After leaving the Iwakura shopping centre, we proceeded to our second pinball location – Korona World Komaki. It only took around 8 minutes by car.
Korona World
Korona World is a big amusement centre in Komaki. Through a collaboration with the Japan Game Museum, the centre has set up a dedicated area for retro games since early this year. It is a so-called “mini-JGM”.
There are six pinballs and some vintage video games
Gemini (1978Gottlieb)
Surfing (1972, Sega Japan)
Carnival (1971, Sega Japan)
Playboy (1978 ,Bally)
Rocky & Bullwinkle (1993, Data East)
The Addams Family (1992, Bally)
The six pinballsCocktail video games
It was very exciting and amazing for me to see the Gemini game. According to the ipdb.org, only 300 units were produced in 1978. I believe, it is one of the few still functional in the world.
Gottlieb’s Gemini
Again, I could get high score and 3 replay credits on my first play of this game. (^o^)/
High score!
I believe the Rocky & Bullwinkle game might have been acquired from the Mono Mania Shopping Centre, so this is my second time seeing it within four years.
Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends
Another amazing game is the Sea Raider (1969). As I understand it, the game was totally not functional when it was first delivered to the JGM. It eventually became functional after JGM spent a lot of hard work and passion on it.
Sea Raider
Here’s some additional information about Korona World Komaki:
After staying in the Osaka city for three days, I continued my trip to Nagoya city.
In the morning of my first day, my good friend Mr. Takeda drove me to my first pinball location in the city.
On the road towards Nagoya
It took around half-an-hour to reach this pinball location – Uuennichi @ Apita Iwakura shop, which is one of the new pinball locations near Nagoya city this year.
Uuennichi @ Apita Iwakura
Since the game centre is quite small, it is easy to spot the four pinball games.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Williams, 1991)
Hurricane (Williams, 1991)
Creature from the Black Lagoon (Bally, 1992)
World Cup Soccer (Bally, 1994)
The four pinballs
It was amazing since this was my first time seeing the Hurricane game. Although I could not get the high score on it, I still felt it is a very fun game.
Hurricane
Other than the four pinballs, the Uuennichi game centre has also other video games for teenagers.
Other games at the Uuennichi game centre
Here’s some additional information about Uuennichi game centre:
Transportation: a 5 minute walk from the Iwakura train station
In late September 2016, I paid another visit to Silver Ball Planet Arcade and stayed two-and-a-half days there.
Silver Ball Planet Pinball Arcade in the Big Step mall
The following are the highlights of SBP during this visit.
A new pinball, Gottlieb’s Big Hit, is available.
Big Hit
SBP has extended its closing time from 8pm until 11pm on both Friday and Saturday. Also drinks are available at cost.
The new extended closing time
SBP is getting popular both locally and internationally. From time to time I could see both local and international visitors of different ages.
GuestsGuests
I also joined the monthly pinball tournament for September. Unfortunately, I was out in the first round.
The tournament
As usual, I could always enjoy good food around the Shinsaibashi area. I have never been disappointed with it.
Good food
Although the total number of games is now over 100, some new ones are still coming. As I understand it they include Ghostbusters, Transformers and The Big Lebowski.
In early 2016 I located a pub in Hong Kong called Neo Cocktail Club which I learned probably had a Bally Playboy pinball. Unfortunately I also found that it was temporarily closed.
Eventually it re-opened in mid-June this year, and so on the last Saturday in June I went there on my own as their first guest of the evening.
Neo Cocktail Club
The first thing to grab my attention was the Bally Playboy pinball in the middle of the club.
Bally’s Playboy
It was a pleasant surprise to find that it was set to free play. The mechanical condition of the game was excellent but unfortunately it had no sound, so this severely degraded my overall enjoyment of the game. I guess that it is only its sound card which has a problem and it would not be too difficult to fix it. (^o^)/
Playboy plays well, but in silence
As usual, snacks are free during the happy hour which runs from 6-8pm every business day.
Like the pinball, the snacks are free
I finished my drinks and snack dinner there and left around 8pm. I will definitely go there again very soon (^o^)
Here’s some additional information about Neo Cocktail Club:
