So you want to buy a Japanese Candy Cab?

Sarge here.

A question I get asked quite a lot is, "Where can I find a Japanese arcade machine in the United States?". While it does take some research, there are quite a few options available when looking for a "candy cab". Here are a few suggestions.

1: Look around locally: Believe it or not I've seen Japanese arcade machines available on Craigslist.com. Just be aware that due to the slight rarity of the machines, the sale price may be inflated. I have unfortunately heard that there are people selling used Sega Astro City cabinets for $1200. That, my friends, is a rip off.

2: Join an arcade/retro forum: There's lots of useful information within the arcade community that can help you in deciding what cabinet is right for you. Such websites such as http://www.neo-geo.com/forums, http://hard--candy.com/index (Yes, those are dashes in the website address) , and http://www.arcadeotaku.com have information on various Japanese cabinets. I can't stress enough on how much info is available if you're willing to dig for it.

3: Check with an arcade distributor: If you really want to, you can get the machine you ultimately want directly from Japan. It'll cost you quite a bit if you purchase only one unit. Even though the cabinet may cost anywhere from $400-$2000+, you still have to factor shipping price from overseas, ground transport once it gets here to the States, and then you must inspect the item before signing for it. That $400 cabinet could end up costing you around $2000 after shipping+fees. A way around the large cost on the shipping is a group buy or large container buy (usually 20+ cabinets). Some sites that can work the details out with you are:

http://www.coinopexpress.com
(do not confuse with http://www.coinopstore.com)

http://www.rs2006.co.jp/overseas.htm


http://www.thegameroom.com (Stateside distributor)

Again, try to do some research yourself on the aforementioned sites. Call them up, send them an email, and ask if they have any current deals. You may find what you're looking for.


Again, if you have questions please feel free to drop them in the comment section.

Happy hunting!