No, it’s not a rom release. Don’t you wish it was?
Me along with the rest of the Virtual Boy community, have been dying to play Dragon Hopper for years. I really doubt that this post will do anything. But here goes.

If there is anyone out there lucky enough to actully own one of the very few Dragon Hopper proto carts, PLEASE try and get a rom released. If someone reading this actully owns a proto cart, try and get into contact with someone who has a rom dumper. KR155E is a good trustworthy person that might, or maybe know someone that can get a rom dumped. Or maybe you could get a fundraiser going for a rom release. Like what 64dd.net did recently to get a 64DD game rom released. That way you could keep your game and every one would be able to play a game they have been dying to. You could probably remain anonymous if you get into contact with KR155E via PM, so nobody will hound you to sell your game.

It’s very doubtful but if someone who actully owns Dragon Hopper is reading this, please consider what I wrote above. As for everyone else reading this that desperately wants to play Dragon Hopper, please comment and express interest. Maybe if you do a proto owner will consider getting a rom relesed, or start a fundraiser? It’s worth a try.

I’d put £100 in for each rom . I wish to play Faceball Dragon Hopper … even VirtualLeague Baseball 2 XD

Hedgetrimmer wrote:
…a ‘fake’ space pinball came on ebay a couple of years back for $1500 (i think)…

Is the “fake” space pinball the one that I see sitting in Virtualboy [Swe]’s collection?

If so, what does “fake” mean? Can the game not be played?

Benjamin Stevens wrote:

Hedgetrimmer wrote:
…a ‘fake’ space pinball came on ebay a couple of years back for $1500 (i think)…

Is the “fake” space pinball the one that I see sitting in Virtualboy [Swe]’s collection?

If so, what does “fake” mean? Can the game not be played?

As far as I know and can remember it was playable but the fake part was that it wasn’t an official Nintendo prototype, it was an eprom cart with the ROM burned to it, now I can’t remember if it was official Nintendo eproms but the consensus was that it wasn’t the real deal, so in a way fake was the wrong word to use as it kind of did what it said on the tin, but not officially.

I don’t know who was trying to sell it but some folks here seemed to know and added to the consensus of an ‘iffy’ cart.

Well, seeing how there doesn’t seem to be a ROM for Space Pinball released online anywhere, I don’t think I’d be too upset if I was tricked into paying $1800.00 for a cart that still had the fully playable version of a game that could be gotten nowhere else.

In fact, if someone wants to trick me into paying $1,800.00 for a fully playable eprom cart of Dragon Hopper, be my guest! 🙂

For the ROMs to be released we’d need o cast the net wider than just on here, but with the aid of some Gameboy, NES and Super NES communities it could be done if people chucked in $50 each.

Does Virtualboy [Swe] still post here? I would be up for a fundraiser to get Space Pinball released.

Srimok wrote:
Does Virtualboy [Swe] still post here? I would be up for a fundraiser to get Space Pinball released.

According to collection info Robert Molander also owns a Space Pinball proto cart. Maybe one of the two owners will be up for a fundraiser like you said.

Also someone should try to get into contact with the Faceball owner to get the rom relesed with a fundraiser. Since the rom has already been dumped, all they need to do is name their price.

L___E___T wrote:
For the ROMs to be released we’d need o cast the net wider than just on here, but with the aid of some Gameboy, NES and Super NES communities it could be done if people chucked in $50 each.

If something does happen and a fundraiser gets started. Websites like lostlevels.org and unseen64.net would probably support the cause and donate. If not even with support just from users from this site, the goal would eventully be met.

Well if it happens here is my £50. Offical.

I’d definitely chip in for some unreleased VB-goodness. Would love to play Faceball. I’m not convinced there’s anything else available to be dumped but I’d be happy to be proved wrong.

If something did turn up, another site worth posting to would be ASSEMblergames. They actually have a fundraiser up at the moment for the GBC port of Resident Evil.

Dave_ wrote:
I’d definitely chip in for some unreleased VB-goodness. Would love to play Faceball. I’m not convinced there’s anything else available to be dumped but I’d be happy to be proved wrong.

If something did turn up, another site worth posting to would be ASSEMblergames. They actually have a fundraiser up at the moment for the GBC port of Resident Evil.

Thats a nice fundraiser that they have going. Hopefully they will meet their goal.

I have been reading up on Dragon Hopper lately, trying to find out as much “reliable” information about the game as possible. I must admit that my longing to play this game is rather intense, so at least learning about the game as much as possible helps to satisfy that. Anyway, this site and virtual-boy.org provide us with 3 major, reliable sources of information about the game, which are:

1. Nintendo Power #86
2. A fact sheet from an American Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) press kit in 1996
3. Club Nintendo UNK1 (A Spanish Magazine, in which the author of the Dragon Hopper article states that the information was obtained as a result of a visit to Nintendo of America.)

Now, virtual-boy.org also provides us with a “questionable” source of information about the game. A long time ago, there appeared online box art for the front and back of the box of Dragon Hopper, and it still seems to be uncertain as to whether or not this art is genuine. On virtual-boy.org, it is written that “An established website called Rottentomatoes.com even goes as far as to report specific details (of text) that are on the back of the box.” I myself can’t find any picture of the back of the box online with legible text, so I can’t verify what it actually says. Just looking at the picture with the illegible text, I conclude that the information does not come from the back of that box art. Now, the writer from virtual-boy.org writes that he believes the information was taken from a promo flyer or something that Nintendo gave out to retailers, but it seems that such a genuine flyer or source of info has never actually been made known online. Here is the information that came from it, which also appears under the description of the game on half.com:

Prince Dorin has tumbled into a dank and dangerous world full of evil enemies and heinous beasts that are chomping at the bit for some royal blood. In DRAGON HOPPER, you must lead the Prince on a journey to recover the four Spirits of Faeron in order to return to his home in Celestia. If you can find the hidden keys, you’ll be able to travel through warp zones and find the stars that will transport you to another world. And if you’re able to find the four Spirits, you just might make your way home, if you can survive the creatures and obstacles that stand in your way.

Now, I have compared the information found in this description from the “unknown” source with the information contained in the known, reliable sources, and I found something rather interesting that I’d like to share, which I believe confirms that this unknown source is, indeed, a reliable source.

The fact sheet from an American Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) press kit in 1996 says that “‘Element of Discovery’ allows Dorin to wander through each level in search of a star to take him to the next level.” The sheet doesn’t make it clear as to what exactly “Element of Discovery” is. It almost sounds like it could be an official mode of the game or something, or it could just be a general term, meaning that the game provides the player an element of discovery by making the player have to search for stars in the levels of the regular mode of the game, which could very well be the only mode of the game, in order to get to the next level. Based on the rest of the information that I read, I believe it should be interpreted in a general sense, not as some mode or selectable option in the game, and here is why:

In the Club Nintendo UNK1 article, it says that Dorin will “obtain clues to the location of the keys to the next level…”

So there seems to be a discrepancy created by the two “reliable” sources. The one source says that the player has to find STARS in order to get Dorin to the next level, while the other source says that the player must find KEYS to get Dorin to the next level. Is one of the sources incorrect on this matter, or how should this be resolved? Well, surprisingly the “questionable” source seems to give us the answer to this mystery, for it reads:

“If you can find the hidden KEYS, you’ll be able to travel through warp zones and find the STARS that will transport you to another world.”

Now this is very specific information that could not have simply been taken from one of the aforementioned reliable sources, since none of those reliable sources make it clear as to how you progress to a new level in the game. And surprisingly, this source clears up the confusion created on this matter by 2 of the reliable sources. Because of this, I conclude that the “questionable” source is, in fact, a reliable one, meaning it came from a source who had access to the game, so the virtual-boy.org writer could very well be correct in his conjecture that the info came from some promo flyer or something else that came from Nintendo itself. Thus, I personally believe that this information accurately describes how you would progress from one level to another in the game and that this source is an independent source in relation to the other reliable sources.

If anyone happens to have more information about “reliable” sources for info about Dragon Hopper, I would love to read them. Who knows how many flyers or magazines, etc. are out there will nice goodies about the game, which have yet to be posted online.

Interesting discovery.

I would like to see some more info on Zero Racers, if that is possible.

Oh! Wait! I think I have — I have a…

…a screenshot I found online…

(Sadly, this only feeds the need…)

🙂

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There is a Youtube review of Virtual Boy, had a brief shot of a Dragonhopper ad; it shows several screenshots. Since there aren’t any images here other than box images, can someone please add these to the “Dragonhopper” link? I think everyone would enjoy seeing more of the game. 🙂

The ad is in Spanish; I put an English translation at the bottom…

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The picture of that ad was most likely taken off of the scan of the magazine page on this site, which you can find here:

http://www.planetvb.com/modules/articles/?s050198001

If you want to make a full and better translation of it than the one that currently exists at the above link, I think many would appreciate it.

Also, all of the Dragon Hopper images that have ever been found appear under the Multimedia tab under Dragon Hopper. So starting at the site homepage, you select: GAMES => Unreleased Games => Dragon Hopper, and then click on the Multimedia tab to find:

http://www.planetvb.com/modules/games/?u004m

Well — embarrassed to say I clicked on “images” but not the “multimedia” tab; that is the image. 🙂

I’m betting a cart will show up soon for dumping.

How long is the “edit” good for? Tried to add to the post…

I just watched the 28 second E3 1996 Virtual Boy booth. I counted at least FOUR store-displays that were loaded with Dragonhopper. That means there were at least a half-dozen carts! Seriously increases the chances of us finding one for dumping…

😀

vb-fan wrote:
How long is the “edit” good for? Tried to add to the post…

I’m pretty sure that it has been said that it lasts for 30 minutes after you post. After that, your comment is locked in forever.

VirtualJockey wrote:
Does anybody remember the story of the kid that released an Atari 2600 rom and lost out? He ended up getting murdered in a hotel room by some gal and a guy if I remember. Gruesome and horrible stuff.

I have never heard of such a thing, is there some source where I can read about this?

As for the original discussion, I think that if the ROM exists, it will more than likely surface eventually through either a fundraiser or someone selling the prototype itself.

Keyword: Eventually.