BARCADES

one-of-a-kind barcade is Akihabara, which, while located in Westminster, transports visitors to the Tokyo gaming district that gives the business its name.

Owner Brandon Osha said he was blown away when he had the chance to visit Akihabara and take in its blocks of multi-story arcades.

“The first time I went to Akihabara I knew I wanted to bring that here because it’s amazing,” Osha said.

He did just that by opening Akihabara in 2016.

Similar to Nikolich, Osha grew up with a love of gaming and worked at a local arcade and GameStop. Instead of pinball though, Osha’s games of choice came in arcade cabinets, which he began collecting at age 16.

Currently, Akihabara offers 52 arcade cabinets with around 65 games, but Osha has plans to expand his location with 25 new games and additional space, which he said will be complete this summer.

Osha said the game selection, which includes fighting games, rhythm games and nostalgic classics, definitely sets Akihabara apart.

“You never see this many (arcade cabinets) in one place,” he said. “We have such a different variety of games that you won’t find anywhere else in Colorado.”

One of the stranger and more rare games Akihabara offers is a Japanese table flipping game called Cho Chabudai, but more well-known games include Third Strike, Monkeyball, Typing of the Dead and Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon. All of the games are $1 or less to play.

Osha said a lot of people come in seeking a specific game that’s hard to find anywhere else, but he encourages visitors to try whatever piques their interest, even if they can’t necessarily read the Japanese instructions.

“I think it’s a lot of games that people have never seen, but they might find something that they like,” he said. “Plus, it’s usually only three buttons and a joystick, so they’re not too hard to learn.”

Akihabara’s focus on Japanese culture carries over into the bar offerings, which include Japanese beers and cocktails made with Japanese liquor, as well as a variety of packaged snacks and ramen options.

Overall, Osha said he tries to provide a space that’s both niche and for everyone, describing the Akihabara crowd as a welcoming hodgepodge.

“If you’re looking to find a friend, you’ll find one around here somewhere,” he said.