpanda

Without those segments we wouldn't have Arino playing metal slug with old ladies or little kids.

maximumzero

WotanAnubis wrote: »

I enjoy watching an episode of this once in a while, though I could do without the segments that aren't Arino playing the game. I mean, I understand why they're there, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

Except those segments where a Buddhist monk teaches an important life lesson from some game's strategy guide. Those were pretty fun.

Man the ones where he goes out to Game Centers/Shops are the best though. I miss arcades and it's just like rubbing salt in the wound for us Americans.

Plus the retro shops are always aces. I wish I could reliably buy NES games like that around here.

I love the "North Trip Game Journal" series just because we get to see so many arcades.

North Trip Game Journal 1 & 2

North Trip Game Journal 3 & 4

North Trip Game Journal 5, 6, & 7

North Trip Game Journal 8 & 9

Bartholamue

I've been to used game stores in Japan, and the stuff he shows in the episodes are pretty accurate.

Cameron_Talley

I actually like the non-gaming segments the best of all sometimes. I enjoy getting to see another culture. Plus, it's just fun! Arino is so funny.

CygnusZ

I love the "tamage-" bits, it's necessary to understand that arcades are slowly disappearing from Japan as well. There are some great sequences, like in one where he just shows off obscure hardware for around 10 mins an episode. Last season there was a pretty great one where he went to a fake casino and bet on which games would beat each other (Mario vs. Sonic etc) with a barcode battler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcode_Battler).

Basically Japanese Let's Play culture (Jikkyo play) stems from Game Center CX.

OneAngryPossum

This show is ruining my ability to tolerate the complete lack of production values on the average LP.

Rex Dart

Love this show. Probably my favorite is Mighty Bomb Jack and the Mighty Bomb Jack Live Show (which is basically a sequel to the episode).

I do like the Tamage- bits, but admit some of them can be a bit dull. My favorite non-gaming bit was "To Catch a Catch Copy," where they read a tag-line for a game's advertising campaign and they need to be the first person to identify the game it's from. It's surprisingly tough, and would love to play a US version of the game.

Xenogears of Bore

The last two seasons segments have been incredible but my all time favorite is ring in tactics or whatever the sub calls it.

Xenogears of Bore

Hot off the presses,

Kan's bloodlust knows no bounds! As if watching Arino suffer Quest of Ki live in front of the entire nation wasnt enough, this time he must face his old arch nemesis Beat Takeshi. Arino must defeat the "classic" "game" Takeshi's Challenge in this two hour live re-match special. This Zari-gani translation was proofread by the new Hirayuki, making sure the words are made up of the correct letters.

At the usual source.

RockinX

I love Game Center CX. I bought the DVD back when it came out, and I was so busy working for a shitty place that I forgot to watch all of them (and it would have helped me with the Japanese Language Proficiency Test). But that doesn't matter! I'll watch the entirety of it this week for sure when I get some time.

Shady3011

The newest episode that aired in Japan was a real riot. You'll definitely enjoy it when it's subbed.