Game arcades
ゲームセンター
げーむせんたー
Game arcades are usually located near train stations or in shopping arcades and other areas where people congregate.
The number of game arcades in Japan increased sharply from the latter half of the 1970s to the beginning of the 1980s. Perceived as a gathering place of rebellious and trouble-making teenagers, game arcades in the early years were frowned upon; today they are seen as a popular amusement centers for young people, places for dating and friendly communication. By 1992, game arcades had become a 600 billion yen market with a clientele of more than 20 million.*
Especially popular today are simulation games in which one has to use one's whole body, for example, dancing to music or beating a drum according to instructions that appear on a screen.
*Dentsu Institute for Human Studies, "Information Media White Paper, 1997"
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