Retro Game Store Reviews: Osaka Edition – Kaitori Max Nihonbashi
Kaitori Max Nihonbashi (Namba)
The Kaitori Max chain of stores might not be a chain you usually familiarize with retro games, but don’t count it out because it has a history of selling Adult DVDs and other adult oriented things. To be honest, there are other chains in Tokyo like Mulan which have also gotten into selling retro games in the recent past, and it’s understandable as the market for adult things has probably gotten smaller and more and more people just use the internet for these sort of things. They aren’t the only ones either, many other multimedia shops have expanded their inventory to include used things they originally didn’t sell, like retro games and used electronics. Hopefully you’ll be just as surprised as I was when you visit this store, and not for the items directed at its “adult” clientele.
The Selection
I feel like Kaitori Max in Nipponbashi is just one of those places that somebody started to show off their collection of games at. It’s not full of random, cheap games with the occasional rare one that you’ll usually find at Book Offs or Hard Offs, but a well curated inventory that will make many other stores jealous. Every area of the store on the first floor has a deep inventory of retro games, mostly complete in box, and is full of rare consoles and handhelds that I had never seen in person myself. I had expected to find a small corner of retro games like a lot of these non-retro game focused stores have, but I was very surprised to find the opposite.
This store also has some great presentation values. They know who their customers are and what they are coming into the store for, so as you walk around you’ll see cases devoted entirely to Pokemon games, to Zelda, to Castlevania, to Resident Evil, and more. This makes it great for tourists that are usually coming to Japan to buy those types of games but might struggle reading the spines of games in Japanese, but it’s also very neat to look at in general. Their Nintendo console section of games is well stocked, as is their Gameboy/GBA/DS area. They also have a great deal of Sony PS1, PS2, and PS3 games. Their stock of Sega things and other more niche systems isn’t as big as the solely retro game selling stores like Super Potato and Surugaya, but they still have a lot to look through.
The Pricing
The pricing of Kaitori Max, at least at this store near Namba, is pretty high in my opinion. I’ve seen higher prices at some places, but it is closer to stores like Super Potato than it is to Hard Off or Book Offs. You won’t find good deals here, but you will find what you’re looking for, and you should find them rather easily thanks to how they have the story set up. Just to compare pricing, I was able to help a friend buy a slightly worn Pokemon Center Gameboy Color for about 27500 yen about two years back, and while most places are selling them for around 50-60,000 yen now, this place is selling them for closer to 100,000 yen. If all you want is to find a certain rare game and money is no object, this store is probably a better deal than Super Potato, but for most other people I think they’ll be priced out and are probably better off tracking down deals elsewhere.
Access
Another thing Kaitori Max in Nipponbashi has going for it is its location. It is as the far end of Den Den Town in the Namba area, and is just outside of exit 1-B of Ebisucho station on the Sakisuji subway line. There might be some transfers involved if you’re coming from Shin-Osaka station on the bullet train, but this a good place to start if you want to see all the retro game stores in the area and work your way back towards Namba station (which gives you a lot more access to the rest of Osaka then Ebisucho station). Kaitori Max Nipponbashi is also located very closely to the Surugaya Nipponbashi branch, the Namba Mandarake, and another retro game store that I won’t talk about on here because the prices were insulting. The whole area is great for shopping though, so I’m positive you’ll enjoy your time here.
The Verdict
- Selection: 4/5
- Pricing: 2.5/5
- Ease of Access: 5/5
There isn’t as much inventory at this place as the bigger retro stores but it’s presented well and is easy to locate things, and I think that is important. Places like Super Potato can be overwhelming at times, and aren’t really fun to walk around in when the stores are packed with people. The price is also going to be a turn off for a lot of shoppers, but if you can stomach it you’ll appreciate what this Kaitori Max has to offer. The location is also a definite plus. Being able to get there as soon as you get off the subway is incredibly convenient. Just remember that this is a chain, and not all of the stores will have retro games in there so don’t be surprised if the theme is more “adult” oriented at other locations nearby ;).
But wait, there’s more!
Do you like this type of content and want to see more? Be sure to let me know by joining me on various social media and dropping me a line. You can find me on Bluesky and Instagram at TheJapanHobbyist. I hope to bring hundreds of articles to this website about not only about my gaming experiences, but also about gaming in Japan, game collecting, and even game stores over here! If you plan to visit and are big on gaming (be it on modern systems or retro ones), be sure to bookmark this website and stop back from time to time for updates.