The Virtual Boy. It was Nintendo’s first major flop in the video game market. However, a small group of people (from Planet Virtual Boy and beyond) had their hearts and minds captivated by the device.
Design: The design is OK, but in my opinion, I like the goggles. They look like a military infrared scope. (I might make a VB cartridge that can connect to a camera one day, like the Game Boy Camera…) The size and design of the goggles isn’t practical when you factor in portability. They’re large and heavy. However, it’s not a problem if you don’t want to take it around in a case. However, the design of the stand is stupid. It should have been more like a mini tripod with a triangular base for the Virtual Boy to sit on.
Technology: Very ingenious, if not practical. The flashing-LED-oscillating-mirror combination is a cool idea and cost-effective. It works sort of like a TV tube. The graphics output by the are nice and sharp as far as the contrast goes. The pixels also stay in exactly one place for every sweep of the mirror and every flash of the LEDs. For me, the flickering is not apparent. All that happens when I play is my eyes start to hurt a little bit. However, I think that’s more of the fact that: (1). your eyes are open for too long and they get dry, or (2). your pupils are open more than you’re used to.
Effectiveness: The 3D in most of the games is surprisingly effective. I can actually see depth in the games. Mario’s Tennis is one example, where I can see distance in the tennis court. However, Vertical Force is not one of those games where the 3D works in-game. It may work for the cutscenes, but not the gameplay itself.
Games: There’s not a whole lot of games, which means that you can’t have as much fun with it as you want to. However, as you’ve seen on Planet Virtual Boy, there’s still an active movement to make games for this console. In fact, I’m thinking of making two games for the Virtual boy based on two Videlectrix (http://videlectrix.com/index.html) games from the fictional universe of Homestar Runner (http://www.homestarrunner.com/) If you search through the games section of each website, see if you can guess what games I’m going to make. 😉
Probable Improvements (in my opinion):
*If Nintendo had sold this the way it was without shoving it in the face of people, (i.e. like their e-Reader, their Game Boy Camera, or R.O.B.) it probably would have sold better. But they probably would have been better in waiting for technology to improve.
*The Virtual Boy would also have probably sold better if they had added a small TV-OUT circuit and port to the bottom of the device. That way you could have to option of playing it either in 3D or not… Oh wait… (Sound familiar? Think 3DS) Sure, those of us watching the other person play on the TV set would have only seen a flat view rather than the 3d view we all know, but then again, it would probably have taken care of the problems about people not being able to watch.
*The link cable. Nintendo should have just finished developing and sold the link cable. It might not have been pretty, but at least we would have actual two-player games.
*The extra unreleased games. Nintendo probably could have made it better if they let what they and their third-party supporters finish and release their games.
*The STAND. The FREAKING STAND. Mine still works, but the plastic “Nintendo” medallion that houses the ends of the metal legs has formed a crack in it.
FINAL VERDICT: The Virtual Boy is not a masterpiece, but it deserves your love! It’s a great console if you’re willing to forget most of its flaws. I know I was when I thought of buying it. Buy it now before it becomes VERY RARE and EXPENSIVE! 😀