Given how few Virtual Boy games there are, odds are that if you have one, you're familiar with pretty much all of them. Still, I just wanted to talk about Vertical Force for a couple of reasons. One, it's the only real 2D shooter on the System, and has a nice Star Soldier-like feel to it. Secondly, as it wasn't a game that Nintendo Power really pushed, if there's a Virtual Boy game most folks have played and since neglected, it's a pretty likely candidate.
A vertically scrolling shooter, Vertical Force's main gimmick other than the 3D graphic effect is that it has two different planes from which you can move up and down, shooting and dodging on both layers. Sometimes scenery will block one or the other, forcing a change, and bosses will also dart up and down as a defense and attack strategy. Powerups are also hidden inside of enemies and boxes on both layers, encouraging exploration of both.
Speaking of powerups, Vertical Force has a few tricks up its sleeve. For one, you can pick up different helper options that can dart about the screen offering super aggressive support fire with different weapons, and can also be detonated as a bomb. You have a few weapons such as rotating shields, a wide vulcan shot, and a powerful laser, which I tend to avoid due to its shrill sound effect. I personally prefer the vulcan myself, as powered up, it also gives nice backward fire, and the shield isn't overly effective. You downgrade as you take damage a la Star Soldier, and you also have a life bar with which to get through each stage, but only one life.
Graphically, the 3D effect looks pretty good, even if it isn't anything truly revolutionary even in its time, but the sprites look great, especially your ship's 3D appearance up close. The music is solid, but some of the sound effects like the aforementiined laser are grating. As the game goes on, it increases the background obstacles, which look great, such as whirlpools that suck you down to the lower level or ruins blocking the upper plane. The bosses are also big and great-looking, and the stages are of a good length.
Vertical Force is one of the Virtual Boy games I go back to the most, and it has a lot in common with classic shooters from Hudson and Compile. I think it'll be the first Virtual Boy games to appear in one of my tournaments, probably this year's summer one, as Final Soldier was a big hit at last summer's, and its pace and accessiblity are similar to that one. I dig it.
Played it? Ever wiggle your cell phone into your Virtual Boy visor to try and take a screenshot through one of the lenses?