Satomi TV JanQ 雀球 sparrow ball game PART I

It started with a fascination about a type of game I didn't even know the name of... Sparrow Ball, basically it's a mix between pachinko, (maybe more like and arrangeball) and the game of japanese mahjong.

For the history of Sparrow Ball here is a Japanese Wikipedia article. Just translate to english and enjoy.

The short short history:

First game in 1958... first TV game in 1979.

Sparrow Ball parlours phased out in 2007 and completely gone by 2013.

One day, while perusing Yahoo Japan Auctions, a Satomi TV JanQ sparrow ball popped up for sale. I had to buy it.

The Google translated YJA auction description mentioned the "tile button" and sound not working, but overall the game worked.

Shouldn't be too hard to get it working I thought.

There was even a video of the actual game in action. The screen brightness is obviously adjusted too high and a few tiles didn't register. No Biggie.

Buying a machine off YJA is always a gamble. The pictures are usually bad. The description, minimalistic and the details... foggy.

Furthermore, you have to use a Proxy bidding service. Once you win the machine, you're committed, all the way.

You pay for the bidding service, reception, re-packaging (if necessary) and expedition (not cheap).

To that you add duty and customs brokerage fees plus any other fees the intermediate parties decide you have to pay.

Basically, once you win the auction, you strap your wallet to a rocket and blast off! So it better be worth it.

The Satomi TV Jan-Q arrived 6 days later in a gigantic 49 kg box. As the delivery guy carried the box from his truck to my doorstep I could hear the tokens and balls sloshing around inside the cabinet. Finally I could see what I bought.

Continued in part II