 | |
Native name | ラウンドワン |
|---|---|
| Company type | Public |
| TYO:4680 | |
| Founder | Masahiko Sugino |
| Headquarters | , Japan[1] |
Number of locations | 161 (2023) |
Area served |
|
| Subsidiaries | Round One Entertainment Inc. |
| Website | round1.co.jp round1usa.com |
Round One Corporation (Japanese:ラウンドワン,Hepburn:Raundo Wan),[2] stylized asROUND1, is a Japan-basedamusement store chain. In Japan, the amusement centers offer bowling alleys, arcade games, karaoke, and billiards. Select larger locations also include SpoCha, which is an abbreviation for “Sports Challenge”, which offers a variety of items and indoor activities such asbatting cages, basketball, volleyball, tennis,futsal, driving range, etc.[3]Round One Entertainment Inc. is an American subsidiary of Round One Corporation. The amusement centers in the U.S. offer a variety ofbowling,karaoke,video gamearcade cabinets andredemption games,billiards,darts, andping pong while serving a variety offood and beverages.[4]
On December 25, 1980, the owner, Masahiko Sugino, founded a company calledSugino Kosan that featured a roller skate facility with arcade games. A few years later, the facility expanded to include a bowling alley which became very popular. This company later became the first Round One arcade in 1993. Since then, the company quickly expanded all across Japan.
Before 2010, the company first attempted to expand to the United States, when the company establishedRound One U.S.A. Corp, but after not finding a good location for their first overseas location this subsidiary closed down in July 2006. The subsidiary was relaunched in 2008 as Round One Entertainment Inc., and successfully opened up a Round One-branded location atPuente Hills Mall inCity of Industry,California in 2010.
In Japan, there are currently 107 stores open.
In the U.S., there are currently stores open in 27 states. More locations are planned to open inIndiana, andSouth Carolina.[5][6] As of 2019, Round 1 plans to expand at a rate of 10 stores per year.[7][1][8][9]
The brand also plans to open stores in the Asia-Pacific region. There is currently a location open in China, and a former location in Russia, which was divested in 2022.[10]
In addition to American arcade games, Round One locations in the United States offer many exclusive Japanese arcade games, which is something that other arcades rarely or cannot offer. These includebeatmania IIDX 32: Pinky Crush,Dance Dance Revolution World,Sound Voltex EXCEED GEAR,Groove Coaster,Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune 5 (addressed asMaximum Tune 5 for its American release; currently released as its updated formMaximum Tune 5DX+), andInitial D Arcade Stage 8. They also exclusively offer the special 20th anniversary golden cabinet forDance Dance Revolution World.[11] Round One andDave & Buster's are the only two entertainment centers in the United States that havee-AMUSEMENT, an online service integrated into someKonami arcade games.
Round One also offersUFO catchers, a popular type of claw machine in Japan.[12]