Hey folks,

It’s been a long time since I’ve been in these forums. I had given up on my virtual boy a few years ago when my screens started flaking out on me. I eventually moved, containing the VB for a good long time. Fast forward to a few months ago when I finally looked online and found someone who could repair virtual boys. And boy, did he deliver. My system is working perfectly fine now, but I had no reason to play it. So, I brought it into work today. It was a hit. People started asking about it and well…. I’m out of the loop. I missed out on a few things: Faceball. Bound High. Hyper Fighting? I don’t know a lot about these, but can someone catch me up on what I missed? Is there any way to get some of these limited-edition games, or are they gone forever? What else has gone on?

I’d appreciate any help to catch up.

Thanks!

Here is where you will find the available ROMs for games that were likely released after you got out of the loop:

The Permitted Release of the Bound High! Prototype:
http://www.planetvb.com/modules/games/?u001d

The Leak / Unauthorized Release of the Space Pinball Prototype:
http://www.planetvb.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?post_id=17180#forumpost17180

The Unauthorized Release of the Faceball Prototype; plus the hacked “finalized” version:
http://www.planetvb.com/modules/games/?u005d

The Released Hyper Fighting Demo:
http://www.planetvb.com/modules/games/?h082d

If you want to play these ROMs on your Virtual Boy system, there is no need to search long and hard for some reproduction carts that have been made for some of these, since you can enjoy all of them on a FlashBoy Plus. Thus, if you haven’t already done so, you can order one from Richard Hutchinson by following the instructions here:

http://www.planetvb.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=4155&start=0

Thanks for the info! I’ve definitely fallen behind.

Quick followup question– were the cartridge releases for these games made as limited runs, or are any of these still made-to-order (or, are there re-release plans)? While I do agree that flashboy is the best answer, sometimes it’s nice to have a cart to look at. However, I do understand that a limited release makes sense in most scenarios (i.e. a bulk run to recoup costs made by dedicated fans, possibly at a loss), so I won’t lose any sleep over it if they’re gone forever. But, it never hurts to ask.

Thank you!

The last I heard from the makers of the repro carts, there are no plans to release any more copies of those games. So yes, they were limited runs that have since sold out, and if you want one of them, then you’ll have to stay on the lookout for anyone selling their copy in the future, which usually means a tough bidding war, unfortunately.

They weren’t limited collectible releases..(maybe the faceball proto release).

But, the idea was not to make hundreds of say ..bound high, and in a few years not have the material to make more games without donor carts (I want to end up with more games then were released for the system eventually).

We want to be in this long term to help the coders and people that work on these games get a physical release they can hold or put in a frame and say…I did that. The releases aren’t just to give back to the community, but to the coders that sacrifice their time and energy into a little system that people gave up on.

They weren’t limited to make them collectible (I guess that’s what i’m saying). We want to get these games in as many peoples hands as we can (that will play the games). But with limited resources, choices have to be made.

Now..total turn around time..this is just my opinion.

I can actually see making bound high again if fan’s are really interested in it, but not in any large amounts and not frequently. Don’t take this the wrong way thou. We won’t be making 50 bound high carts and posting that we are selling them (and i don’t want a bunch of posts saying..i want game). But, I can see possibly making 5-10 once a year if real fans (not just collectors or fly by night collectors) are interested. It’s hard to say ‘no’ to a collector that’s been collecting for 10 years and just hasn’t visited planetvb and missed the games.

So, in summary…yes they are limited, but not to make them collectible..but due to material (and in some sense time..we don’t do this for the money (haha like we make money)). I won’t write myself in a corner and say they will never be made again..but I don’t THINK they will ever be made in ANY large number again. It might be best to put a post in the wanted section.

Oki, enough of my wandering thoughts on the matter, I think I rambled a bit to much. Also, if people want to talk about the philosophy of the releases..and if they should be limited and how much..maybe we should start a separate thread 🙂 I want to hear peoples ideas and thoughts.

-Eric

Bound High! is truly a marvel but it’s not really necessary to rerelease as it can be played in a Flashboy but those should be always made. 🙂

bigmak wrote:
… I can see possibly making 5-10 once a year if real fans (not just collectors or fly by night collectors) are interested…

Separating the wheat from the chaff might be a bit difficult there, unless “real fans” are simply determined based on their public activeness on Planet Virtual Boy.

I appreciate everyone’s thoughts on the matter. Thanks for helping me get up to speed. 🙂

[vb-fan]

Benjamin Stevens wrote:

If you want to play these ROMs on your Virtual Boy system, there is no need to search long and hard for some reproduction carts that have been made for some of these, since you can enjoy all of them on a FlashBoy Plus. Thus, if you haven’t already done so, you can order one from Richard Hutchinson by following the instructions here:

There is another option — not that the flashboys aren’t excellent, they are — but — plugging a flashboy into the computer, flashing it (padding the game first), and then moving it to the VB, takes a little time.

If you’re good with soldering, make a “cart w/piggy-back ZIF” (perfboard and ZIF extends past the cart edge), and get an inexpensive eprom (or rom) programmer. Then save each game in a ROM. Simply flip the lever on the ZIF socket, swap out a ROM, flick down the lever, power-on, have fun! You won’t be able to save levels, but you can change games in 4-5 seconds…

Just sayin’…

Edit to add — you could also buy a few of your OWN “donor carts”, and find someone with a PCB made up to accept ROMS and buy a few (and buy a few roms). Swap out the game-pcb with the eprom-pcb, keeping the case & connector. Then you could make your own very passable facsimile carts, complete with labels! Necessity is the mother of invention!!!

• This reply was modified 9 years, 4 months ago by vb-fan.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 4 months ago by vb-fan.

bigmak wrote:

But, the idea was not to make hundreds of say ..bound high, and in a few years not have the material to make more games without donor carts (I want to end up with more games than were released for the system eventually).

-Eric

The big drawback is the finite number of “sacrificable carts available”. My Flashboy case is 3D printed (I think it’s really really neat!); the only additional thing necessary is a 2mm double-row socket that will fit the motherboard pins, and I think there are some that will work. That would make for an unlimited supply of “donor carts”!

I may have to learn more about 3D printing, went to a luncheon/show a local company put on two weeks ago, there were some spectacular samples! Everyone there got a keychain with a plastic ball-bearing (actually works pretty good!). I ran off with a Crescent Wrench, printed with disolvable plastic (a few minutes in an NaOH solution, the white plastic is gone, and the red wrench actually functions). They’re selling some really cool 3D printed toys on ebay, I’ve gotten a couple. There’s a way to take 50 photos of any object, and create an STL file to reproduce it exactly!

(I almost feel like I’m on Star Trek, standing in front of a Replicator!)