New Addition! School of Ragnarok

Hello everyone! I hope everyone is having a good Halloween! Some of our staff members had been giving out candy to all the good little boys and girls outside of Round 1's entrance and the kids have never been happier!

Today we bring you a special report! School of Ragnarok, a 1vs.1 fighting game created by Square Enix has entered Round 1!

Title screen for School of Ragnarok.

So what is the big deal about this game? Well, for one, it's an arcade game where you can make custom characters. If NESiCA is enabled, you can create a character, save it, be able to use it in-game against other characters. In School of Ragnarok, there are 8 different weapon disciplines that a player can choose from, and the weapon discipline they choose corresponds to a support character they can use in game. Weapon disciplines range from chainsaws to mechanical fists to traditional swords to staff-wielding. (I apologize for any mistranslations from here on out or any odd assumptions. Feel free to send us an email for any corrections!)

Emma, a robotic girl who weirds mechanical, floating fists.

Lucy, a renegade high schooler who dons a spiked bat and chainsaw.

Smile Heart, the Madoka-looking magic girl with a pink staff.

Valhalla, a sword wielding demon.

Once a discipline and support has been chosen, you have the option of learning the game through Tutorial Mode or fight against a CPU. Either way, you will be having to learn the game very quickly as there are many buttons to this game that a player must be able to strategically use.

Starting from the Bottom Left Button up: Guard, Attack, Skill, Shot, Jump and Lock-On (to target). The Gold button calls your support to use their skill and the silver button has your support move to certain locations on the map that will boost your strength, defense or other stats. 

There is truly much more to this game than the "attack" and "move" buttons. Every character has a unique set of skills that you can use during the game through certain button commands. Also, every character has a ranged "shot" attack that they can use on their opponents from afar. Your supports have skills you can call upon (so long as you have your "support" gauge filled to a degree) that can either obstruct your view on the screen, cause damage, and much more. What this game really comes down to at times is your support character's "special skill" that they will bestow onto your character for a very short period of time. This special skill is like the equivalent to using a "Super" in Street Fighter or Marvel vs. Capcom. These skills usually cause massive amount of damage to your opponent and can sometimes change your game for the better or for the worst. Every character has different "special skills" so its worth it for you as the player to try different characters to see what play style and skills will suit you the best.

You are able to choose a set of skills to use in your battle.

Now why is School of Ragnarok an important and big deal to Round 1? First off, School of Ragnarok is solely an arcade exclusive and this is Square Enix's will be one of two games to be entering into the arcade scene from Enix, the other being Final Fantasy Dissidia Arcade which is to be released late November. This game is Japanese and Round 1 gives any American players the opportunity to give the game a try. The second and larger deal of School of Ragnarok being on American soil is that School of Ragnarok uses NESiCA which is similar to Konami's e-amusement network and Sega's banapass network. Since Round 1 stores have some games that support this online server, it is very possible that Eastridge Round 1 will be getting NESiCA very soon! La Puente Hills Mall Round 1, the Flagship USA Round 1, has received NESiCA support already: in particular for Groove Coaster, a music game produced by Taito. 

What does this mean? NESiCA may soon be hitting other Round 1 USA stores very soon! With more and more games running on the NESiCA system, it would prove beneficial (and somewhat mandatory) for Round 1 to get its network running and its cards distributed to stores. Only time will tell. But for now, give the game a shot!

New Addition! Sound Voltex Generator

As of yesterday, Round 1 installed their new Sound Voltex Generator to their Sound Voltex machines! Let's take a look!

What the Generator looks like when its installed.

 The Sound Voltex Generator is a "appeal card generator". What this means is that for one extra credit (meaning playing SDVX with two credits instead of one), you can add the option of having the Generator print you out an "appeal card", which is a collectable for the player and can actually add in-game benefits as well! There are multiple designs that are printed at random, and the cards range from being common cards to PUR (Perfect Ultimate Rare) cards that can boost a player and assist them during gameplay for Boss Songs in SDVX by becoming part of your "sub crew". "SDVX has a boss battle system to unlock various songs and charts," Tu Le, a regular for Sound Voltex here at Round 1 Eastridge, says, "When you battle these bosses, you do a certain amount of damage to them. Having only the stock Rasis Ver III will do damage, but just not as much." So the PUR cards allow for more damage during boss fights.

 What is also great about the PUR cards is that they are tied to your account! That means, if you wish to give the card away or you end up losing it, the benefits that the card gives to you is attached to your e-amusement account! 

An example of one of the very many cards you can collect from the SDVX Generator!

There are 12 to 13 characters that a player is able to choose when the "Generator Light Start" mode is chosen. You are able to collect a certain amount of cards with each character, but since it's random as to what card a player will get, there is a major possibility for duplicates. This is absolutely fine! Duplicates create higher chances of a player getting a PUR card.

Tu Le displays the first card he got from the Sound Voltex Generator.

So for all you Sound Voltex Booth players, give the Generator a shot and grab yourself some cards!

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Sound Voltex 3: One credit.
One Generator: Two credits.

Getting no PURs on your games: Priceless

For everything else, there's Paseli.

Special thanks to Tu Le for providing information for this article!

10/23 - Fan Friday

Happy Friday Everyone! Welcome to our Fan Friday segment where we answer some of your questions, comments, stories or even showcase some pictures! We want ot thank the people who have been emailing us thus far and we hope that you continue to send us more fan-mail!

This email is from a fan named Aru Azumaya! He inquired to us for our segment regarding our Karaoke machines and such, check it out!

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I am a guy in a striped jacket that is a music game and karaoke afficionado (I'm sure one of you staffers have probably witnessed me doing karaoke by myself at least once) and let me say, I love what you guys are doing with the place! You all seem to be doing a good job at keeping the machines maintained which bids well for me as a music gamer, and the karaoke experience is pretty top notch with nice setups and a pretty nice atmosphere, not to mention fairly affordable. (Of course, there's always Gamba, but considering that I usually come to R1 from university, it's not really as accessible by bus as R1 is)

I was also pretty excited that you guys were finally starting to get Japanese systems installed in the other rooms as well; I had a freakin' sweet field day with the LiveDAM karaoke system that was installed in room 5 (okay, maybe not so much as field day as much as it was a fieldhour). Though, one concern I have with that system is that the remote that's usually associated with it was nowhere to be seen when I went to try it out, not even over the counter at the information desks :o


Looks something like this, though variations for different versions do exist

As many a Japanese karaoke fan are aware of, the Japanese systems use dedicated remotes to make reserving songs a lot more convenient. It would be nice to have one of these at the store, because it would definitely make things a lot more streamlined and comfortable for everyone involved. At the very least, people won't be sitting on the floor punching in songs directly on the machine's touch screen _(:3 ｣∠ )_

Despite this and some other kinks, the karaoke's still pretty enjoyable if you're just looking to sing to your heart's content for an hour or so! I swear, I'll try not to inquire too much about your karaoke ( ﾟДﾟ)

Best regards,
Aru Azumaya, R1 Silver Club Member

P.S. I wonder if the microphone receivers can be routed as input to the other karaoke machines...? Korean and Japanese karaoke systems do love their scoring systems, after all (´・ω・｀)

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Hello Aru-san!

I got your message yesterday and I am very happy to hear that you are content with Round 1! (￣▽￣)ノ We pride ourselves with an amazing staff who is able to maintain the machines to the best of their abilities and to make sure you, the customer feel welcome and happy! I'm VERY excited to hear that you are enjoying our Karaoke rooms: it's a very unique thing that Round 1 offers which many entertainment/amusement areas haven't even thought or ventured out into. Right now, as you may already know, we are trying to implement the LiveDAM and Joysound machines at all of the stores but right now, our store is lacking in them. (;´Д`) What I will do for you is forward your email to our Mechanics Department and see if there is anything we can do since they are the ones who set up the machines and see if there was a remote control included somewhere! Keep in mind that Eastridge's store has only been open for a little bit over a month, so we are still trying to get the flow of things and we are still waiting on some more games, equipment and even Karaoke machines! So we ask that you do stay patient with us, even though sometimes, that may be rather difficult. (ﾟ´Д｀ﾟ)ﾟ (I wouldn't want to see the touch screen getting punched either!)

If you do not mind, we would like to use your email for our next Fan Friday segment! By then, we may actually have a more coherent answer for you about our Karaoke features. Please let me know if that's okay! ヾ(｡･ω･)ｼ

Sincerely,

Amy

UPDATE: It seems that the mechanics were able to find the remotes for the machine! However, we are still waiting on further information regarding LiveDAM and Joysound.

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We also had an inquiry from Kevin Phung regarding the stats of Rilakkumas versus Minecraft! In what I believe that it's the Creepers from Minecraft, we have some battle stats!

Rilakkuma

Strength: 4/5

Defense: 2/5

Magic: 1/5

Speed: 3/5

Luck: 3/5

Description: Cute and cuddly, but packs a punch! The Rilakkuma can body slam, punch and tombstone pile-drive any opponent that crosses its path! However, it's only plushie after all: its defense is low because of his handicap of being stuffed with cotton. His primary attack is ADORABLE ADJUSTMENT, a very intense plush throw. Its primary weapon is a prize claw.

Creeper

Strength: 1/5

Defense: 1/5

Magic: 4/5

Speed: 5/5

Luck: 2/5

Description: While the Creeper wants to be your friend, it has a hard way of expressing itself. Using it's hiss and its speed, the Creeper will approach you quickly and explode! However, don't let its intimidating face fool you: it hates cats. Its primary attack is BE MY FRIEND, a huge fiery explosion where the Creeper will start to chase you when it sees you. He is his own primary weapon.

Who would win in a fight?

Based solely on statistics, Rilakkuma is more likely to win in a match, although, he might lose a lot of fluff from all the explosion it sustains. 

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We hope you enjoyed this week's segment! Please email us more questions, pictures, stories and comments about Round 1 and you may have it showcased here!

10/16 - Perspectives on the Typical Shift at R1

At 10am every morning, Round 1 opens their doors. Managers are preparing their staff for the day, associates are taking inventory, making sure they are logged on to their registers and double checking if everything has been stocked for the day. The customers come in, they pay, and the 12 hour day begins. From 10am to 2am, Round 1 associates and managers alike are doing their part to keep the store in top-notch condition for their customers and regulars. However, not much is really known about the responsibilities, tribulations, and hard work that goes on behind the counter. Are the employees happy? Stressed? Tired? Enthusiastic? The Arcade Hub has the scoop for you. We talked to a couple of staff members at Round 1 Eastridge to get a clear perspective of the general workplace.

The bowling counter at Round 1 Eastridge.

We asked Joe Flores, Round 1’s Bowling Manager, how he feels about being one of the department managers for Eastridge’s store. “At the moment, I feel somewhat comfortable as Bowling Manager at Round 1.” Joe Flores tells Arcade Hub. “The position comes more natural to me than managing Amusement did, and so far I find it to be more fun.” Joe is almost always seen helping his fellow staff on the floor with transactions, customer inquiries and complaints and assists in other departments if necessary. As a manager, his job goes far beyond just maintaining the bowling department at times. “As with any management position, the work is definitely not as easy as some may assume.” He states. “Especially when having to deal with unsatisfied guests, work days can be extremely stressful.”

A typical day for Joe is like this: he checks to see what staff members are working with him, takes a look around the whole store and checks for general problems with the bowling lanes and equipment. Flores attempts to keep the morale of his department (and others) high while staying on top of operations during his shift. “If I’m lucky, I’ll get to take a break or grab some food.” Flores says with a laugh.

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Amusement associates also have to constantly answer phone calls from customers about questions and concerns.

For associates, their shifts are a little bit different. “I start with the redemption room, making sure than everything is fully stocked” Shawntae Lee, an amusement associate, says. “If we are out of a certain item, I write it down.” For those in the Amusement Department, there are a lot of things that have to be accounted for: crane games, redemption counter, game card counter and the general arcade floor. Many customers go to the employees in Amusement for card and ticket help to which they coordinate closely with the Mechanics department. But for Shawntae, the chaos of Amusement does not seem to bother her. “I do not LIKE, I LOVE working for this company: it’s a great environment and everyone is awesome.” She tells Arcade Hub.

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What also gets a lot of attention from customer’s is Round 1’s Food and Beverage department. This department has to maintain beer sales, pizza and snack bar sales, dishes, inventory and so much more. Their beer bar gets extremely busy during the evenings (particularly during the weekend evenings) where the staff are working hard in getting the customers their drinks in a timely, efficient manner. Kevin Tran, one of the leads at Round 1’s Food and Beverage Department, tells me what a typical shift for him starts off as. 

"When I start my shift, I'll count the tills, I'll make sure to see that everything is prepped, everything is ready to go, everything is clean and sanitary, our sanitizer buckets are clean..." Kevin names off. "I just make sure everything is stocked so that the team that I work with doesn't have a hard time and don't get frustrated running out of things in the heat of the rush."

During Kevin's off-shift interview, we also got to meet Food and Bev. Managers Nico and Martha!

With Round 1's Food and Beverage department, it's very fast-paced and requires a lot of running around and diligence with the food and drink orders along with customer service. 

"It gets busy, but I like jobs that require you to multitask and always be on top of it." Kevin exclaims, "I always love having something to do and not stand around."

It's a lot of work to keep this big store going. Some of the associates even work 5 to 6 days a week at Round 1 while going to school! Most have kept a positive attitude despite being a brand new store and have been adjusting well. While we, the customers, are the ones who give Round 1 our money everyday, Round 1 not be where it is now if it were not for their amazing staff and individuals. 

10/9 - Fan Friday

Welcome to Today's Edition of Fan Friday! Fan Friday is created for you, the fans, who either email, tweet, or talk to the Round 1 Blogger in asking for particular content outside of the norm (redemption games, karaoke, etc.)! But what does this mean though? That means that this feature is a free-for-all so long as it pertains closely to Round 1 Eastridge! You ask and (sometimes) you will receive.

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Today's Topic is Odd/Unique Games at Round 1!
Special thanks to Matthew Bulotano for today's suggested piece and feedback!

Here at The (Unofficial) Round 1 Arcade Hub, we primarily gear ourselves toward games that have a community. These are usually the racing games, the fighting games and the music games. However, there are definitely more games at Round 1 than just from these three genres.  Some are very mainstream like redemption game token pushers, and some are very interactive like Dark Horror 4D. However, there are definitely a couple of games at Round 1 that are definitely different from the normal, traditional genres and concepts. Here is a couple of them that you can find!

超ちゃぶ台返し/Cho Chabudai Gaeshi! (Super Table Flipping)

This is not a music game, a racing game or a fighting game by any means. Well, you could call it a fighting game... if by "fighting", you mean flipping a large, round circular table at your very annoying family. Cho Chabudai Gaeshi! (Super Table Flipping in English), created by Taito, is an odd non-redemption game where you are placed in one of four different scenarios of your choice (dinner-time with the family, host club annoyance, wedding gone wrong or office shenanigans) and your goal is to flip your table at the perfect moment to create as much collateral damage as you possibly can. The more damage you cause (which is gauged in Yen), the higher your score will be. There are also hidden objectives in each stage where, if you achieve them, nets you more points. Not only is the concept of the game so vastly different from most traditional non-redemption games, but it adds some wacky humor and a strange feeling of happiness and stress-relief when you throw your hands up in the air with your plastic table controller and scare the crap out of your obnoxious, rude, blocky family.

Ollie King

Surprise! There is a game that is about skateboarding that does not have the words "Tony Hawk" in it! Ollie King, created by Sega in 2004, is a skateboarding game where you compete against other skateboarders in a competition. What makes this game so different from "Tony Hawk" or any sports/riding games? This game is interactive with the player on a non-wheeled skateboard and two rails for the player to hold onto. During the game, you are able to perform a myriad of jumps and grinds to not only boost your speed and pass your opponents, but to add to the overall performance and grade you receive at the end of the round! You do this through moving your board up and down with your feet at the appropriate times and navigating through the stage. But watch out! There are some things in the stages that will knock you off your board like moving cars and trolleys. (ouch) The game was developed by the same team that created Jet Set Radio so you are in for a treat if you are a fan of JSR!

Grand Piano Keys

It's odd in itself that I am writing about a redemption game, but here me out: this game is actually a lot of fun. Grand Piano Keys can be played with two players, but the premise of the game for the players is this: each player has four HUGE piano keys they can hit and they must hit the correct key that flashes green on the screen. The player keeps hitting the corresponding flashing key on-screen until time runs out. If a player presses the wrong key, the game temporarily "freezes" you while the timer is still running to show you what wrong key you hit. This game is surprisingly fun as you play classic tunes while winning tickets. For a while, some players from the music game community were trying out this game, laughing about the fact that it felt like an oversized Beatmania IIDX. A few were even grabbing their friends and challenging them!

Super Monkey Ball: Ticket Blitz

Were you a pro at Super Monkey Ball back in the day? Were you one of the individuals who played it on your Dreamcast years before? Time to brush up and utilize your skills then! Super Monkey Ball is at Round 1 in Arcade Redemption Form! Our favorite little monkey friend, AiAi, is in his ball and it is up to YOU to get him through the end of the level while collecting bananas which earn you tickets! You are timed though, so if you don't make it to the goal on time or if you run out of lives, it's Game Over. If you make it to the goal, a Jackpot game will start where you try to aim AiAi into the goal ring to get bonus tickets!  Instead of playing Super Monkey Ball with a traditional console controller though, the player will be utilizing a 7 inch track ball to navigate AiAi. Time to get the ball rolling!
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Have some interesting news for us? Questions? Comments? Concerns? Fan-mail for the blogger, managers of R1 and staff? Send them to us at helloround1blogger@gmail.com!

10/7 - Let's Talk Sound Voltex

While Northern California has been home to a plethora of music games, one particular music game is standing out. Sound Voltex is the only music game in Northern California to be housed in a public arcade and is almost exclusive to Round 1! But what makes this game so unique? What makes this game so great that both old and new music game players alike are willing to stand in line 10 to 15 minutes at a time? We at the Arcade Hub talked to Andrew Castro and Kevin Park in finding out what's the deal with Sound Voltex?

The title screen for Sound Voltex III: Gravity Wars.

Sound Voltex is a music game created by Konami, under their BEMANI series of games. It utilizes four white keys and two black keys and two "cross-fader" knobs. What makes this game already so visually different is the orientation of the cabinet itself. The screen is positioned vertically, and the cabinet itself is very flashy that glows gold. The visuals of Sound Voltex are very different but yet, interesting to customers passing by at Round 1.

In Sound Voltex, you are a ship, navigating through a song in hopes of clearing or passing a song. To achieve a good score, one must press or hold buttons that correspond to the notes on the screen, and, when prompted, turn the knobs in the direction the game tells you.  Kevin Park, a seasoned Sound Voltex player, explains the features of the game. "If you look at Sound Voltex, there are a lot of cool features, it's a lot more engaging and all and all, it's eye-candy." he explains. "Big easy buttons, two knobs... it's definitely more simplistic and friendly." This game tends to be a "crowd-stopper" as many individuals who have never heard or seen the game before stop to take a look at what a player is doing. Andrew Castro talks about why this may be. 

The setup of Sound Voltex: four white buttons, two black buttons and two cross-fader knobs.

"This is a game where I, more or less feel like I'm doing more of a performance than most of the games say for maybe Dance Dance Revolution." Andy says. "Because the whole point of it is that, there is just this giant screen where everyone can come and watch and I'm busy moving my whole body, trying to read all these screen turns and knob stuff."

A quote from Castro, a cool aspect of this game is that, "I can go 'wiggy wiggy wiggy' with the knobs".

The game itself offers a variety of music. While Sound Voltex has some Konami Originals (music from the Konami franchise), it also contains tracks from the very popular "Touhou" series (a shoot-em-up game) and Vocaloid series.

What makes this game so friendly to new players is that Sound Voltex itself, both in gameplay and visuals, is not intimidating. New players can enjoy songs they are familiar with without being scared of having to be perfect at the game. "The beginner levels like when you first get into the game, it's really appealing, it's really fun and it's really addicting." Kevin comments. "And the way that the game is constructed, it's really easy to get into." The timing windows of Sound Voltex are forgiving. According to Kevin, the "perfect" judgment (meaning you hit a note perfectly) window is a few frames wider in comparison to Beatmania IIDX's . It allows for individuals to learn the game at their own pace rather than having to strive to be as good as the majority of players like with Beatmania IIDX.

For another player, Eric Andrus, Sound Voltex has become an investment for him. With over 300 plays, he's easily spent about over $400.

While many individuals are flocking to Sound Voltex, it begs the question: is this game reviving the music game community? Kevin does not believe so. "Reviving is a big word." Park says. "I wouldn't say that the [music game community] is 'dead' in the first place: Arcades aren't really popular in the first place." Kevin does believe that Sound Voltex is at least getting music gamers, old and new, interested in the genre again. "I want to say that Sound Voltex sparks the interest in people or reignites the passion that people used to have and everything, but I wouldn't say that people are going to start playing music games just because Sound Voltex is there." he explains. "I think it's at least good start."

At Round 1, both machines are back to back which also allows for "Friend Mode" to be enabled where both players can play together cooperatively.

This game has truly started to bring interest back into arcades. What Sound Voltex offers that many music games nowadays do not is that player-to-player co-op. "If you don't have an e-amuse card, buy one." Andy exclaims, "For people who have an e-amuse card and they're into the game: use "Friend Mode"! "Friend Mode" is very important in my opinion because that's how I feel I feel like I got really good. Don't be afraid to talk to your friend who's better and say, 'hey, I'm stuck on x difficulty, can we do Friend Mode' and the games will link together." Sound Voltex brings together more community aspects by being able to play with your friends in a fun, cooperative manner. It has similar aspects to GITADORA where players are playing together just to have fun and to get better rather than competing and trying to "outshine" each other. Andy's final statement for the game overall is that, "You learn through a shared experience which makes it even more community driven: don't be afraid to sit out a turn so you can link with somebody! It builds that bond, that community, and that's half the fun of these games."

Special thanks to Kevin Park and Andrew Castro for their contributions to this article. 

10/5 - Meet the Staff! (part 1)

Wahhhhhh!!! I get to interview some of my staff! ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ It's awesome that I, Amy Amusement, get to pick out some of the Amusement Staff this time and acknowledge the work they've put in! I THINK Sue may have one interview as well, so I can't take all the credit (although my department is AWESOME ( ﾟ▽ﾟ)/)  Every other Monday, we nominate one to two staff members of each department and talk about what a typical day at Round 1 is like, what their experiences are and much much more! 

This week's Meet the Staff Feature goes to The Amusement Department's:

 Bryan Vo and Tue Hong!

Photo courtesy of Allen Tran of The Nerd's Tier. Day 1 of Round 1's Grand Opening.

These two have been working at Round 1 before they first opened their doors. Both of them have been diligent in making sure that customers are happy and satisfied, that the crane games are nicely adjusted and that every customer is helped with their game card woes. They do so much more than the call of duty and are dedicated to making the customer's experience an enjoyable one!

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20-year-old Bryan has been seen as a celebrity of sorts for Round 1! He has numerous reviews about him on Yelp in giving people useful tips for the crane game machines (and not by giving those prizes out for free). Bryan has a true passion in making customers smile while still adhering to Round 1's rules and is the most friendly individual you could ever encounter at Round 1!

Amy: So what brought you to getting a job here at Round 1? Was it friends? Word of mouth?

Bryan: I got a job here because I am in love with the arcade scene. I'm 20 years old, but I've never had the experience in working in an arcade. So I really wanted to check it out and just have fun with it. I knew about it from someone very close to the FGC (Fighting Game Community) and they said, "Hey, why don't you try it out?". I nailed my interview, but for the wrong department: Amusement was full. So I tried out for bowling, but my boss really liked me, so instead of bowling, they put me in amusement.

One of the duties of being in the Amusement department is helping out customers at the Prize Counter.

A: I hear from many sources that you are the "study guide for the crane games". Can you elaborate on that a little for me?

B: What people usually ask me is "how do I win"? And I tell them, "Well, first, I need to see how you play." Obviously, I'll joke around with them (the customers) and say, "Oh, to win, you need to put it in the hole." or "To win, you pick it up and then put it in the hole". (laughs) I always joke around with them and they seem to like it. But, after a while, I ask them, "What is your highest math grade?" and I will say, "Let's say you are in Calculus: imagine that your crane is your calculus test and I am your study guide. I'm not your answer sheet, but your study guide."

Bryan is putting a new plush out after a customer just won one just five minutes before this picture was taken.

A: Would you say customer service is "job number one" to you?

B: Yes! There will be some other coworkers that say, "no, customer service isn't everything", but for me, I honestly believe that customer service is everything. It's because if you keep them happy, they'll come back, they'll spend more money and they'll help support the store as well.

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Tue may be small, but she packs a punch! She became one of Amusement's Lead Associates within one month. She is full of energy, a great personality and a great attitude when it comes to the workplace. There is never a moment where Tue is standing around aimlessly: she will find things to do, from cleaning game screens to doing inventory in the back. 

Amy: So if I recall correctly, this is your first job! How are you enjoying it so far? Any ups? Any downs?

Tue: As a first job, Round 1 has made the experience much more enjoyable than I expected. 

As it goes, I wouldn't have had such a positive work environment without my coworkers. Most of them have been with me since day 1 and we've been through a great amount training and hardships together to get where we are now. A very big pro for me working at Round 1 is that I get to be around the arcade often. Recently, I've started playing rhythm games, so it's great to be able to see and interact with the arcade community almost daily. Another great thing about working here is being able to see our customers happy once they win our plushies from either cranes or the redemption room. We strive to help everyone win, so it's a great feeling when they do. Our Round 1 store had just opened, so we're still working the quirks out behind the scenes and on the floor. One con I can think of would be seeing a bunch of cute Japanese stuffed animals coming in every week, and I can't have them!

Typical day for Tue: adjusting plushes in the crane games and positioning them for customers.

A: You became an Amusement Lead in less than a month! What do you do as a lead? Are you delegating more? Helping out more customers? What do you do?

T: I'm very excited because I've always loved taking leadership and helping everybody out, be it customers or my fellow staff members. Starting this role as a lead in the future sets a lot more responsibilities in terms of working behind the scenes, like counting inventory for our plushies and redemption prizes. The other leads and I help represent and keep things organized and running smoothly for our coworkers. We take initiative and hope everyone follows in their own way and do their best! Unfortunately, I'm not on the arcade floor as often anymore, but I always try my best to still go and assist our customers whenever I can. That's the fun part of amusement!

Tue giving a customer some tips as to how to play the crane game.

A: What is the one thing you'd like people to know about Round 1?

T: Round 1 includes a great amount of entertainment like bowling, karaoke, billiards, ping pong, darts, and of course our arcade. A few tips for an enjoyable visit to our store would be, one, you can get $1 off discounts at almost all of our departments (bowling, karaoke, billiards, etc) in Round 1 by purchasing a club card by the Game Cards counter by our mall entrance. Two, if you're having trouble with any of our cranes, don't hesitate to ask one of our amusement employees. We can give quite a bit of advice and maybe it'll help you!

Schedule for this week!

Schedule for this week! (October 5th - October 9th)

Monday, October 5th

Meet the Staff! (Part 1)

Summary: While we may know so much about the players who come to Round 1, we tend to forget who is responsible for making Round 1 what it is today! From the managers who were in training since March to the staff who started training almost a month, two months in advance from opening, we at The (Unofficial) Round 1 Arcade Hub get an inside look into the staff and their routines! [Category: Informational, Amusement] Picture courtesy of Allen Tran.

Wednesday, October 7th

Let's Talk Sound Voltex

Summary: One particular music game at Round 1 has everyone waiting in very lengthy lines. Sound Voltex III: Gravity Wars, created by Konami, is a new music/rhythm game that you can only find at Round 1. We talked to some of the players about what it is, why it's a big deal and how it's bringing players, old and new, into the mix! [Category: Informational, Facilities]

Friday, October 9th

Fan Friday

Summary: In this segment, we just talk about Round 1! This ranges from fanmail, word-of-mouth, Facebook posts, pictures, everything! [Category: Fan Friday, Amusement]

10/1 - Turnout Thursday

Every couple of Thursdays or so, we at The (Unofficial) Round 1 Arcade Hub like to recognize the regulars who come to Round 1's arcade and play the games. These individuals are enthusiastic, dedicated, and have been arcade goers for a very long time. They are supporters of the company that make the games, but overall, love Round 1. I, Sue, look through the arcade while I'm working and I am starting to see that we're starting to attract regulars. Amy does too, although, she's usually too distracted about the Rilakkuma shipments for the Prize Counter...

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!