Hi all,

First post here and just wanted to say hi to the community.

My story is that approximately 17 years ago in the summer before Virtual Boy launched I happened to be at the Mall of America with my parents when Nintendo was doing a preview event. I had heard very little about it prior to seeing it at this event but I sat down and played it for about 30 minutes or so.

They had all the launch games available to play but I vividly remember playing both Red Alarm and Mario Tennis. I wanted to keep playing all day but sadly I only left with a lenticular button they gave me which I still had up until a little bit ago (I’m hoping to dig it up but I’m not sure if it’s still around).

Anyway, being that I was only 12 at the time I didn’t have the money to buy it when it came out later that summer. I specifically remember trying out the display kiosks from time to time when I was at stores though.

Then came the time when I was at Target and I saw the systems clearanced out. I had to have it but even at a clearance price I couldn’t afford it; my parents said if it dropped in price further they’d buy me one but sadly they were gone before I could get one.

Well now I have one after winning an Ebay auction for one that is complete with the box (I can’t quite afford the new in box going rate).

Maybe my story was boring, maybe not. I just wanted to share my history and excitement of finally owning my own Virtual Boy.

Congratulations, welcome aboard!
Got any favorite games yet? Which ones are a must get for you?

If you haven’t seen them yet I’d really recommend getting Teleroboxer/Vertical Force/VB Wario Land (personal top 3)

Mind if I share my story on your thread as well?

Welcome to the site and thanks for sharing your story! I find it quite interesting to read eye-witness reports about VB (launch) events. 🙂

Cool story, I too like to hear of these launch events etc, being in the UK it never made it over the water so all we ever got were glimpses in magazines, all very intriguing but I wanted to play this thing, never got to actually see one until maybe 10years later, I then finally got one in 2008, and another in 2012.
Enjoy this great little community.

That’s a really cool story. You must feel really happy getting one after so many years. Mine’s sorta lame but, when I first discovered the VB (I can’t remember where, maybe AVGN) I wanted one because it such an odd system. I searched on Amazon and saw how much they were and how little came with the system.

Around Valentines Day 2012 my dad came and picked me up from school and told me he found something. He pulled out of the bag the Virtual Boy (head set, stand, controller, battery pack,VB Wario Land) and I nearly shit my pants. He got it for $20.

When I got home I tested it and found out the left eye didn’t work at all. Even with that set back I was still really happy. While cruising my local flea market I found another one this one had the visor and 3 games. After some haggling I got it for $40. Now I had a complete working one and everything was great. 🙂

Red Eyed Madness wrote:
Congratulations, welcome aboard!
Got any favorite games yet? Which ones are a must get for you?

If you haven’t seen them yet I’d really recommend getting Teleroboxer/Vertical Force/VB Wario Land (personal top 3)

Mind if I share my story on your thread as well?

Go for it!

I already have Red Alarm (found a steal of an Ebay deal a couple weeks ago, $14 shipped for a complete copy) and I’m thinking with only 14 games I might try and pick up all of the North American releases. From what I’ve read, I’m really excited to give Wario Land a try at some point.

I’m glad people were interested in reading my story. I’m excited to have one because like I previously mentioned it was a system that I vividly remember wanting even from my childhood.

DuelPear wrote:

Red Eyed Madness wrote:
Congratulations, welcome aboard!
Got any favorite games yet? Which ones are a must get for you?

If you haven’t seen them yet I’d really recommend getting Teleroboxer/Vertical Force/VB Wario Land (personal top 3)

Mind if I share my story on your thread as well?

Go for it!

I already have Red Alarm (found a steal of an Ebay deal a couple weeks ago, $14 shipped for a complete copy) and I’m thinking with only 14 games I might try and pick up all of the North American releases. From what I’ve read, I’m really excited to give Wario Land a try at some point.

I’m glad people were interested in reading my story. I’m excited to have one because like I previously mentioned it was a system that I vividly remember wanting even from my childhood.

I live in the Netherlands and read about the VB when I was 11 or something. I thought it was a myth and it could never be true, how could that be?! It was magical for me, but then we never heard anything about it after the story in an official Nintendo magazine.
So when I read about the VB again two years ago, I decided I got to have it and I did. Never been more happy with another retro console, one of the coolest ones available!

DuelPear wrote:
Go for it!

I already have Red Alarm (found a steal of an Ebay deal a couple weeks ago, $14 shipped for a complete copy) and I’m thinking with only 14 games I might try and pick up all of the North American releases. From what I’ve read, I’m really excited to give Wario Land a try at some point.

I’m glad people were interested in reading my story. I’m excited to have one because like I previously mentioned it was a system that I vividly remember wanting even from my childhood.

Thanks, I shall do it then hahaha.

I live in Argentina. Getting games and consoles has never been too easy here.
We’ve got our currency devaluated since around 12 years now (4.5 Pesos = 1 dollar).

The VB has always been an elusive creature, moreso here (short lifespan, etc.).
In the last years some of them popped up in our equivalent of eBay(used, nearly all in poor condition – missing the stand, having a “dead eye”) having prices ranging from 500 (111 U$S) to 2300 (511 U$S). Literally.

I found mine for 250 (56 dollars), with Galactic Pinball CIB and Mario’s Tennis G+M. Bought it in a heartbeat. Seller said it didn’t work.
The guy brought it to my home because I couldn’t go to his. That, and the fact that it was complete (minus the games’ dust covers), led me to give him another 50 (12 U$S).

Later that day I start tinkering with it.
I found odd that the cart hanged out of the console. A quick google revealed that I was right – it wasn’t supposed to be like that!
So I went for the pincers and gently pulled.
Imagine my face when I found out that a dust cover was stuck in the cart port!
So I tried putting the cart in again. Still nothing.
I shake the console and hear something loose on the inside.
I take the cart out and shake shake… the second dust cover came out!
Cart in again, still no reply…

Dissapointed I leave it on my bed…
And then I hear Galactic Pinball’s warning screen sound!

I jumped in joy all over the place. Because it happened last May 7th from now on I say that 7/5 is my second birthday 😛

In short, working, complete VB with two games for 67 dollars, and one of the most pleasant surprises I’ve ever had.

/wall of text

PS: Currency difference sure is annoying.

Red Eyed Madness wrote:

Thanks, I shall do it then hahaha.

I live in Argentina. Getting games and consoles has never been too easy here.
We’ve got our currency devaluated since around 12 years now (4.5 Pesos = 1 dollar).

The VB has always been an elusive creature, moreso here (short lifespan, etc.).
In the last years some of them popped up in our equivalent of eBay(used, nearly all in poor condition – missing the stand, having a “dead eye”) having prices ranging from 500 (111 U$S) to 2300 (511 U$S). Literally.

I found mine for 250 (56 dollars), with Galactic Pinball CIB and Mario’s Tennis G+M. Bought it in a heartbeat. Seller said it didn’t work.
The guy brought it to my home because I couldn’t go to his. That, and the fact that it was complete (minus the games’ dust covers), led me to give him another 50 (12 U$S).

Later that day I start tinkering with it.
I found odd that the cart hanged out of the console. A quick google revealed that I was right – it wasn’t supposed to be like that!
So I went for the pincers and gently pulled.
Imagine my face when I found out that a dust cover was stuck in the cart port!
So I tried putting the cart in again. Still nothing.
I shake the console and hear something loose on the inside.
I take the cart out and shake shake… the second dust cover came out!
Cart in again, still no reply…

Dissapointed I leave it on my bed…
And then I hear Galactic Pinball’s warning screen sound!

I jumped in joy all over the place. Because it happened last May 7th from now on I say that 7/5 is my second birthday 😛

In short, working, complete VB with two games for 67 dollars, and one of the most pleasant surprises I’ve ever had.

/wall of text

PS: Currency difference sure is annoying.

Haha, that’s pretty good. Not one but 2 dust covers jammed in the cartridge slot? That sure takes some skill to pull off I’d imagine.

So, now I own 2 Virtual Boys I guess.

I’m still waiting on my complete in box one from ebay but last night someone had one listed for $40 on craigslist. I figured at that price it’d be worth it for the extra parts.

Anyway, I get over to his place and he has it all set up. I immediately notice it’s plugged in (score, my other auction didn’t have an ac adapter tap). Then he has some bad news though. Apparently the right eye has the dreaded glitch. I look in to see for myself and discover that the game that it includes isn’t Tennis but is actually Wario Land (second score!). Finally, the stand is in excellent shape with no cracks.

Anyway, I play it cool because I’m not sure if I want to spend $40 on a unit I’ll have to fix. Eventually he asks if I’m still interested in it at all given its condition. I tell him I am probably still interested so he comes back with of an offer of $20 for everything. At that point I figure I might as well pick it up even if I don’t plan on fixing it because it’s worth it for the stand, extra visor, AC adapter, and Wario Land alone. The story gets better though.

I bring it home and plug it in. Sure enough, still glitching on Wario. I then throw in Red Alarm and start playing. It briefly glitches but then starts displaying perfectly. Played it for about an hour with no further problems. I figure I’ll press my luck at this point so I throw Wario Land back in. Starts up fine, briefly glitches, and then I play it for about 30 minutes with little to no issues.

I’m not entirely versed on how the eye glitch works yet but it seems like my new $20 VB has a case of semi-glitching. Sure it might get worse later on but just one night of entertainment has gotten me my $20 worth.

You can be sure that the glitchy display problem will only get worse over time if nothing is done about it, but you can also rest assured that fixing it is very easy. Check out the Glitchy Display Problem thread:

http://www.planetvb.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=3295&viewmode=flat&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=0

Using the oven method to fix it is very easy, and if you do it well and use packing tape to reinforce the PCBs, you will be able to see for yourself that the problem won’t return for a very long time.

I’ve tested the method and can say this from experience, by the way.

Enjoy your Virtual Boy gaming. After all, you are now playing the coolest video game system ever made. 😉

Awesome story! Mines not over yet cause I still can’t afford a vb.

Hey guys.

So i’ve signed up because FINALLY I have a VB! In a similar story to the OP I have been wanting a VB literally since its inception.

I finally have it and its due for delivery very soon. Mario Tennis box in game. And well I am just loving the thought of it. Played on a friends AGES ago and i’ve just wanted one for so long now…

Love the stories of owners of the VB.