This week's Turnout Thursday feature is: Branden Sherry!
Branden Sherry, 22, is one of the local denizens who plays at Round 1. Usually, our staff sees him playing Beatmania IIDX 22 Pendual, a Japanese DJ Simulator Game, on both nights and afternoons, and will usually stay for long periods of time. He has been an arcade enthusiast and a music game player since his elementary school days, starting off at San Jose Golfland in his early childhood to Golfland USA, and now, to Round 1 Eastridge which he calls home. I had an opportunity to sit down with Branden and talk about his arcade experiences and opinions, what brought him to Round 1 and what it is like to be playing Beatmania IIDX 22 Pendual here at our San Jose store.
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Sue: How did you come
across Eastridge Round 1? Was it from your friends or what?
Branden: Just social media. It
was the very first place I found out about it.
S: How long have you
been going to Round 1 in general (not just the SJ location)?
B: The very first time I
went was in 2011. It was for Grave Consequence [a tournament for an arcade game
called DJ Max Technika], so I’ve been going to Round 1 for about 4 years now.
Plus, a lot of my friends are down in SoCal.
Editor’s Note: Round 1
USA started in Southern California. Their flagship store is in City of
Industry, California and there are four stores total in Southern California.
S: Would you still go to
Round 1 even if your friends were not in SoCal?
B: Oh yeah, I would. My
friends are a big portion of the reason I go there. But, if they don’t come out,
well, I know that I’m going to have a good time at Round 1. When I go down
there and I plan my trips with by myself or with Andy [the interviewees’
boyfriend], we don’t even check with anyone else if they’re free. We just go
down for the purpose of visiting Round 1. We don’t even schedule time to just
say, “Hey, are you available this weekend?”. We’re just like, “hey, we’re coming
down this weekend to Round 1”.
S: How do you like this
Round 1? How does it compare to, say, Puente Hills Mall Round 1?
B: I like it! It’s got an
interesting layout aside from the other Round 1’s. It’s unique the way it’s
shaped. It’s got an actual pattern where PHM (Puente Hills Mall) and
Lakewood R1 stores are completely open. Here, you have to go around to see
everything. I was so weirded out when I came through the back entrance (outside
of the mall) and I was like, “Am I in Round 1?”
What’s also nice about
this location is that it is the best location you’re going to get: it’s the
closest mall that everyone can get here pretty well. For other people who come
from SF or other places, it’s easy: we’re close to the freeway, we just take a
couple of exits and you’re there! It’s just convenient.
S: How would you compare
playing at home to now being able to play Beatmania IIDX at Round 1?
B: Playing at home is
nice, but you cannot get a perfect setup at home. You have to play on a machine
and that’s the nice thing about here is that there is that they have KONAMI
Japan official machines here. It’s the closest [in terms of location] you’re going
to get. When you play at home, it’s nice because it’s there, but after a while,
you’re like, “hmmm, I definitely want the real thing”. Being here, it doesn’t
even compare to playing at home. People don’t understand that these are the
only two machines we have here (straight from Japan and KONAMI) within a six,
seven hour drive. It’s very refreshing.
S: How many hours of
Beatmania IIDX do you average in a week?
B: All depends on work
and of course, life. I try to come here at least on my two days of and at least
once, maybe twice during the week. Realistically, I can come here after work and spend my money’s
worth. I’ll get here at 3pm and usually, depending on the crowd, I’ll easily be
here till like… 9pm. I spend about 4 to 6 hours here to get my time in, but
honestly, I average about 15 hours a week.
S: How much money do you
think you’ve already spent at Round 1 SJ within the three weeks it has been
open?
B: (Branden pulls out his
Round 1 club card) Just shy of $180. S: Let's go ahead and wrap this up. What is the one thing you would want people to take away from this interview? You can say anything!
B: So, I think as a whole, Round 1... it's a great time. There is so much versatility with it: you can do anything like go bowling, you can hang out and drink beer and play redemption games, and you don't get that from a lot of arcades I'm sure. It helps that the staff is great. There is just so much to do here and you could spend your whole day here if you want. As far as the [music game] community goes, people are nice, even though they don't look like it. (laughs) Give everyone a chance! Now is a perfect time to go to Round 1, or get into to the arcade. I know that people aren't regular arcade goers but it wasn't for anyone who started. Now, there are people who go into the arcades every day. Give it a shot! You'll enjoy yourself. Trust me!
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Know somebody who you think Amy and I should interview? Do you think YOU should be interviewed? Want to have some bragging rights and your pictures taken to show your friends and colleagues? Shoot us an email at helloround1blogger@gmail.com and let us know why we should choose you for our Turnout Thursday feature!
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