Skip to content
FRFrançaisGet the newsletter
Pocket games

Takara Cassette Game

Also known as: カセットゲーム, タカラ カセットゲーム

Two games in one cassette: side A, side B, magnetic pieces and a spinner hidden in the tape window. Takara released about a dozen in the 80s, often with delightfully odd themes.

In Japan right now

Takara Cassette Game listings spotted this morning by the radar, not checked by hand. Photos by the sellers.

At a glance

Maker
Takara (now Takara Tomy)
Period
The 80s
Format
An audio cassette, two games (side A and side B)
Number of titles
About a dozen, numbered CG1, CG2…
In France
Same idea as MB's Astujeux (1987)

One cassette, two games

Cassette Games look just like an audio cassette. You open it like a little book, and two boards appear: side A and side B, each with its own game. The pieces are magnetic and stay on the metal board, even in the car or in the playground.

The cleverest idea hides in the tape window: a small spring-loaded spinner replaces the die. Nothing left to lose under the car seat!

The Japanese cousin of Astujeux

In France, MB launched Astujeux in 1987 on the same idea: a board game in a cassette, with magnetic pieces. If you owned one as a child, you will recognise the spirit of Cassette Games straight away.

Odd themes

Takara was not afraid of the strange: there is a salt festival among slugs (CG3), a vampire mosquito (CG4) and a test of courage in a school at night (CG11). Some titles are also based on manga of the time.

Before you buy

Count the pieces in the photos and check that the spinner turns. Never-opened cassettes still turn up, and they often cost only a few thousand yen.

Tips for dating an item

  1. The CG numberEach cassette has a number, such as CG3 or CG11. It identifies the exact game.
  2. The spinnerA spring-loaded spinner, visible in the cassette window, replaces the die: no small part to lose.
  3. The piecesThe magnetic pieces stick to a metal board. Check they are all there: they are what goes missing most often.

Things to collect

  • Never-opened cassettes, still in film
  • Used cassettes with their pieces
  • Titles based on manga of the time

Price guide

The price guide grows with every find: it will appear here once I have enough comparable listings.

Current finds

No Takara Cassette Game finds yet. Get the newsletter so you do not miss the next ones.

Guide updated on 27 September 2026.