Gundam Battle Pods: Japanese Arcades are INSANE.

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Japan is a magical country of wonder, excess and depravity. This much is widely known. But it extends to their arcade industry, which survived in Japan even while the arcade industry in the US died a protracted and undignified death.

Arcades are still very much a phenomenon in Japan, and they see enough patronage to justify some really expensive, ambitious machines. The Gundam Battle Pods being a prime example of Japanese arcade ingenuity at it's finest, and perhaps most elaborate.

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The inside features a 180 degree hemispherical projection display. Is this virtual reality? Kind of. Not really? But so close that the distinction seems immaterial. There's no stereoscopic 3D, though it would have been simple enough to add with shutter glasses. There's no head tracking but there doesn't need to be, since the display wraps around you.

Similar to the IDYA motion cabinet I discussed in my article on Vertexer yesterday, the Gundam Battle Pod is fully enclosed, creating a cozy immersive feel. Anybody who remembers those enclosed Battle Tech networked pods from the 1990s can relate.

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While the cab itself does not move, the seat vibrates to convey the force of explosions. The controls are true to canon, and in order to begin playing you must first make a pilot profile. You will then receive a printed pilot's card, which must be scanned every time after that to keep track of your performance. Check out footage below:

This is not really a new concept for Japanese arcade gaming however. Many famous Japanese arcade titles included a similar system to track wins and losses, like the Initial D machines and their "driver's license" cards. Or the F-Zero AX machine which accepted Gamecube memory cards.

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That's really the next level of player investment. Without it, arcade games are just momentary novelties. But when they have the ability to remember you, and save your progress, then machines this complex become like a second secret life you can lead where you're a Gundam pilot, a street racer or whatever else.

Because you must go someplace else to use them, and cannot own one yourself, they retain their mystique. They feel like another "place" you can go to. A refuge from the real world, which in modern day Japan is in hot demand due to the pressures placed on their students.

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This development hasn't gone unnoticed in the West, however. The same technology has been adopted for a Star Wars themed battle pod. Perhaps the first step towards a resurrection of the American arcade industry? A man can dream. The Japanese arcades have shown what is necessary to compete with home consoles and even VR.

Namely, elaborate machines that aren't practical for private individuals to own, and a system to entice repeat engagement such as tracking your performance, social media connectivity, challenging other high ranked players to scheduled duels, and more.

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^{Stay Cozy!}