So...the Virtual Boy...

[Pit 42]

Anyone actually have one of these bizarre little things:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8e/Virtual_Boy_kit.jpg

I know most of you probably haven't, because the system was never released in Australia or Europe due to its commercial failure in the US.

It was priced at $180 (that's 18 N64 virtual console games :eek:), and was developed by Gunpei Yokoi, creator of the Game Boy and the Metroid series.

And supposedly the VB hurt people's eyes, too. Thoughts?

[Shortay]

I only actually heard about it about 6 months ago, looks like an odd little machine though...

[SegaFan]

I'm quite interested in trying Virtual Boy Wario Land. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Boy_Wario_Land
I used to like the Game Boy Wario Land games, and the idea of this playing in 3D (apparently the action switches between the foreground and background) sounds quite interesting.

Anyone here own one?

[SKTTR]

I have played Waterworld, which is a boring Asteroids clone on water with amazing 3D effects.
It's pretty arcade like without any depth and the one level tends to repeat always.

Then there were two Tetris games. The first was just Tetris like you know it. A classic, but apart from the background, no 3D at all.
The other Tetris game was a real 3D Tetris game and it was very unique and fun.

And I played a bit of a really good golf game by T&E, with cool 3D effects.
It was made by the one's who made the perfect Nintendo Touch Golf Birdie Challenge on DS).

My friend had also a crappy maze game by Atlus.

I wish I could have played one of the better Nintendo games like Teleroboxer (a Punch-Out clone with giant 3D sprites),
Mario Bros. 3D and Wario Land 3D.

[Angelic Lapras King]

Ah yes, the VB. Apparently the thing gave people headaches and was bad for the eyes right?

[nintendoduffin]

I would be well tempted to get one if it wasn't for the whole headache inducing thing.

[pdRydia]

I've seen a Virtual Boy once in my life. When the console was new, I found a demo machine up in the local Sears's game department. And...yeah, I got a horrible headache from the thing within seconds. I couldn't actually focus on the graphics, and stopped attempting to play within minutes.

It's worth noting that I'm nearsighted, with a significant difference in weakness between my eyes. At the time I didn't have glasses to correct the problem, which I'm sure didn't help at all.

It's a shame. I hear that the Wario game on the VB was really pretty cool.

[Jogurt the Yogurt]

I had one briefly back in the day. I really liked the Pinball game. Tennis was OK. It came with tons of warnings to not play for too long, etc. I think I ignored them once and played Pinball for hours, and when I was done I couldn't see straight. Everything was blurry, I couldn't focus, etc. No headache, but yeah, the vision thing was pretty crazy.

[SKTTR]

i haven't got a headache.
the experience was great, although very red.

[Jogurt the Yogurt]

It's funny because I've actually been tempted from time to time to go back out and find a used one somewhere. I kind of miss it sometimes. I bet they're pretty expensive on eBay and the like by now, though, due to rarity if nothing else.

[kawaiipikachu]

I had one briefly back in the day. I really liked the Pinball game. Tennis was OK. It came with tons of warnings to not play for too long, etc. I think I ignored them once and played Pinball for hours, and when I was done I couldn't see straight. Everything was blurry, I couldn't focus, etc. No headache, but yeah, the vision thing was pretty crazy.
At least you didn't go blind

[Betagam7]

Okay, I actually own a VB and all but a few of the games (not paying those prices...or buying Waterworld for that matter) so thought I'd address a few points:

1. The headache thing. When you first play the VB you will probably get slightly nautious, however this isn't unusual. Your brain isn't used to looking into a small monitor and switching from this to the real world obviously confuses it. The good thing though is that this doesn't last forever and once you become accustomed to the VB you don't get sick any more.
To be honest I could say the same thing about Wave Race 64 and Turok. Both those games gave me a weird kind of motion sickness and I've heard many people say the same things about FPS. Don't worry. Use the VB sensibly and you won't come to any harm.
What many people don't realise if they only try the VB is that their is an adjustor on top of the console that adjusts the display around your own vision (near sighted, far sighted, etc) so that shouldn't put you off

2. The games:
The VB has some really fun and original games...it also has some clunkers.
It only has around 14 games in total though so building the complete collection isn't impossible. Most of the games can be picked up cheaply on the likes of ebay except for Waterworld (which is terrible but rare) and a couple of Japanese only titles (a gUndam game, a fishing game and some sort of weird biological puzzle game).

Essential purchases are Warioland (just like the GB games but with shifting planes of dimension) and Red Alarm (a wireframe starfox type of game thats very fun and probably the best use of the VB's 3d).
Other fun games are Jack Bros (a sort of cross between gauntlet and Nightmare before Xmas) and Space Squash (err..pretty much what it says on the tin)
Shooter fans will like Vertical Force while Mario Clash is a new 3D reworking of the classic arcade Mario Bros.

3. Perhaps the best thing about the VB though is if you manage to locate a Flash Boy. this is a flash cartridge that enables you to experiment with the VB emu scene.

For more details check out www.virtual-boy.net (http://www.virtual-boy.net) a great site that has pretty much a comprehensive history

[Jirachi720]

I have a friend who owned the VB and after around 2 minutes of him playing (for the first time) had a massive headache. When he finished he banged into walls, doors etc. However he sold his VB the next day and swore he'd never touch it again. He now owns a X360, PS3, Wii, Xbox (original), PS2, PS1, N64, SNES, NES, GC and all the other cosoles. But doesn't own the VB but nearly has a whole collection he just needs a VB

[Betagam7]

Does your freind also suffer from a nose that grows everytime he talks?
Sounds like it to me.

[Jogurt the Yogurt]

I'll definitely be getting my VB back as a part of my collection recollection, but it's kind of low on the priority list now, at least until I get most of my NES/SNES/Genesis/PS1 games back.

[hansolo350]

As I have a VirtualBoy I can safely say that it isn't is bad as it's made out to be. The only time I had a headach from it was when I played Mario's Tennis for around an hour and a half.

[Jirachi720]

Does your freind also suffer from a nose that grows everytime he talks?
Sounds like it to me.
Are incinuating that I'm lying?

[hansolo350]

Are incinuating that I'm lying?
No he said your friend was a liar.

[Jirachi720]

No he said your friend was a liar.
:rolleyes:Right. He didn't lie because I was with him

[hansolo350]

:rolleyes:Right. He didn't lie because I was with him
I have a question for you; how exactly did your friend get the VirtualBoy? I'm pretty sure it was never releast in Europe.

[Jirachi720]

I have a question for you; how exactly did your friend get the VirtualBoy? I'm pretty sure it was never releast in Europe.
He got it imported

[coire]

I have a question for you; how exactly did your friend get the VirtualBoy? I'm pretty sure it was never releast in Europe.

According to Professor Wik E. Pedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Boy) it wasn't. Dr. Con Sole MAD, Hon, PhD (http://www.consolemad.co.uk/shop/buy-games/virtual-boy_62) would also agree.

But I'm sure 720BOMBER is telling the truth, no one ever lies about anything on the internet.

If he imported it, how'd he manage to sell it so quickly after owning it for about a day? (Assuming he played it the first day he got it)

[Betagam7]

I'm surprised he managed to get it sold at all, what with all the bumping around into walls and things he was apparently busy getting on with.
Also I heard that the Virtual Boy made 720bomber's friend infertile and was secretly responsible for faking the moon landings, assasinating JFK and causing the air disaster of Flight Oceanic 815!

Oh, you naughty, naughty Virtual Boy! Quick nobody buy it!

[Jirachi720]

According to Professor Wik E. Pedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Boy) it wasn't. Dr. Con Sole MAD, Hon, PhD (http://www.consolemad.co.uk/shop/buy-games/virtual-boy_62) would also agree.

But I'm sure 720BOMBER is telling the truth, no one ever lies about anything on the internet.

If he imported it, how'd he manage to sell it so quickly after owning it for about a day? (Assuming he played it the first day he got it)

He didn't play it the first day. He had to go to the Doc for a check up to see if he was fit to play it and had to wait for the test results that way he wouldn't be bumping into walls and such unfortunately the Doc gave him the wrong advice

[coire]

He didn't play it the first day. He had to go to the Doc for a check up to see if he was fit to play it and had to wait for the test results that way he wouldn't be bumping into walls and such unfortunately the Doc gave him the wrong advice

When did your friend get his Virtual Boy? What year?

[Jirachi720]

When did your friend get his Virtual Boy? What year?
I can't remember

[coire]

I can't remember


Have you been playing a Virtual Boy Recently? I hear memory loss is one of the symptoms, next to vomiting, bumping "into walls, doors etc" and headaches. Suffice to say, although the Virtual Boy did cause headaches and eye strain, it wasn't Epilepsy-in-a-box™. But then again, nobody lies on the internet! Oh, Heavens no!

You were between 1 and 3 years old when the Virtual Boy was released in 1995. So, if your friend is roughly the same age as you, then there was an under 5 child importing a $180 console from another country, who had the sense to consult his Doctor (Paediatrician?) before playing it, had he bought it around release.

[Jirachi720]

He was much older in 1995 I just liked watching him play and besides I hate the VB anyway

[coire]

He was much older in 1995 I just liked watching him play and besides I hate the VB anyway

Oh, so your story is what you remember from when you were 3 years old? That makes a lot more sense now :rolleyes:


The Virtual Boy was an ambitious project, but I hope nothing like it ever happens again.

[hansolo350]

He was much older in 1995 I just liked watching him play and besides I hate the VB anyway

How can you hate what you haven't played?

[Jogurt the Yogurt]

Lawlz! I love this thread. Good god, this thread is so awesome I'm tempted to sticky it.

[kawaiipikachu]

Lawlz! I love this thread. Good god, this thread is so awesome I'm tempted to sticky it.

Ew Jogurt thats just plain gross .
& you ment to be a mod .

Sorry i just had to say it .

[Betagam7]

He was much older in 1995 I just liked watching him play and besides I hate the VB anyway

How much older? More importantly did anyone alert social services?

[Jirachi720]

How can you hate what you haven't played?
Why would I want Dizzy spells for the rest of my life? You Minglehead

[Jirachi720]

Lawlz! I love this thread. Good god, this thread is so awesome I'm tempted to sticky it.
Yeah EWWW!! Your a Mod your not suppose to love thread and yeah KawaiiPikachu "that's just plain gross" YUCK!

[hansolo350]

Why would I want Dizzy spells for the rest of my life? You Minglehead

I've never had dizzy spells created by my VirtualBoy.

[Jirachi720]

I've never had dizzy spells created by my VirtualBoy.
Fine... Headaches for the rest of my life

[hansolo350]

Fine... Headaches for the rest of my life

Trust me when I say it wont hurt to try one, unless you have some sort of vision problem.

[Betagam7]

Trust me when I say it wont hurt to try one, unless you have some sort of vision problem.

But didn't you hear? His 3 year old friend who managed to import a Virtual Boy and sell it the next day had serious vision problems. He found this out by going to the well known "Virtual Boy health check" a common checkup ran by all qualified NHS doctors in England (a country where the VB didn't get a release).

720bomber would never do such a thing as tell a lie.

Incidently has anyone played that videogame where you start off in a deep hole and have to dig yourself out of it. I always found that one to be nigh on impossible...

[Jogurt the Yogurt]

But didn't you hear? His 3 year old friend who managed to import a Virtual Boy and sell it the next day had serious vision problems. He found this out by going to the well known "Virtual Boy health check" a common checkup ran by all qualified NHS doctors in England (a country where the VB didn't get a release).

Post of the year!

[Jirachi720]

But didn't you hear? His 3 year old friend who managed to import a Virtual Boy and sell it the next day had serious vision problems. He found this out by going to the well known "Virtual Boy health check" a common checkup ran by all qualified NHS doctors in England (a country where the VB didn't get a release).

720bomber would never do such a thing as tell a lie.

Incidently has anyone played that videogame where you start off in a deep hole and have to dig yourself out of it. I always found that one to be nigh on impossible...
Are you trying to incinuate that I'm LYING??

[coire]

Incidently has anyone played that videogame where you start off in a deep hole and have to dig yourself out of it. I always found that one to be nigh on impossible...

Dig-Dug?



Are you trying to incinuate that I'm LYING??

Not insinuate, Blatanly accuse.

Oh, You're banned now?

http://www.usabilidoido.com.br/imagens/mk_fatality.png


;)

[jackaroo]

Man this thread had me in stitches.

On topic though ive never played a VB before in my life all though like most others in the thread would love to play wario land. Ive been playing wario land 2 recently and would like to give the VB one a try. Also that robot boxing game in the nerds review looked pretty cool too. However those are the only 2 games on the system which seem to spark my interest so its not really worth investing in for me.

[dangermouseuk78]

thought i chip in indeed the vb was neva released in the uk but people still got them like how people get consoles b4 they were released in this country also there was a games shop that sold alsorts of imports including the VB bit to expensive tho and i dint botheralsorts of scare monger stories for it

[kawaiipikachu]

Dig-Dug?





Not insinuate, Blatanly accuse.

Oh, You're banned now?

http://www.usabilidoido.com.br/imagens/mk_fatality.png


;)

Just hopefully that 720Bomber learns his lesson & ask a mod for Forgiveness then he might get a surprise unblocking .

[Betagam7]

I take it this was over the whole thing in yesterdays chatbox. What a silly boy.

Anyway, now that he's not hear to further spread his pinnochio inspired tales can we settle on the fact that the VB will not blind you or cause mass headaches/memory loss etc.

As myths go, this is up there with straight bananas and that romanian woman who alledgedly gave birth to a frog.

Its poppycock folks, the VB is a nice little curiosity that probably will mess with your head a little the first time you play but no more than any head mounted display unit) it shouldn't trouble you in the long run.

Gameswise I payed £100 for mine a few years ago boxed and complete with Mario Tennis. I'm very happy with my purchase and its still sitting on my living room floor getting odd looks of curiosity from my girlfriend who, although beating the pants of me in Mario Kart Wii has not yet been pursuaded to "stomp around in that thing" as she says.

Bless her!

[timp29]

someone fill me in why did spam master get banned exactly?

[Betagam7]

I saw him calling some German guy a Nazi on the chatbox. Don't know if that was the reason but its as good as any to chuck him off (though he'll probably claim it was "a freind" doing it).
His inability to understand that we're not all 14 year old Nintendo zealots has been demonstrated in many threads though and was starting to wear a bit thin.

[WiiMan192]

I never got the Virtual Boy (mainly due to the fact that it was never released here and I am too young to remember it anyway) but trying it would be more than a little interesting... :p

And has this thread turned from the Virtual Boy to 720BOMBER's being banned or what? ;) I've noticed he's apologised (of sorts) in his signature...

[timp29]

I don't think they... the mods, care. Anyway, 720 bomber started a poll to kick himself off a while ago... it was a self-fulfilling prophecy. Was the virtual boy like some kind of 3d goggles or something that you wore while playing a gameboy or something?? sounds cool.

[kawaiipikachu]

Its a fully fledge headache inducing game console where you look in the headset to see 3d graphics with full red & black colours .

Wikipedia shoud help you out .