This Monday, for the first time in years, a new arcade opened in London. That alone is incredible news, considering the constant talk about arcade gaming dying out in the west. However, what’s even more amazing is the fact that this new venue is not only operated by arcade enthusiasts, but is also focused on Japanese games, especially of the rhythmic variety.
Sporting the short but memorable name VEGA London, this new arcade is all about bringing the British gaming community closer together, which is why they’re working together with many related groups such as Streetpass London to organize gaming and anime-related events in the future. Their lineup of machines include Beatmania IIDX20 tricoro, pop’n music 20 fantasia and Dance Dance Revolution X3, which were all transferred from Astro City Southend to the new venue at Angel, London during the last weekend. Other than these rhythm games, VEGA also runs Tekken 6, Street Fighter IV, Blazblue: Continuum Shift and Tetris Grand Master 3, with more cabinets slated to arrive in the future.
Starting next week, the arcade will also be selling eAmusement passes with which players can save their scores on DDR, IIDX and pop’n music. This, coupled with the fact that the arcade is just 5 minutes away from central London with the Underground, makes it the primary destination for anyone interested in rhythm gaming in the UK.
Here’s a photo of the arcade setting up on the Sunday before opening:
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