Did Space Invaders really cause a coin shortage in Japan?

Yes. The popularity of Space Invaders and the subsequent 1980s arcade boom led to a national shortage of 100-yen coins, forcing the Bank of Japan to triple coin production.

What was the value of the Japanese arcade market in 1980?

By 1980, the Japanese arcade market was valued at approximately 300 billion yen.

What are Sega's Taikan games?

Taikan (body-sensation) games, pioneered by Yu Suzuki at Sega, featured motorized, moving cabinets for games like Hang-On and OutRun to create a physical experience.

1980s Arcade Market | GUIDE BY JAPAN.GG

1980s Japan Arcade Boom

👾 THE ARCADE REVOLUTION Coin Shortage

The Invader Foundation

While released in late 1978, Space Invaders triggered a massive infrastructure shift. Thousands of "Invader Houses" opened across Japan, setting the stage for the 1980s market surge.

The Coin Shortage

The craze was so intense that it famously led to a national shortage of 100-yen coins. The Bank of Japan had to triple the production of the coins to keep the economy—and the arcades—moving.

Innovation Burst

The 80s saw a hardware arms race. Manufacturers moved from simple pixels to dedicated scrolling chips, stereo sound, and "taikan" (body-sensation) cabinets that moved with the player.

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INFO: GLOBAL ICON

🟡 PAC-MAN (1980)

CULTURAL PHENOMENON |
Toru Iwatani designed Pac-Man to appeal to women and couples, breaking the "violent" image of space shooters and creating the first true gaming mascot.

INFO: HARDWARE INNOVATION

🏍️ SEGA'S TAIKAN SERIES

BEYOND THE JOYSTICK |
Yu Suzuki’s "body-sensory" games like Hang-On and OutRun introduced motorized cabinets, turning arcade play into a physical experience.

INFO: NINTENDO ORIGINS

🦍 DONKEY KONG (1981)

THE PLATFORMER BIRTH |
Shigeru Miyamoto's first major hit introduced narrative storytelling and "Jumpman" (Mario) to a world hungry for new mechanics.

INFO: SHOOT 'EM UP

🚀 KONAMI & GRADIUS

CUSTOMIZATION POWER |
The 1985 release of Gradius introduced the "Power-Up Bar," allowing players to choose their own upgrades, a revolutionary leap in game depth.

INFO: FIGHTING SPIRIT

👊 STREET FIGHTER (1987)

COMPETITION CORE |
The end of the decade saw the birth of the competitive fighting scene, leading into the explosive growth of the 90s arcade culture.

1980s Arcade Market in Japan.
GAME CREDIT: Street Fighter (Capcom), Konami, Donkey Kong (Nintendo), Pac-Man (Bandai Namco) and Sega.

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i = 0;

while (!deck.isInOrder()) {
    print 'Iteration ' + i;
    deck.shuffle();
    i++;
}

print 'It took ' + i + ' iterations to sort the deck.';

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1980s Japan Arcade Boom

Elements

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