Played darts in Japan or the US and found mostly DARTSLIVE? In Taiwan you'll see far more Phoenix machines. Here's Phoenix vs DARTSLIVE explained for visiting players: who makes them, whether your card works, how the ratings compare, the signature games, and which one dominates where. Everything was checked against both companies' official sites in October 2026.
Taiwan is Phoenix country
Counting both companies' official store finders on 11 October 2026, Taiwan has 737 Phoenix venues and 292 DARTSLIVE venues, about 2.5 to 1. DARTSLIVE does have a Taiwan branch and venues in Taipei. Japan is the reverse, with DARTSLIVE leading (Tokyo has more than twice as many DARTSLIVE venues), and Korea is almost all Phoenix.
Phoenix vs DARTSLIVE at a glance
| DARTSLIVE | Phoenix | |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Japan (Tokyo, SEGA group) | South Korea (Seoul) |
| Main machines | DARTSLIVE3, DARTSLIVE2 | VSX, VSS, VSP |
| Player card | DARTSLIVE CARD (physical or virtual) | Phoenix card (PHOENicA in Japan) |
| Rating | 1 to 18 (01 measured per round) | 1 to 30 (01 measured as PPD, per dart) |
| Signature games | CENTER COUNT-UP, SKILL CHECK, FISH TRIANGLE | REAL FISHING (VSX only), VS BOXER |
| Online play | LIVE MATCH | Battle Darts |
| Venues in Taiwan | 292 | 737 |
Cards: two separate systems
They're different companies with their own cards, apps and accounts. Your DARTSLIVE card won't record stats on a Phoenix machine, so to play Phoenix in Taiwan you sign up for a Phoenix account. DARTSLIVE accounts are tied to the country you registered in, and neither company spells out whether a foreign card works on machines abroad, so ask the venue.
Converting your rating (unofficial)
The question everyone asks, but neither company publishes a conversion table. DARTSLIVE's 01 stat is points per round (3 darts); Phoenix uses PPD, points per dart. Divide the DARTSLIVE stat by 3 and you get roughly this:
| DARTSLIVE | 01 stat | As PPD | Roughly Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rt.8 (BB) | 70.0 | about 23.3 | around Rt.11 |
| Rt.10 (A) | 80.0 | about 26.7 | around Rt.14 |
| Rt.13 (AA) | 95.0 | about 31.7 | around Rt.18 |
| Rt.18 (SA) | 130.0 | about 43.3 | around Rt.26 |
DARTSLIVE uses 80% stats weighted to your last 30 games and Phoenix doesn't publish its method, so treat this as a ballpark. What PPD and MPR mean: PPD and MPR explained.
Same darts, same distance
Both are soft tip, with the bull at 173 cm and the throw line at about 244 cm (Phoenix states 8 feet from the front of the machine). Bring your usual soft-tip darts and they'll work on either. More in soft tip vs steel tip darts.
Play Phoenix VSX at AI DARTS
AI DARTS in Taipei's East District runs Phoenix: one VSX and two VSS. The VSX is Phoenix's newest machine and only 49 of Taiwan's 737 Phoenix venues have one: twin 50-inch screens, AI camera scoring, and the VSX-only REAL FISHING game, which also has its own board on our member leaderboard. Open 24 hours, no cover charge, bring your own drinks. How points and leaderboards work: our gamified darts bar guide. Other places to play: Taipei darts bars. The menu is here.
FAQ
Q: Does a DARTSLIVE card work on Phoenix machines?
A: Not for stats. They're separate systems, so you'll need a Phoenix account.
Q: Are there DARTSLIVE bars in Taiwan?
A: Yes, about 292 nationwide in October 2026, but Phoenix venues outnumber them at about 737.
Q: How do Phoenix and DARTSLIVE ratings compare?
A: There's no official table. As a rough guide, divide your DARTSLIVE 01 stat by 3 and compare it with Phoenix PPD.