🎒 Arcade EDC
What's in My Bag Every Time I Go to Round1
I go to Round1 way too often. After years of forgetting stuff, overheating, and losing cards in my pocket, here's exactly what I bring every time.
Look, I'm not going to pretend this is some minimalist capsule wardrobe thing. I'm a creature of habit. Every Round1 session, I grab the same bag with the same stuff, and it works.
Some of this is my own merch (I literally designed it because I needed it), and some of it is just common sense that took me embarrassingly long to figure out.
🏆 Tier 1: The Non-Negotiables
💳 Arcade Cards
e-amusement + Aime + NESiCA. All three, always. I keep them on a lanyard around my neck so I'm not fishing through pockets every time I switch games. Mine has card stickers on them because (a) I designed those stickers and (b) it makes it instantly obvious which card is which.
🧴 Towel
Not optional. Even if you're "just playing IIDX." One intense session and your hands are slippery. Our microfiber towels (13.8" × 29.5") are the exact size I wanted — big enough to use, small enough to drape over the cabinet rail. I carry at least one with a DDR or SDVX design because I'm that person.
💧 Water
Bring your own. Round1 vending machines are overpriced and always out of the good stuff. I use a basic 32oz bottle. DDR/PIU players — you will go through it.
👟 The Right Shoes
For dance game players: flat-soled, not too grippy. You need to slide a little on the panels. Thick-soled shoes will catch and trip you. I wear basic flat sneakers. Some DDR veterans swear by dance shoes or even just socks — but that's a hygiene thing I'm not touching.
✨ Tier 2: Quality of Life
👕 A Change of Shirt
If you're playing DDR or PIU seriously, you will soak through your shirt. I wear one of my own sports-mesh shirts to play in (they're polyester, breathable, moisture-wicking) and bring a dry one in my bag for after. Because nobody wants to eat dinner in a sweaty shirt.
🧤 Hand Sanitizer / Grip
Arcade buttons are... communal. A quick sanitize before you eat is basic hygiene. Some IIDX players also carry grip powder or chalk for the turntable — it's not weird, it's practical.
Round1 has crane games and prize machines everywhere. You'll win something eventually (or your friend will), and you need somewhere to put it. Our drawstring bags fold flat when empty and have enough room for a plushie or two.
🔋 Portable Charger
You're going to film clips for TikTok. You're going to check e-amusement scores on your phone. You're going to text your friends "COME TO ROUND1 RIGHT NOW I JUST PFC'D THIS SONG." Your phone will die. Bring a charger.
👗 What I Actually Wear
I'm going to be honest — I dress for function first at the arcade. Fashion is for the con booth. At Round1, I want:
- 👕 Sports-mesh shirt — I literally designed these shirts because cotton at the arcade is suffering. Polyester, breathable, wicking. Plus they have my own designs on them, so I'm a walking billboard (no shame).
- 🩳 Sports shorts — For dance games, full stop. Jeans at DDR? Absolutely not.
- 🧣 Scrunchie — Hair out of face. Non-negotiable if you have long hair and play anything physical.
- 🧥 Hoodie — Round1 AC runs COLD. I throw this on between sessions or when I'm watching someone else play.
🤫 The Secret Weapon: Card Stickers as Conversation Starters
This sounds dumb but it's real. When you tap your card at a cabinet and it has a cool card sticker — people notice. I've had strangers start conversations about my MAX 300 card sticker design. At Round1, your card is the first thing other players see. Make it interesting.
🚫 What NOT to Bring
- ❌ A full backpack — There's nowhere safe to put it. Keep it light, keep it on you.
- ❌ Expensive jewelry — Rings catch on buttons. Necklaces fly around during DDR. Leave it home.
- ❌ An ego — You will see someone half your age destroy a song you can't clear. It's humbling. That's the arcade.
- ❌ Cotton socks if you play barefoot DDR — (If you know, you know. Blisters. So many blisters.)
Towels, lanyards, card stickers, charms, and more. Designed by someone who actually uses them at Round1.
