why the Virtual Boy is the best system in my collection

[classicb]

The Virtual Boy is the stand out system in my collection and my apartment for that matter. It stands proudly atop a small bookshelf next to my TV. It’s a videogame sculpture. I have many systems and when people come over nobody asks about anything except the Virtual Boy. “wow what is that?” I normally give a brief history about the failed system. When I take it down for people to play it’s always good for a few minutes of fun and laughter as they peer into the red screen. “oh man this is crazy…why is it all red?” Not since R.O.B. have I had anything that so many people wanted to play with. Thank goodness it doesn’t break like R.O.B. Oh yeah one more thing I’m currently in college and girls love it :P

[tynstar]

Have then play it for more then 10 minutes and see if they still like it. After that is when it feels like a knife is stuck into your head. IMO

Fun system thou. When I worked at Blockbuster we got that in I played it all the time. Tennis kicks ass on it.

[classicb]

Have then play it for more then 10 minutes and see if they still like it.

funny you should say that. I also get this quote when the auto pause screen comes up. "is this thing bad for me"

[Gzilla23]

I wasn't sure if I should get a virtual boy. I know someone with a few he is selling for about 15 bucks but I just dont know if its worth it. How many games were thier for it and are they hard to find?

[classicb]

$15 is a good deal.
as far as games go:
there are 14 US games and 19 JPN games

luckily the fun games aren't that rare. you should be able to find mario tennis, baseball, golf, and warioland for around $10.

try these links to learn more

http://www.virtual-boy.org/
http://www.vr32.de/

[norkusa]

Have then play it for more then 10 minutes and see if they still like it. After that is when it feels like a knife is stuck into your head. IMO

I constantly hear people bring up the "headache" thing whenever the VB is discussed, but neither me or nobody I've know has ever gotten a headache from playing the thing. I'm starting to think it's an urban legend someone made up and people believe it 'cause most never played a VB before.

I love the VB. Got a complete collection of all the US releases and I'm 1 away from having a complete Japanese set. The system died *WAY* too early. If people only gave it a chance, the VB could have really taken off and seen some more interesting titles released for it. There is a small but dedicated homebrew scene for it though. If we're lucky, we'll see some new VB games soon.

[classicb]

Have then play it for more then 10 minutes and see if they still like it. After that is when it feels like a knife is stuck into your head. IMO

I constantly hear people bring up the "headache" thing whenever the VB is discussed, but neither me or nobody I've know has ever gotten a headache from playing the thing. I'm starting to think it's an urban legend someone made up and people believe it 'cause most never played a VB before.


maybe not a headache but my eyes start to bug out after extended playing time. With that said I still love it. I hope you're right about new games.

[classicb]

since the Vitural Boy topic is on the board does anybody want to nominate their favorite game.

for me it's Golf. While it might not be the best golf video game I like the 3D effects in it and I find the music amusing. Warioland and Tennis follow close behind. The worst game I have in my 11 game collection is galatic pinball.

Also I hear many people recomend Jack Bros but I don't own it yet and have never played it :(

[§ Gideon §]

As far as I know, my Virtual Boy hasn't given me any health problems, so I feel fortunate.

I like the controller! It feels so comfortable in my hands. I haven't played in a while, though.

Girls love it, though? Come on. You've got to be joking.

[AB Positive]

I had one for about two days before trading it because it did give me a headache, I did play for about 35 min. straight though. It took a while.


I really really enjoyed Mario Tennis of the games that I had for the system.


-AG

[gleavepaul]

Got a mint boxed one with eight games, there isnt a scratch on it and its perfect! i dont want to play with it coz its too much even the carts still have the bags!

damm :D

[jonjandran]

I get headaches with it also.
But I really think it's because of the awkward way you have to hold your head and neck.
Try sitting with your head in a weird angle for 30 minutes anywhere and see if you don't get a headache.

[chadtower]

I've had VB headaches but every one of them was neck related and nothing to do with vision. Stop every 15-20 minutes for a break and you'll be fine. I too have a complete US VB collection (along with 3 VBs, one of them NIB)... it's a great system that I would love to see more things for.

[Speedy]

Hmmm girls love it? Need a Virtual Boy ASAP!!

to bad the system was never released here, so i have to import one (or buy an expensive one from another collector) but i would love to have a VB on my shelf, it looks cool indeed.

[gamegirl79]

For awhile I had my Virtual Boy sitting on an end table in my living room. Nearly everyone that came over either asked what it was or if they could play it. :)

I used to play VB for long stretches of time (of course taking breaks every 20 mins or so) and I never got a single headache.

[Ed Oscuro]

Have then play it for more then 10 minutes and see if they still like it. After that is when it feels like a knife is stuck into your head. IMO
I constantly hear people bring up the "headache" thing whenever the VB is discussed, but neither me or nobody I've know has ever gotten a headache from playing the thing. I'm starting to think it's an urban legend someone made up and people believe it 'cause most never played a VB before.
Headache, no, but tired eyes, YES. Tired like I've been playing an FPS for 10 hours straight, big time. Though my eyes are insane anyways.

IRT Topic:

Hey, if you like it, that's great, what can I say? You gave reasons so I can't really argue with you :D

[christianscott27]

if it gives you a neck ache try taking it off the stand and lying down with it resting on your face...seriously, its much easier to play that way.

[chadtower]

Now that I think about it, that connector to the tripod is just a threaded bolthole, yes? You could probably attach it to something else, something sturdier or perhaps different. Maybe a desk lamp extendable arm, the kind you clip to the desk? Or a camera tripod? Certainly you could make something yourself with a bolt of that size ready to attach...

[neuropolitique]

if it gives you a neck ache try taking it off the stand and lying down with it resting on your face...seriously, its much easier to play that way.

That is how I play it. I've played it for hours that way, always with the auto pause on, though. In fact, I used to play it that way while laying down in the back of a truck as my parents drove to Florida. Never a headache. I think the problems with headaches came from either the neck angle, or not adjusting the screens correctly.

[Balloon Fight]

I love the Virtual Boy. I wish that there were more U.S. released games, especially with all of the titles announce it could have been one of the best systems. I love checking out www.virtual-boy.org and browsing around. I only have six of the VBoy games released in the U.S., and one in Japanese but I just started.
What I'm really looking for is VBoy merchandise.

[Arqueologia_Digital]

I don´t like very much the VB, but it´s a good system to collect, i have a pair of games...

Matías

[§ Gideon §]

if it gives you a neck ache try taking it off the stand and lying down with it resting on your face...seriously, its much easier to play that way.
I always thought that it would be, but my Virtual Boy doesn't have the rubber eye shade. Good luck there.

[Videogamerdaryll]

The Virtual Boy is the stand out system in my collection and my apartment for that matter. It stands proudly atop a small bookshelf next to my TV. It’s a videogame sculpture. I have many systems and when people come over nobody asks about anything except the Virtual Boy. “wow what is that?” I normally give a brief history about the failed system. When I take it down for people to play it’s always good for a few minutes of fun and laughter as they peer into the red screen. “oh man this is crazy…why is it all red?” Not since R.O.B. have I had anything that so many people wanted to play with. Thank goodness it doesn’t break like R.O.B. Oh yeah one more thing I’m currently in college and girls love it :P

I know where your coming from..
The first thing asked about in my game room,when new people come over is my Virtual Boy Display Unit.

[Pantechnicon]

I constantly hear people bring up the "headache" thing whenever the VB is discussed, but neither me or nobody I've know has ever gotten a headache from playing the thing. I'm starting to think it's an urban legend someone made up and people believe it 'cause most never played a VB before.


There has to be some sort of deleterious effect on /some individuals who play the VB which was probably discovered during playtesting, otherwise Nintendo would never have bothered to put the "Take A BreaK" caveat into the software. It's probably a question of neurology, but some people for whatever reason just can't handle prolonged exposure to altered perspectives . They're just not wired for it, whereas other people aren't affected as much by that sort of thing.

The closest comparison I can think of is the movie [i]The Blair Witch Project. IMHO, this is one of the best horror movies ever. But when I ask other people what they thought about it, at least half complain that they couldn't get into the film at all because of the way the cameras were constantly jerking or swinging around. A few people I know even had to leave the movie halfway through because the camera work was making them nauseous @_@ .

Luckily I am not one of those people. At least a decade of playing FPS's, 3D flight sims and Virtual Boy has made me pretty much immune to any type of vertigo. Game On!!!

[fcw3]

I always thought of taking an old motorcycle helmet and mounting a VB on it. That way, it would be portable and you wouldn't need the stand anymore. You'd look goofy but be comfortable.

I remember a website where someone took one of those desk lights with the swinging arm and mounted a VB to it.

FRED

[TheRedEye]

since the Vitural Boy topic is on the board does anybody want to nominate their favorite game.

I'm going to have to go with Space Invaders. I hate the original game, but for some reason the 3D perspective made it about 10x more fun for me.

[chadtower]

MAN I would love a copy of that game... it's one of the VB games I've most wanted to play. too bad it's so hard to get, even for people who focus on the VB.

[norkusa]

since the Vitural Boy topic is on the board does anybody want to nominate their favorite game.

I'm going to have to go with Space Invaders. I hate the original game, but for some reason the 3D perspective made it about 10x more fun for me.

I'll second that. I'm not a big fan of the original either, but Space Invaders is SOOO fun to play on the VB. The updated 3D version is real sweet looking but you also have the option of playing the original too. It's expensive, but anyone thinking of buying the original SI arcade machine should forget it and buy a VB and this game instead.

[TheRedEye]

Not only do we agree, but I swear to god "Debaser" is about halfway through in my car's stereo right now. Assuming that's what your custom title is referencing, we ought to get married.

[Bill Loguidice]

Have then play it for more then 10 minutes and see if they still like it. After that is when it feels like a knife is stuck into your head. IMO

I constantly hear people bring up the "headache" thing whenever the VB is discussed, but neither me or nobody I've know has ever gotten a headache from playing the thing. I'm starting to think it's an urban legend someone made up and people believe it 'cause most never played a VB before.
...


I can confirm that I personally get a bit "ill" after playing it for too long. For many people, ANYTHING that "immerses" you for long periods of time will do SOMETHING to them (even the Sega Master System 3D glasses). In the case of the VB, it has the added disadvantage of being all red. It's a nice gimmick with a few interesting games, but really, it had no good reason to live on, particularly at the price point it was originally released at.

[tynstar]

Headache a urban legend nope. I get them from playing the VB for to long. My vote for best game would be Mario Tennis but I have not played that many games.

[Algol]

I have a Virtual Boy, but alas, no AC adapter, games, or eye shade.

[Cmosfm]

Have then play it for more then 10 minutes and see if they still like it. After that is when it feels like a knife is stuck into your head. IMO

I constantly hear people bring up the "headache" thing whenever the VB is discussed, but neither me or nobody I've know has ever gotten a headache from playing the thing. I'm starting to think it's an urban legend someone made up and people believe it 'cause most never played a VB before.


I agree here...I have a few friends that wont TOUCH one because they swear up and down it will give them cancer. :o I never got a headache playing mine!