Retro Game Store Reviews: Osaka Edition – Namba Surugaya

I’ve been living in Osaka for a little over a month now and I can finally say I’m settling in. I have a new (part time) job to help me pay the bills, a new apartment with my wife, and a new area to explore and find retro games in. It is my first time living in Osaka, but not my first time in Osaka. I’ve visited the city multiple times during my life here in Japan, and it was also the first place I went to in Japan in 2002 when I was visiting a childhood friend during the FIFA World Cup. It was during that trip to Japan in 2002 that I also visited the Den Den town area in Osaka for the first time. I was a pretty big gamer back in high school and college, so it was exciting to check it out with my friend. Once I moved to Japan I visited Osaka a few times more, but at that point I was becoming a fan of Magic the Gathering (you can see my reviews of the MTG shops in Osaka here!). Now things have come full circle, and I am back in Osaka once more, a fan of gaming.

Namba Surugaya

Surugaya is always a safe bet when looking for retro games in Japan, and the Osaka stores are no different. There are quite a few in the prefecture, but there are actually a lot of Surugaya stores in Namba as well. They all sell different things, such as anime goods or toys, but the one you’re looking for is going to be in the old ‘Den Den Town’ area of Namba.

The Selection

The best thing about Surugayas are their selections. The prices and locations are ok, but they always have a good variety of things to choose from. I’ve been to better Surugayas with larger selections, but I don’t think you’ll be let down by the one in Namba. There are always tons of Nintendo products at these stores, but this branch also has a very good selection of PS1 and PS2 games. While the game selection is good, they did not have a lot of hardware for sale. If you’re looking for some handhelds or consoles, you’re probably better off shopping somewhere else.

The pricing

I always say that Surugaya has fair pricing, and this store is no different. You’re not going to find great deals usually, but you’ll sometimes find a nice deal, and you’re not going to feel ripped off. In fact, I would say that this store probably has some of the best prices in Namba. The area is a huge tourist magnet and people from all over the world walk through. Most of the stores in Den Den Town/Namba are aware of this and are probably going to rip you off, or try to rip you off, but not Surugaya. They’ll still make a profit, but won’t try to purposefully fleece you. For a good look at their pricing, I recommend zooming in on some of the pictures I took above.

Access

This specific Surugaya is about 8 minutes from Namba station. Not Osaka Namba (JR), not Namba station (subway), but Namba station on the Nankai railway. You can actually take both JR and the subway to arrive in Namba, but those stations will be a longer walk. Nankai Namba station is only a brisk 8 minute walk, whereas the others might be anywhere from 15-20 minutes away depending on your pace. There are plenty of other things to see in this area, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you got sidetracked on your way there, but if you are heading directly to this store it shouldn’t be that much of a trip. There is also another route from Nihonbashi station which is a little longer, but much more direct.

If you’re coming to Osaka by bullet train, you just need to hop on the subway line to get there from Shin Osaka. There should be a direct line to Namba, but you could also transfer to Nihonbashi for an easier walk from the subway.

The Verdict

I’ve gotten so used to going to Surugayas that it’s become second nature to me. It’s like going to your local supermarket or shopping mall. You know what you like, where to get it, and you’ll pay that slightly higher price cause of the convenience. This branch has a good amount of inventory (even for being in a busy place with tourists), prices that don’t make you want to curse when you see them, and in a good location (maybe not RIGHT next to the station but next to tons of other cool shops and retro game stores).

• Selection: 4/5
• Pricing: 3.5/5
• Ease of Access: 4/5

But wait, there’s more!

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