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Nintendo Virtual Boy Appreciation Thread, brought to you by the color Red!

what's a good price for a complete VB these days? found a few on other cities' craigslist but it seems anything less than like $75 lacks the stand, or is otherwise damaged
 
Love my Virtual Boy Red 3DS XL (picture isn't mine):

MMSqxIz.jpg


I really hope they eventually release the Virtual Boy library on eShop. Has Nintendo ever commented on this?
 
dude on CL offering Virtual Boy complete with Teleboxer and possibly Wario for $50...think i might bite! only thing it lacks is AC adapter, how much are those?
 
IrishNinja said:
dude on CL offering Virtual Boy complete with Teleboxer and possibly Wario for $50...think i might bite! only thing it lacks is AC adapter, how much are those?
Click to expand...

The adapter itself wouldn't be an issue - it's a standard SNES AC adapter. However, you also need attachment for the back of the controller, which allows you to plug the adapter in, and sadly I think people like to overprice it on ebay. I'm looking now and they're hovering around $20-40, some for the controller attachment alone and some including the SNES AC with it,

Of course, assuming the controller has the battery attachment, you could just pop in 6 AAs. I hear they last a while.
 
At some point I really need to either fix my Virtual Boy or buy a new one. Kinda sucks playing ti with having to tape a piece of paper over the left socket.
 
drove about 45 minutes out to a garage sale this morning when i got off work just to be the first one there, but...$30 later and i officially joined the club!!

it had no games so i can't yet test it, but the AC adapter works & causes it to turn on, click a bit, and the mirrors notably vibrate. gonna borrow a game from a friend soon to fully test it, but i'm optimistic!

it only lacks a stand, and again, games. gonna keep an eye on ebay for both!
 
I picked up a Virtual Boy when it was on clearance toward the end of its shelf life. I've since gotten all of the US games aside from Jack Bros., and also a few of the Japanese games (including Virtual Fishing, not not the more rare ones).

The system definitely had its issues, but, it offered something very different and unique, and has a charming feel to it. While I certainly wouldn't have wanted games to go in that direction permanently, I really wish the Virtual Boy had continued on a while longer, and that some more of its possibilities had been explored.

While the system doesn't have very many games, many of the games it does have are very enjoyable. And, Wario Land is one of the best games ever. I wrote a walkthrough for Wario Land as well (although, let me tell you, looking back and forth between the Virtual Boy, and a computer writing up a walkthrough really does some freaky things with your eyes).
 
Ill send you a copy of some baseball game i managed to accumulate 4 copies of over the years if its going to be a bit before you can test it.
 
Bapho - cant say no to that man, when we work out this whole lot please toss a copy in if you're down m'man!

finally got a chance to look at the lot today..heh, i think he just tossed me an SNES AC and assumed it'd work here...dammit. looks like it's batteries for me till in find an actual one!
 
be honest, why not put some virtual boy games on the 3ds?? i'd probably buy one for kicks and giggles, and unless they start featuring 3d in all of their handhelds for now on it's not like they'll get another opportunity
 
I recently got around to picking up Wario Land but when I went to play it, my Virtual Boy's screens are all messed up. Worked fine when I put it into storage, now the display is all corrupted. I've looked around online and apparently this is a common problem and I need to literally bake some of the Virtual Boy components in my oven to soften the glue on the ribbon cables. Sucks, but I guess I have to try it.

gemoran4 said:
be honest, why not put some virtual boy games on the 3ds?? i'd probably buy one for kicks and giggles, and unless they start featuring 3d in all of their handhelds for now on it's not like they'll get another opportunity
Click to expand...

There are so few games on the VB that if they were going to do this, they should just remake them from the ground up in full color. This is even more true when you realize that there are only a few games worth playing, namely Wario Land, Mario Clash, Telero Boxer, Jack Bros, and Red Alarm. I would totally buy a colorized Wario Land VB on 3DS.
 
Uncle Rupee said:
There are so few games on the VB that if they were going to do this, they should just remake them from the ground up in full color. This is even more true when you realize that there are only a few games worth playing, namely Wario Land, Mario Clash, Telero Boxer, Jack Bros, and Red Alarm. I would totally buy a colorized Wario Land VB on 3DS.
Click to expand...

Damnit NO! I want Galactic Pinball too! :P
 
BabySlayer said:
was the VB just like the oculus rift?
Click to expand...

It did do true stereoscopic 3D (a different display for each eye), but most of the games are sprite-based. The 3D effect is quite good, but since the characters and objects are technically 2D sprites, they have a flat look (sort of like Paper Mario). Graphically it's like a monochrome Super Nintendo just with 3D depth layers, but the music isn't quite as good as SNES. Mario Tennis achieves a pretty good 3D effect using a mode 7 style scaling tennis court, but other games like Tetris are kinda pointless. Technically the display could have actually been full RGB however the extra color channels would have caused the image to become blurry (and would have tripled the cost of the device). Believe it or not, Nintendo opted to go with red because it was deemed the easiest on the eyes. The 3D image is very sharp.

Red Alarm is one of the few games that attempted to do 3D using wireframes. It plays a bit like Star Fox but you have full 360 control of your ship. However the levels are mostly tunnels, so you're pretty limited in where you can go (boss battles are often arenas). Honestly the effect is very cool. It sort of feels like you are piloting the ship through a computerized terminal rather than sitting in a cockpit, a bit like how futuristic displays looked in old science fiction films.

Nintendo was also working on a pseudo sequel to F-Zero that had a similar style. Unfortunately it was never released. I enjoyed Red Alarm but lots of people complained that it was difficult to navigate in the wireframes because they couldn't tell where the solid objects were ( I didn't have that problem). In screenshots it may be difficult to tell what's what but when you're actually playing it, the 3D effect really helps to sort that stuff out.

I've never played the Virtual Boy for more than 20-30 minutes at a time but I never got a headache or felt dizzy from it, and I suffer from motion sickness when watching or playing first person games.
 
Rlan said:
Wario Land VB actually looks like a pretty rad game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTVKvvvA15I

With all the 3DS Classics being remade it seems like a colorized version of Wario Land VB would be a great addition to the 3DS digital library. It used the different planes of background really well.
Click to expand...

It was an incredible platformer. The single best game on the VB.

I remember playing the hell out of it, right to the end. It was so, so, so good.
 
Galactic Pinball, Jack Bros., Mario's Clash, Mario's Tennis, Panic Bomber, Red Alarm, Teleroboxer, Virtual Boy Wario Land -- I would love for these to be available on 3DS. Please, Nintendo!
 
I have a Virtual Boy and 5 CIB games: Wario Land, Mario Clash, Teleroboxer, Red Alarm and Japan only V-Tetris.

Wario Land is far and away the best game on the system, by giant leaps and bounds. It's honestly a shame more people don't get to play it.

I think I also still have a busted VB whose left lens stopped working. If it's an easy fix I could potentially give it to someone...

I'll have to look.
 
IrishNinja said:
finally got a chance to look at the lot today..heh, i think he just tossed me an SNES AC and assumed it'd work here...dammit. looks like it's batteries for me till in find an actual one!
Click to expand...

The VB had an AC adapter that plugged into the controller and connected to an SNES AC. There was never an official VB AC cord AFAIK.

Also the system doesn't do shit without a game inside except make you think it's broken. There's no logo or *ka-liiiink* noise or anything.

Also, I have an extra VB stand if you're in need of one, Irish.
 
*shit yeah, that'd be awesome man! i gotta figure out what pieces (?) i'm missing then, there's clearly a battery pack and one other thing with a hole in it, presumably for said stand.

ohhh the ac goes into the controller? i didn't even look there, damn. its a nintendo AC with a gray tip so yeah, i just assumed SNES. cool.
 
Still my favorite Nintendo system. I think I got it as my graduation present from 8th grade when they were being heavily discounted. I used it probably 120 hours, but I still have it in perfect condition in its box.

I always wanted a color version, but the 3ds is not that system. If nintendo made an Oculus rift clone with vita level graphics + 8x MSAA with the WiiU pro contoller it would amazing.
 
Waylon Drums said:
Tragedy has struck! The left eye on my Virtual Boy is effect up. Is there anything I can do?
Click to expand...

there are people on other forums ive seen who offer repairs, my current unit isn't working either so i've debated it as well. I wanna say fellow gaffer Mzo knows about this?
 
Anyone have a broken VB with the piece that connects the VB to the tripod? I bought one a while back and the only thing missing is that piece and I really don't want to buy an entire new tripod.

Edit: Looks like I'm not the only one missing the piece. I want to say I only really need the screw that holds it to the platform and has ta plastic piece for easily removing the tripod though.
 
IrishNinja said:
there are people on other forums ive seen who offer repairs, my current unit isn't working either so i've debated it as well. I wanna say fellow gaffer Mzo knows about this?
Click to expand...

I'll probably end up having to go this route. I'd be happy to pay someone to do it right because I don't trust myself.


the androgyne said:
Have a watch of this video from around the 20 min mark, he fixes a similar issue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E48x9t85Awg
Click to expand...

Thanks!
 
VirtualBoy Wario is still the best Wario game released to this day. System was worth it for that alone. Also enjoyed Teleroboxer and Mario Tennis via system link. Not the best Nintendo system but I had a great deal of fun with it. Controller was quite innovative at the time as well.
 
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/stock/meeting/130627qa/

Q 3

I have been waiting for the return of Virtual Boy ever since the launch of the Virtual Console service for Nintendo 3DS. Do you have any concrete plans? I would like you to look into the possibility since I feel that there is a fairly large number of people in my generation and later generations who have not played Virtual Boy.

A 3

Iwata:

I cannot talk about any unannounced products on occasions like this, but Virtual Boy is a game console Nintendo launched in the past that allows players to experience a 3D world in black and red only by just looking into it. It was not a commercial success, but some say that it was an attractive and extremely unique product by the standards at that time. I believe your comment is that we should take advantage of our software assets from Virtual Boy and I would like to take note of that advice for the future.
 
.la1n said:
VirtualBoy Wario is still the best Wario game released to this day. System was worth it for that alone. Also enjoyed Teleroboxer and Mario Tennis via system link. Not the best Nintendo system but I had a great deal of fun with it. Controller was quite innovative at the time as well.
Click to expand...

One of the games I own. What I've played of it is fun but can't play long since my tripod is missing that piece.

Cheesemeister said:
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/stock/meeting/130627qa/

Q 3

I have been waiting for the return of Virtual Boy ever since the launch of the Virtual Console service for Nintendo 3DS. Do you have any concrete plans? I would like you to look into the possibility since I feel that there is a fairly large number of people in my generation and later generations who have not played Virtual Boy.

A 3

Iwata:

I cannot talk about any unannounced products on occasions like this, but Virtual Boy is a game console Nintendo launched in the past that allows players to experience a 3D world in black and red only by just looking into it. It was not a commercial success, but some say that it was an attractive and extremely unique product by the standards at that time. I believe your comment is that we should take advantage of our software assets from Virtual Boy and I would like to take note of that advice for the future.
Click to expand...

It makes so much sense. I don't get why they don't release them ASAP.
 
Just looking at those pictures and my eyes are hurting. I had a blast with Wario, though. It was definitely the best game for the Virtual Boy.

I would love to see a Virtual Boy in color.
 
My VB works sometimes, but not always. I got it when the price dropped to $20 new at Toys R Us, but I had wanted one since before launch and loved it other than the awkwardness of trying to find a comfortable position to play.

I ended up with the following 8 games:
Bomberman: Panic Bomber
Galactic Pinball
Mario's Clash
Mario's Tennis
Nester's Funky Bowling
Red Alarm
Teleroboxer
Virtual Boy Wario Land

I would happily re-buy all of these games and more on 3DS VC whether they colorized them or not.
 
I am Christina Aguilera said:
Some info about the Virtual Boy:

  • It uses the 32-bit CPU from NEC's disappointing Japan-only successor to the TurboGrafx-16, the PC-FX. I don't know that this is related to the CPU, but the VB's audio also sounds a helluva lot like the audio from a TG-16.
  • The original intention was for it to be in full color, but Nintendo in Japan and North America alike pretty much doubted Gunpei Yokoi's project from the start, and insisted in the lowest-power possible LEDs (red, low on the color spectrum = lower power) as an alternative to keep production costs cheaper.
  • The VB controller is the first Nintendo-produced controller with handles (they feel very reminiscent of a GC controller's handles), and also the first Nintendo controller that has both handles and a B button angled below the A button (instead of above it, like on the N64 controller). With the GC controller, and the tendency to use B and A as the primary buttons on the Wii Classic Controller [Pro], I still don't understand what the ergonomic idea is supposed to be with that approach.
  • I think that a lot of people take it for granted that the Virtual Boy display must be two LED/dot matrix-type displays side-by-side, but there is actually only one vertical row of pixels per eye that updates extremely quickly. These two rows are reflected against mirrors that oscillate back and forth quickly enough that each eye perceives it as a 384 x 224 pixel image. This oddball approach to a screen refresh rate -- more so than the stereoscopic 3D -- is why so many people complain of getting headaches while using the Virtual Boy, and it's also why the screen would seem kind of "jumpy" or laggy when the unit had been bumped or moved during gameplay. For an idea of what's going on, imagine a faster, more refined, higher-resolution, stereoscopic version of what Entex did here with their AdventureVision in the '80s. For what it's worth, I never really suffered any headaches while I owned mine, though the visor made my forehead itchy sometimes.
  • The ever-rare Jack Bros. was actually the first game related to the Shin Megami Tensei series to ever be localized and released in North America. Obviously, the gameplay in Jack Bros. is pretty far removed from the standard Pokemon-with-demons setup of the MegaTen series.
  • VB emulation has improved substantially in recent years with Mednafen!
Click to expand...

Pac-Man 2 avatar and dropping insane knowledge! You're a good poster.
 
I am Christina Aguilera said:
some info about Entex Adventurevision, which is a thing I never even knew existed up until right this very moment
Click to expand...

what in the dang dang dong goddammit? I fancy myself a pretty well-to-do retro-gaming-knowledged nerd but even I've never heard of this thing before, much less seen one. By the rarity it sounds like that won't happen anytime soon either. Does anyone in socal have one and wouldn't mind letting a spectator drool all over it? (figuratively, of course)
 
I got one of these about a decade back and what blew me away was the sound chip and stereo. Like a Game Boy on steroids. Actually loud coming out of the speakers too, unlike any other Game Boy or DS. I have a feeling the chiptune scene would have a whole new sound if this thing took off.
 
Yea I love the music the thing puts out. I really wish I had brought mine to CO from TN when I moved with all my games. I really want to get down on some vertical force for some reason.
 
I always thought that Nintendo could do a series of Virtual Boy remakes & release them on the Nintendo 3DS. Maybe they might consider it for the 3DS's successor, but I would honestly be down with trying out the games in this fashion, instead of the current format they exist in.
 
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