John Andersen
@johnandersen.bsky.social
Video game history - researching how the games we love to play were made. Documentaries, game historian, writer, movies. Opinions are my own. LGBTQ ally. BLM. Portfolio!: linktr.ee/johnandersen
NAMCO Museum for the original PlayStation (Japanese ad).
Random thought: It's time for a NAMCO Museum, like an actual NAMCO Museum with history, exhibits of design docs, huge arcade with classic NAMCO games, (full-scale Ridge Racer, real-life Katamari, gift shop with frosted Pac-Man cookies, etc.)🤔😁
Random thought: It's time for a NAMCO Museum, like an actual NAMCO Museum with history, exhibits of design docs, huge arcade with classic NAMCO games, (full-scale Ridge Racer, real-life Katamari, gift shop with frosted Pac-Man cookies, etc.)🤔😁
November 14, 2025 at 10:32 PM
NAMCO Museum for the original PlayStation (Japanese ad).
Random thought: It's time for a NAMCO Museum, like an actual NAMCO Museum with history, exhibits of design docs, huge arcade with classic NAMCO games, (full-scale Ridge Racer, real-life Katamari, gift shop with frosted Pac-Man cookies, etc.)🤔😁
Random thought: It's time for a NAMCO Museum, like an actual NAMCO Museum with history, exhibits of design docs, huge arcade with classic NAMCO games, (full-scale Ridge Racer, real-life Katamari, gift shop with frosted Pac-Man cookies, etc.)🤔😁
Midway Studios Newcastle.
Games including Wheelman and LA Rush were made here.
Pictured before and after its closure.
Steven Pick recounts the days leading up to its shutdown:
web.archive.org/web/20101121...
Games including Wheelman and LA Rush were made here.
Pictured before and after its closure.
Steven Pick recounts the days leading up to its shutdown:
web.archive.org/web/20101121...
November 14, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Midway Studios Newcastle.
Games including Wheelman and LA Rush were made here.
Pictured before and after its closure.
Steven Pick recounts the days leading up to its shutdown:
web.archive.org/web/20101121...
Games including Wheelman and LA Rush were made here.
Pictured before and after its closure.
Steven Pick recounts the days leading up to its shutdown:
web.archive.org/web/20101121...
1995 Game Centers in Japan.
Left: Taito Station Shibuya.
Right: Game Factory Yoshimoto Museum (Osaka).
Left: Taito Station Shibuya.
Right: Game Factory Yoshimoto Museum (Osaka).
November 13, 2025 at 9:18 AM
1995 Game Centers in Japan.
Left: Taito Station Shibuya.
Right: Game Factory Yoshimoto Museum (Osaka).
Left: Taito Station Shibuya.
Right: Game Factory Yoshimoto Museum (Osaka).
The 3rd All Japan Puyo Masters Tournament
March 30th, 1997.
Via: TV Gamer Vol. 1 No. 4 Issue 4, April 25, 1997.
March 30th, 1997.
Via: TV Gamer Vol. 1 No. 4 Issue 4, April 25, 1997.
November 13, 2025 at 8:09 AM
The 3rd All Japan Puyo Masters Tournament
March 30th, 1997.
Via: TV Gamer Vol. 1 No. 4 Issue 4, April 25, 1997.
March 30th, 1997.
Via: TV Gamer Vol. 1 No. 4 Issue 4, April 25, 1997.
The amount of game development studios Konami had in late-1990's Japan was crazy.
November 13, 2025 at 7:59 AM
The amount of game development studios Konami had in late-1990's Japan was crazy.
SEGA's "Power Sled" at Club SEGA in Yokohama.
Via TV Gamer, Vol. 1 No. 18 Issue 18 (August 8, 1997).
Via TV Gamer, Vol. 1 No. 18 Issue 18 (August 8, 1997).
November 12, 2025 at 8:26 PM
SEGA's "Power Sled" at Club SEGA in Yokohama.
Via TV Gamer, Vol. 1 No. 18 Issue 18 (August 8, 1997).
Via TV Gamer, Vol. 1 No. 18 Issue 18 (August 8, 1997).
The original Sony PlayStation on the Sony factory line in Japan. Boxes with four SCPH-5500 PlayStation units a piece. These photos were taken inside the Sony Kisarazu factory. A team of seven factory workers could produce 141 PlayStation units a day. Via: TV Gamer, Vol. 1 No. 1 Issue 1 April 4, 1997
November 12, 2025 at 8:12 PM
The original Sony PlayStation on the Sony factory line in Japan. Boxes with four SCPH-5500 PlayStation units a piece. These photos were taken inside the Sony Kisarazu factory. A team of seven factory workers could produce 141 PlayStation units a day. Via: TV Gamer, Vol. 1 No. 1 Issue 1 April 4, 1997
ATARI katakana sign. Only $39.99 you say?
Blade Runner rain ambience and rogue replicants not included.
atari.com/collections/...
Blade Runner rain ambience and rogue replicants not included.
atari.com/collections/...
November 12, 2025 at 6:12 PM
ATARI katakana sign. Only $39.99 you say?
Blade Runner rain ambience and rogue replicants not included.
atari.com/collections/...
Blade Runner rain ambience and rogue replicants not included.
atari.com/collections/...
For 5 Million Yen you too could play Parappa The Rapper with Dekacon-kun. Box of Pocky not included.
This was never on sale, but only used at Sony PlayStation events, perhaps it's still somewhere around the PlayStation HQ in Tokyo.
Via: TV Gamer, Vol 1 No. 2 Issue 2, April 11, 1997.
This was never on sale, but only used at Sony PlayStation events, perhaps it's still somewhere around the PlayStation HQ in Tokyo.
Via: TV Gamer, Vol 1 No. 2 Issue 2, April 11, 1997.
November 11, 2025 at 8:13 PM
For 5 Million Yen you too could play Parappa The Rapper with Dekacon-kun. Box of Pocky not included.
This was never on sale, but only used at Sony PlayStation events, perhaps it's still somewhere around the PlayStation HQ in Tokyo.
Via: TV Gamer, Vol 1 No. 2 Issue 2, April 11, 1997.
This was never on sale, but only used at Sony PlayStation events, perhaps it's still somewhere around the PlayStation HQ in Tokyo.
Via: TV Gamer, Vol 1 No. 2 Issue 2, April 11, 1997.
A Fuchikoma tank on display at the Ghost In The Shell PlayStation game launch party in Tokyo. This July 1997 event was hosted by musicians Takkyu Ishino and Mijk van Dijk (they contributed tracks for the game). Dijk also composed tracks for Ridge Racer V. Via: Jugemu 10/10/97 and TV Gamer 8/15/97.
November 11, 2025 at 7:17 PM
A Fuchikoma tank on display at the Ghost In The Shell PlayStation game launch party in Tokyo. This July 1997 event was hosted by musicians Takkyu Ishino and Mijk van Dijk (they contributed tracks for the game). Dijk also composed tracks for Ridge Racer V. Via: Jugemu 10/10/97 and TV Gamer 8/15/97.
I have a feeling that this 1965 crane game that TAITO is looking for is probably sitting in the corner of a Japanese onsen.
November 11, 2025 at 6:20 PM
I have a feeling that this 1965 crane game that TAITO is looking for is probably sitting in the corner of a Japanese onsen.
1996: The "Dead or Alive" TECMO development team:
Producer/Director: Tomonobu Itagaki
Chief Programmer: Takeshi Kawaguchi
Chief Planner: Katsunori Ehara
Chief Motion Designer: Yasuo Egawa
Chief Sound Composer: Hideyuki Suzuki
Character Designer: Shinichiro Komori
Via: Gamest Mook Vol. 57
Producer/Director: Tomonobu Itagaki
Chief Programmer: Takeshi Kawaguchi
Chief Planner: Katsunori Ehara
Chief Motion Designer: Yasuo Egawa
Chief Sound Composer: Hideyuki Suzuki
Character Designer: Shinichiro Komori
Via: Gamest Mook Vol. 57
November 11, 2025 at 7:47 AM
1996: The "Dead or Alive" TECMO development team:
Producer/Director: Tomonobu Itagaki
Chief Programmer: Takeshi Kawaguchi
Chief Planner: Katsunori Ehara
Chief Motion Designer: Yasuo Egawa
Chief Sound Composer: Hideyuki Suzuki
Character Designer: Shinichiro Komori
Via: Gamest Mook Vol. 57
Producer/Director: Tomonobu Itagaki
Chief Programmer: Takeshi Kawaguchi
Chief Planner: Katsunori Ehara
Chief Motion Designer: Yasuo Egawa
Chief Sound Composer: Hideyuki Suzuki
Character Designer: Shinichiro Komori
Via: Gamest Mook Vol. 57
Just got this in the mail today from
@americanredcross.bsky.social
PAC-MAN socks you say?
I gotta say, the Red Cross has had some cool video game tie-ins (with Tetris last year). Now I’m wondering if they could team up with Capcom
for some Resident Evil giveaways?
@americanredcross.bsky.social
PAC-MAN socks you say?
I gotta say, the Red Cross has had some cool video game tie-ins (with Tetris last year). Now I’m wondering if they could team up with Capcom
for some Resident Evil giveaways?
November 8, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Just got this in the mail today from
@americanredcross.bsky.social
PAC-MAN socks you say?
I gotta say, the Red Cross has had some cool video game tie-ins (with Tetris last year). Now I’m wondering if they could team up with Capcom
for some Resident Evil giveaways?
@americanredcross.bsky.social
PAC-MAN socks you say?
I gotta say, the Red Cross has had some cool video game tie-ins (with Tetris last year). Now I’m wondering if they could team up with Capcom
for some Resident Evil giveaways?
Random: I'm surprised TV boom boxes aren't popular these days, like this AIWA branded one with TV tuner that accepts a coaxial TV antenna. Great for a lenghty power outage in a weather disaster without having to rely on a phone. In the 80's/90's every Japanese electronics maker released one.
November 3, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Random: I'm surprised TV boom boxes aren't popular these days, like this AIWA branded one with TV tuner that accepts a coaxial TV antenna. Great for a lenghty power outage in a weather disaster without having to rely on a phone. In the 80's/90's every Japanese electronics maker released one.
I'm still wondering what happened to the lit-up logo on the ceiling at the former SEGA Funabori game center in Tokyo.
October 31, 2025 at 4:43 PM
I'm still wondering what happened to the lit-up logo on the ceiling at the former SEGA Funabori game center in Tokyo.
Tis' the season for some Crazy Games and a can of Hassy.
Thanks for the kind words!
#Illbleed #BlueStinger #イルブリード #ブルースティンガー
Thanks for the kind words!
#Illbleed #BlueStinger #イルブリード #ブルースティンガー
October 31, 2025 at 4:39 AM
Tis' the season for some Crazy Games and a can of Hassy.
Thanks for the kind words!
#Illbleed #BlueStinger #イルブリード #ブルースティンガー
Thanks for the kind words!
#Illbleed #BlueStinger #イルブリード #ブルースティンガー
Hamster Corp. has a t-shirt store on Amazon?!
Yes, it appears they do.
Yes, it appears they do.
October 30, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Hamster Corp. has a t-shirt store on Amazon?!
Yes, it appears they do.
Yes, it appears they do.
The Tokuma Publishing catalogue from 1993 states that over a million Dragon Quest IV guides were sold in Japan.
October 29, 2025 at 11:53 PM
The Tokuma Publishing catalogue from 1993 states that over a million Dragon Quest IV guides were sold in Japan.
The gaming Christmas ornaments are in, and it looks like the same as last year?
October 24, 2025 at 4:11 AM
The gaming Christmas ornaments are in, and it looks like the same as last year?
First in-game credit for me, well sort of, my name is in the art book for IREM Collection Vol. 1 and 2 from ININ Games. A lot of compiling art, enemy descriptions and other historical items for all the games.
October 23, 2025 at 6:02 AM
First in-game credit for me, well sort of, my name is in the art book for IREM Collection Vol. 1 and 2 from ININ Games. A lot of compiling art, enemy descriptions and other historical items for all the games.
Anyone know if the Japan (CERO-rated) physical release of Toaplan Arcade Collection Vol. 1 & 2 has optional English selection menus?
October 21, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Anyone know if the Japan (CERO-rated) physical release of Toaplan Arcade Collection Vol. 1 & 2 has optional English selection menus?
Mid-90’s anime fandom stuff from a box I have in storage. This was when Hollywood was trying to figure out what anime was, if they should acquire it, and the rest were putting out VHS tapes thinking “Where do we market this?!”. In the meantime, we all freaked out when TBS and TNT aired some of it.
October 20, 2025 at 4:22 AM
Mid-90’s anime fandom stuff from a box I have in storage. This was when Hollywood was trying to figure out what anime was, if they should acquire it, and the rest were putting out VHS tapes thinking “Where do we market this?!”. In the meantime, we all freaked out when TBS and TNT aired some of it.
I was so into the symphony score I heard in the Dragon Warrior anime dub I wrote to the music head at Saban in 1993 and asked for the catalog #’s of the CD’s they used for their final mix. He replied. Turns out Saban used the DQ Symphonic Suites from the first four games in their Dragon Warrior dub.
October 20, 2025 at 3:58 AM
I was so into the symphony score I heard in the Dragon Warrior anime dub I wrote to the music head at Saban in 1993 and asked for the catalog #’s of the CD’s they used for their final mix. He replied. Turns out Saban used the DQ Symphonic Suites from the first four games in their Dragon Warrior dub.
Yoko Shimomura apparently contributed to this Capcom/Hudson entry of Buster Bros., according to the staff credits (along with a few others on the Capcom sound team).
October 19, 2025 at 4:50 AM
Yoko Shimomura apparently contributed to this Capcom/Hudson entry of Buster Bros., according to the staff credits (along with a few others on the Capcom sound team).