GameCenter CX - Specials
1 - Super Mario Bros. 2
Air Date: May 30, 2004
After 13 hours of playing, Arino died mere inches from the flag at level 8-2. Exhausted and depressed our intrepid host threw in the towel. Revenge shall be had in this special episode of Game Center CX! Meanwhile, Arino and the staff visit a variety of hot spring resorts to learn more about the retro game centers that can be found there.
2 - DVD-BOX1 Challenge: Transformers: Convoy no Nazo
Air Date: December 23, 2005
3 - The Far North Game Travelogue Part 1-2
Air Date: April 12, 2006
Arino starts the journey at Tonekko no Yu, an indoor hot spring center in Monbetsu-cho. He steps into the game center, where the "Money Exchanger" sign is bigger than the actual "Game Corner" sign. Consider it all too telling: as soon as he steps in, Arino’s surprised by the small size of the place compared to the rest of the building. And there are more prize and pachislo machines than video games.
4 - The Far North Game Travelogue Part 3-4
Air Date: April 26, 2006
The gang travels to downtown Asahika. Unfortunately the larger number of people around hasn’t made it any warmer. At any rate, he walks down to the next target: a dedicated game center called the Sugai Amusement Factory.
5 - The Far North Game Travelogue Part 5-7
Air Date: May 10, 2006
This time we’re in Kayoru, and the gang is getting ever closer to the northern tip of the island. The next place to visit is Sun Pillar, another hot spring center surrounded by trees.
6 - The Far North Game Travelogue Part 8-9
Air Date: May 24, 2006
Arino’s arrived at Wakkanai Station, signifying the northernmost town in Hokkaido and the home stretch of the journey. But there’s still a couple more places to check out! Arino heads over to Hitoshi no Mise for a bite to eat, and he asks the owner about the area before settling down with an order of kanimeshi (crab & rice).
7 - DVD-BOX2 Challenge: Ikki
Air Date: June 23, 2006
It's time for Arino to take on Sunsoft's Ikki in a challenge that carries an ending so shocking that viewers are asked not to spoil it for others. But don't go in thinking that the ending will be the only thing to leave you in awe. It's a challenge filled with twists and turns with a riddle at the center of it that will leave Arino guessing till the very end.
8 - DVD-BOX3 Challenge: Twinbee
Air Date: December 22, 2006
9 - DVD-BOX4 Challenge: Bomberman
Air Date: December 21, 2007
In this exclusive challenge from the fourth DVD box set, Arino will attempt to finish all 50 stages of the seminal Bomberman. At least that was the original intent of the staff but when Arino is cruising they decide to spice things up. To get his own back Arino grills them about their personal lives but they needn't worry as no one will ever see this challenge, right?
10 - Nintendo Channel 1: Mega Man 9 (Part 1)
Air Date: September 24, 2008
11 - Nintendo Channel 1: Mega Man 9 (Part 2)
Air Date: October 1, 2008
12 - The Far South Game Travelogue
Air Date: December 15, 2008
Arino and company search for the game center that's the farthest south possible in Japan.
13 - New Years Live Special: Tower of Druaga
Air Date: December 31, 2008
14 - Game Center CX: Arino no Chosenjou
Air Date: February 26, 2009
Special episode released as a bonus DVD with the release of Game Center CX: Arino no Chosenjou 2.
15 - Nintendo Channel 2: Wii Virtual Console demonstration
Air Date: April 8, 2009
Games included: Youkai Douchuuki, Ninja JaJaMaru-kun, The Super Shinobi, Kaizou Ningen Shubibiman, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Golden Axe, Super Gussun Oyoyo.
16 - Nintendo Channel 3: Star Force
Air Date: April 15, 2009
After sampling the best of what the Wii's Virtual Console has to offer, Arino will be challenging the arcade version of Star Force. But before he sits down with the Virtual Console version an actual arcade machine is wheeled in for him to warm up on. What challenge is he warming up for exactly? A challenge he succeeded in all the way back in season 1, defeat Larios and be awarded 50,000 points.
17 - Nintendo Channel 4: Downtown Special: Kunio-kun no Jidaigeki da yo Zenin Shugou!
Air Date: May 14, 2009
The unbelievably wordy Downtown Special: It's Kunio's Samurai Drama! Gather 'Round Everybody! is the subject of today's challenge. This instalment in the long running Kunio series of game is set in the Edo period and Arino has been tasked with beating this period piece in only 5 hours. Downtown Special features the same great cooperative gameplay that made another Kunio game, River City Ransom, such a big hit and Arino will have to make use of that feature if he has any hope of completing this time sensitive challenge.
18 - Game Center CX Live Special: Takeshi no Chosenjou
Air Date: June 13, 2009
19 - Nintendo Channel 5: Splatterhouse
Air Date: June 17, 2009
A bright conference room isn't the ideal environment for playing horror games but chills will soon run down Arino's spine when he challenges Splatterhouse. This gory arcade classic follows the possessed protagonist Rick as he tries to rescue his girlfriend Jennifer from the clutches of evil. Arino has 5 hours to clear this challenge and save Jennifer otherwise she'll be lost forever in the blood soaked halls of the West Mansion.
20 - Nintendo Channel 6: Volfied
Air Date: July 1, 2009
21 - Nintendo Channel 7: Super Mario Kart
Air Date: July 22, 2009
In this Nintendo Channel challenge Arino will take to the asphalt of Super Mario Kart's first track. Arino will attempt to beat Nintendo's goal time of 1 minute and 3.68 seconds to claim victory and stand atop the podium. It's not long before the challenge hits a road block though, as Arino can't even decide which racer to pick.
22 - Nintendo Channel 8: Super Mario Bros. 3 (Part 1)
Air Date: November 11, 2009
23 - Nintendo Channel 8: Super Mario Bros. 3 (Part 2)
Air Date: November 25, 2009
24 - Nintendo Channel 8: Super Mario Bros. 3 (Part 3)
Air Date: December 2, 2009
25 - REVENGE Against "Legend of the Mystical Ninja"
Air Date: December 18, 2009
26 - DVD-BOX6 Challenge: Yie Ar Kung Fu
Air Date: December 18, 2009
27 - Game Center CX Live Special: Lemmings
Air Date: December 25, 2009
Game Center CX first 24 live show held in the Fuji TV Multi Theater on August 29th, 2009 in front of a live audience. Arino once again challenges Lemmings.
28 - Nintendo Channel 9: Super Metroid (Part 1)
Air Date: April 28, 2010
29 - Nintendo Channel 9: Super Metroid (Part 2)
Air Date: May 6, 2010
30 - Nintendo Channel 9: Super Metroid (Part 3)
Air Date: May 12, 2010
31 - Nintendo Channel 10: Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem
Air Date: July 7, 2010
32 - DVD-BOX7 Challenge: Binary Land
Air Date: December 24, 2010
The goal of the game is to reunite the two love birds. In order to spice things up, the staff has prepared cards with romance questions written on them. Each time Arino clears 10 stages he must draw one of the cards and answer the questions written on them.
33 - Nintendo Channel 11: Excitebike 3D
Air Date: June 7, 2011
34 - Nintendo Channel 12: Xevious
Air Date: June 15, 2011
35 - Nintendo Channel 13: Star Fox 64
Air Date: July 6, 2011
36 - DVD-BOX8 Challenge: City Connection
Air Date: December 22, 2011
37 - REVENGE Against "The Genji and Heike Clans"
Air Date: December 22, 2011
Immediately after his DVD special challenge City Connection, Arino is given a chance to get his revenge on The Genji and Heike Clans, however he has a 3 hour time limit to do so. If he loses this time, the challenge will be declared a loss forever. To help him through this hurdle AD Takahashi summons a special helper...
38 - Nintendo Channel 14: 3DS Virtual Console, Donkey Kong
Air Date: February 22, 2012
39 - Nintendo Channel 15: Kirby's Dream Collection: Kirby Super Star
Air Date: June 22, 2012
When the Kirby series turned 20 Nintendo decided to celebrate by releasing Kirby's Dream Collection which contains 6 entries from the beloved series. Today Arino will be challenging one of the games on the collection that he has unfinished business with, Kirby Super Star. During the new year's special he managed to clear 5 of Super Star's mini-games with his comedy partner Hamaguchi. Today he will attempt the clear the sixth, a boss rush style mode, The Arena.
40 - Nintendo Channel 16: Kirby's Dream Collection: New Challenge Stages
Air Date: June 22, 2012
41 - Game Center CX in ASIA
Air Date: October 5, 2012
42 - Nintendo Channel 17: Iwata Asks, Balloon Fight
Air Date: October 26, 2012
Just as Arino sits down to record a Nintendo Channel challenge of Balloon Fight he's informed that he'll have a rather special guest for today's challenge. That guest is none other than Satoru Iwata, the CEO of Nintendo and one of the developers who worked on Balloon Fight. It turns out the President is here to interview the Chief for his Iwata Asks series were he interviews various game creators and luminaries. They discuss their own relationship to and histories in gaming before taking turns at a Balloon Fight challenge.
43 - DVD-BOX9 Challenge: Spelunker
Air Date: December 21, 2012
44 - Nintendo Channel 18: Balloon Fight (Wii U VC)
Air Date: January 24, 2013
Balloon Fight was recently released on the Wii U Virtual Console to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Famicom. This makes for a great excuse to film a challenge in HD as well as revive a recent Nintendo Channel challenge. That challenge was to pop 20 green balloons in trip mode and was attended by the CEO of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata, who explained he later went home and cleared it on his own time. He suggests that Arino should try and get his revenge as well, but it isn't long before things start to escalate.
45 - Nintendo Channel 19: Fire Emblem: Monshou no Nazo (Wii-U VC)
Air Date: February 20, 2013
Arino previously challenged Fire Emblem: Mystery Of The Emblem when it appeared on the Wii Virtual Console but its release on the Wii U makes for a perfect excuse to double dip. Given that Arino has played it before you may think he has an advantage but fortunately he has absolutely no memory of playing the game let alone what it even entails. So his challenge to clear Book One: Chapter 3 without the loss of a party member could prove tough.
46 - Nintendo Channel 20: Mother 2
Air Date: March 20, 2013
47 - GameCenter CX in Paris
Air Date: October 14, 2013
48 - DVD-BOX10 Challenge: Pooyan
Air Date: December 20, 2013
49 - Arino's Challenge in Budokan
Air Date: January 1, 2014
50 - DVD-BOX11 Challenge: Castlevania
Air Date: December 19, 2014
51 - DVD-BOX12 Challenge: Resident Evil: Director's Cut
Air Date: December 18, 2015
Join Arino as journeys into darkness to solve the mystery of the Spencer Mansion in Resident Evil: Director's Cut. This is going to be a spooky DVD Challenge so Arino is going to have a few very special companions along the way.
52 - Mega Drive Special: Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Air Date: September 2, 2016
53 - DVD-BOX13 Challenge: Ganbare Goemon 2
Air Date: December 16, 2016
54 - DVD-BOX14 Challenge: Super Dodge Ball
Air Date: December 22, 2017
55 - DVD-BOX15 Challenge: Resident Evil 2 (Part 1)
Air Date: December 21, 2018
56 - DVD-BOX15 Challenge: Resident Evil 2 (Part 2)
Air Date: December 21, 2018
57 - DVD-BOX16 Challenge: Tokimeki Memorial 2
Air Date: December 20, 2019
58 - DVD-BOX17 Challenge: Gyakuten Saiban
Air Date: December 18, 2020
59 - GameCenter KBX
Air Date: March 28, 2021
A one-hour special broadcast where GameCenter CX staff writer Masayuki Kibe takes on the main character role, and Chief Arino appears as a guest.
60 - DVD-BOX18 Challenge: Momotarou Dentetsu V
Air Date: December 17, 2021
61 - DVD-BOX19 Challenge: Metal Gear Solid
Air Date: December 16, 2022
62 - DVD-BOX20 Challenge: Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
Air Date: December 15, 2023