Most hardcore gamers dream of the chance to get their hands on old school, classic arcade games. Thanks to Brandon and Tiffany Osha of Westminster, they’ll have plenty of chances.
Saturday is the grand opening of the Akihabara Arcade, which features a whole array of Japanese arcade games and a full bar.
The concept started back when Brandon was 16 and bought his first arcade game, featuring titles by the Japanese company Neo Geo.
Two years ago, he realized that he had enough games to start a business of his own, and he and his wife have spent their time putting every cent of their savings into making his dream come true.
Though Brandon’s passion is videogames, it’s not quite Tiffany’s. Her areas of expertise are slightly different. “I know bars, and I know business,” she said. The Oshas have played off each other’s strengths to create a quirky local hangout spot.
Brandon named the arcade after the Akihabara district in downtown Tokyo.
“The nickname is Electric City,” said Osha. “You get off the train, and you’re in the middle of 20 (or) 25 seven-story arcades, blocks and blocks of them.”
It’s a known name in the gaming community, and already contains the word “bar,” so it was a perfect fit for the burgeoning business.
Akihabara features 28 classic Japanese games, mostly in the 1997-2008 range. Two of the most recognizable titles are Street Fighter II and Marvel vs. Capcom.
Both those games are in special consoles called “battle cabinets.” They allow two players to face off against each other in a head to head battle.
But, each player gets to use their own individual machine, bringing an extra layer of excitement to the fight.
On top of that, Brandon personally built a functioning, coffee table-sized NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) controller. You can use it to play 30 different classic games, which are projected on a large wall. It’s one of the few machines in the place that’s free to use.
However, the current lineup of games is anything but set in stone. Brandon has the ability to rotate games in and out of all his arcade consoles.
He plans to leave some of it to the public, and says he will post polls on the arcade’s Facebook page to determine which classic titles their fans want to see come to life.
In addition to the arcade games, much more lies ahead for the business. As the arcade grows, the Oshas want to stock the place with a whole supply of board games, and even have designated Dungeons and Dragons tables.
Brandon also has plans to host tournaments, both for novice and advanced gamers, with custom videogame gear in store for the winners.
All in all, it’s their goal to foster a unique space where people can blow off steam, whether or not they’re passionate about gaming.
It’s a special place, not only because of Brandon’s one-of-a-kind Japanese game collection, but also because of the overall vibe they strive to cultivate.
“It was definitely just a place that I saw [that] could be successful, and a place for us and our friends just to come and spend a Friday night,” Tiffany said. “It’s more adult focused [for] gamers who can come in, have a beer, sit down, and just veg out.”
The gamers would be picking up those brews from the arcade’s full bar, which includes eight craft beers on tap, the usual liquors, energy drinks, and a selection of Japanese drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
Akihabara Arcade is located at 8901 Harlan Street in Westminster.
The grand opening is Dec. 10 at 4:00pm, and they’ll allow people of all ages. Most games costs a quarter to play, the rest are free.
It will be open from Wednesday through Sunday. The arcade is open to people 21 and older Thursday through Sunday. Wednesdays are designated as “Family Days,” and underage customers will be allowed if they’re accompanied by a parent or guardian.
For what it’s worth, Brandon’s favorite title in the whole place is Death Smiles, a lesser-known “cave shooter” game. Tiffany agrees. Starting Saturday, you can see if you do too.
