Retro Game Master

is a Japanese television series where Shinya Arino, a member of comedy duo Yoiko, plays Japan's most popular video games (a majority of which are Famicom games) and records his progress as he works through a time limit (usually 1 day per game... around 13 hours or so). He's supported by his Assistant Directors (herein referred to as ADs) and Staff, both via moral support and actual gameplay.

He also gets the chance to interview game designers and to play arcade games occasionally.

There are four DVD sets out so far in Japan. The show is currently about to begin its 9th season. It has been going since 2003.

Fuji TV is currently looking for international distributors for subtitled DVDs. [http://www.siliconera.com/2008/06/20/game-center-cx-debuts-in-new-york-city Game Center CX debuts in New York City] ] [http://www.siliconera.com/2008/06/23/subtitled-retro-game-master-dvds-seek-distributor Subtitled Retro Game Master DVDs seek distributor] ]

Feel of the show

Arino is presented as an employee of the GameCenter CX Company.

Sometimes when he really gets stuck playing a game, one of the 'staff/interns' will offer their help to get him past a tough area. They usually stop immediately and let him continue on his own. Occasionally they will even ask if he 'gives up'.

The CX 'company' even 'promotes' the host depending on how well he does during the season. The phrase Arino says right before turning on the console, "kachou ON!", is actually referring to his status as section manager of the (albeit fictional) aforementioned "company."

Season	Position	Explanation
Season 1	Chief
Season 1	Deputy Manager
Season 4	Section Chief	After completing the whole 3rd Season
Season 4	Deputy Manager	4 losses in a row - Ultraman to Act Raiser
Season 4	Chief	Demoted to prevent a fifth loss. Instructed to use his staff/interns more.
Season 4	Section Chief	Promoted from a successful completion of Quiz Tonosama no Yabou

To continue on with the 'Corporation' theme of the show, a stock certificate was included with the second DVD collection to have the buyers feel like they 'owned stock' in the 'company'... perhaps to inspire them to watch and encourage the host to do well.

In the last episode of season 7, Bandai Namco President Ishikawa made Arino an honorary employee of BNG and presented Arino with a Company card.

ADs

* 東島真一郎 - Toujima Shinichirou - Season 1 & Season 2(first episode only)
* 笹野大司 - Sasano Hiroshi - Season 2
* 浦川瞬 - Urakawa Shun - Seasons 3 & Season 4
* 井上侑也 - Inoue Yuuya, a.k.a. イノコMAX (Inoko MAX) - Seasons 5 & Season 6
* 高橋佐知 - Takahashi Sachi a.k.a. 名人 (Meijin) - Season 7
* 鶴岡丈志 - Tsuruoka Takeshi - Season 8

Miscellaneous staff

* 阿部浩一 - Abe Kouichi - Cameraman
* 岐部昌幸 - Kibe Masayuki - Art Director
* 菅剛史 - Kan Takashi - Producer, Narrator

Recurring themes

* He often will apply "reikyaku" sheets (adhesive cooling pads intended to decrease temperatures and inhibit fevers) on his forehead. During earlier seasons, he exclusively used Hiepita-brand "reikyaku". Occasionally he'll write encouraging words on them as a form of self-inspiration.

* He has a large array of water bottles and really cheap-o junk food to his left to snack on. A 'true gamer experience' perhaps?

* Many of the food items in later episodes are sent in from fans. Arino really enjoys "kusashisuika", which are skewered vinegar-soaked squid.

Music

* The song used during Arino's arcade field trip adventures is called 異国のしらべ from HEAT WAVE.

Games Featured

1st Season

(This season featured a game series or game company as its main focus with Arino's challenge game as a secondary feature)

4th Season

(The season mascot changes from King to Queen)

7th Season

(the season changes from Dark King to King. The Dark King makes a brief reappearance in #53)

DVDs

There have been four DVD sets put out. Each one contains key episodes. They are not season compilations.

*DVD-Box Vol. 1 (Released 23rd December 2005):Games Featured:: Star Force／Super Mario Bros. 2／Atlantis no Nazo／Makaimura／Prince of Persia／Super Mario Bros. 3:DVD Exclusive For the DVD he played the Transformers game.

*DVD-Box Vol. 2 (Released 23rd June 2006):Games Featured:: Super Mario World／Adventure Island／Takeshi no Chousenjou／Solomon's Key／Megaman 2

*DVD-Box Vol. 3 (Released 22nd December 2006):Games Featured:: Ninja Gaiden (Director's Cut)／Meikyuu Kumikyoku／Final Fight／Ghouls 'n Ghosts (Director's Cut)／Quiz Tonosama no Yabou／Contra:DVD Exclusive For the DVD he played Twinbee (failed to get to ending).

*DVD-Box Vol. 4 (Released 21st December 2007):Games Featured:: Yokai Douchuuki／Street Fighter 2／Mighty Bomb Jack／Septentrion／Umihara Kawase／Bomberman

Interviews

In the 2nd season he went to different companies and talked with producers and creators.Konami Corp.
* Talked with the creator of Ganbare GoemonGame Republic, Inc.
* Talked with a game creator of SonSon.Konami Corp.
*Talked with one of the creators of Metal Gear.

Moshi Moshi!

During this feature that ran during the 3rd season he played Super Monkey Daibouken and called people who wrote in for tips. He cleared the game.

Systems featured

In the fifth season he played older systems.
* SG-1000 Mark III
Star Force, Girl's Garden, Hokuto no Ken, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Outrun, Phantasy Star, Shinobi
* 3DO Real FZ-1
Jurassic Park interactive, Shock Wave
* [http://nostalgicpc.hp.infoseek.co.jp/pyuta.html Pyuta]
Traffic Jam, Scramble

"Romantic Never Stops"

These are games featured in season 6 episodes where he plays a game with a female character in it, and then takes a picture of the character with his phone camera. The game is suggested by viewers who write in and the picture is usually 'revealing' but not necessarily 'H'. Usually the events are hidden or hard to find in a specific game and not expected.
*
*Takahashi Meijin no Bouken Shima
*Tsuppari Oozumou
*Momotaro Densetsu
*Kyoto Ryu no Tera Satsujin Jiken

Video Game

At the end of the 6th Season, it was announced that there were plans to make a GameCenter CX video game. The game, entitled "GameCenter CX: Arino's Challenge", is for the Nintendo DS and was produced in a collaborative effort by Fuji TV and Bandai Namco Games. During the 7th Season, certain parts of the show featured the development process of the game.

The game was released in Japan on November 15, 2007 [http://namco-ch.net/gamecenter_cx/index.php ゲームセンターCX 有野の挑戦状 ] ] , and will be released in North America under the title Retro Game Challenge somewhere in 2008 by XSEED Games.

References

External links

* [http://www.fujitv.co.jp/cs/gamecenter/ Official GameCenter CX site (Japanese)]
* Japanese Wikipedia link for more information
* [http://www.crunkgames.com/?p=87 English episode guide at Crunk Games]
* [http://gccxfanatics.web.fc2.com/ GCCX Fanatics fan site (Japanese)]
* [http://www1.odn.ne.jp/~aaa23320/eemono/gamecx.html Japanese site with video links]