UK prices are higher as he unit was never released here. If you import rare stuff you take the risk of high import duty – yes you can get away with it but not always – either way you take a risk doing this as if the item is lost or damaged then the max you can claim is £32 or something. Gunadam + Virtual Bowling are shockingly rare even abroad thus in the UK if you can even get hold of them then your lucky.
Currently i’ve got 2x full collections of all games (Including Demo carts) – if anyone in the UK want’s anything specific then i may be persuaded to part with a few copies of the rare stuff I have (Gundam,V bowling, Invaders etc). Note the copies of Gundam and Virtual Bowling I would part with are not mint box wise (9.5 and 8/10 respectivly) – but hey where else you gonna get them 🙂 – I’m keeping the absolute mint ones for myself i’m afraid ;-).
Been considering placing an entire collection for sale in the UK – just not got around to it yet – plus I think most of the fun is hunting down the collection and buying an already complete collection would have limited appeal.
Stuff i’m looking for is a mint box version of V lab, and possibly insmouse as the versions i have are not 100% box wise.
Only Virtual Lab & Insmouse left and the two US DEMO carts
away from what many would class as a complete collection.
I’m very interested in dumping my rare games onto backup carts so i can play them ;-).
I’ve asked my supplier what he meant by a “sealed” copy of Vlab as the Jap versions were never sealed to begin with. If he means never opened then how the hell can u tell? – so i’m very reluctant to pay extra for “unopened” status on something you can’t prove.
Nice pack of playing cards on ebay but it wasn’t really desirable for me so I didn’t buy them. Yeah they had Vboy on em but they were not specific enough for me – maybe if the cards had diff chars on each or a diff game etc then i would have jumped at them.
As soon as I get hold of Vlab and Insmouse i’ll do some photos if you would like.
I’m no patent expert but the Carts are NOT patented for Europe.
Only the system itself is patented everywhere.
A US patent does not cover Europe as they have to apply seperately. Even if they tried to patent it now I doub’t it would be accepted as I think it’s now common knowledge, so you can’t patent that unless you change it significantly. For example you couldn’t patent drinking beer as it’s classed as common knowledge – same thing if you have an invention and tell someone about it down the pub you cant patent it as its once again classed as common knowledge.
So technically if it’s done in europe or Hong kong etc then it’s pretty much ok.
If the design of the cart was different then it’s possible it would be ok anyway?
Anyone know how patents work for things like this, in my experience in the chemical industry they have a finite life span – I seem to recall its 10 years.
Been collecting Virtual Boy stuff for a few months now but as i’m in the UK it’s tough going and you have to be prepared to pay through the nose if you seriously wan’t to get them all.
I remember trying to get a VB in about 1999 from a “retro” shop in Blackpool England but we ended up getting seriously drunk and it slipped my mind….. For about 4 years .. yes it really was that good a drinking session!.
Anyway here’s what i’ve managed to get hold of with a bit of effort and a “money no object” approach – most of its in the last few weeks TBH.
Hardware:
Virtual Boy – US – MIB All Docs etc.
Virtual Boy – JAP – MIB All Docs etc.
Virtual Boy – US – + Stand Controller etc + UK Converted PSU/ACTAP (The one I play on).
AC Tap US – MIB
Earphones – JAP – MIB
Games:
Mario Tennis – US – Inpack Version (unopened).
Mario Tennis – US – Display Only Version box.
Mario Tennis – JAP – MIB (Sealed).
Mario Tennis – JAP – MIB (Scruffy Box).
Mario Tennis – JAP – MIB.
Waterworld – US – MIB (This game sucks more than the film)
Virtual Fishing – JAP – MIB
Space Squash – JAP – MIB (Well box isn’t 100% but not bad)
Space Invaders Virtual Collection – JAP – MIB
Virtual Bowling – JAP – MIB
(Yep Virtual Bowling cost alot – paid more than I should have but thats just tough i wans’t going to quibble and mess around for the sake of £100 or so – just don’t ask how much :o))
Basically being in the UK means I’m never going to get anything cheap as you will never find anything at all in second hand stores.
That’s it as of today but i’ve got the following incoming within the next few weeks as the arrangements have been made and a rough price agreed on.. Gundam condition dependant.
Virtual Lab – JAP – MIB (Sealed)
Insmouse No Yakata – JAP – MIB
SD Gundam Dimension War – JAP – (Condition not known – awaiting photos).
Other Stuff:
Nintendo power mags: 69 – 89 (a couple missing).
3D show Glasses x3
What I want:
Red Alarm DEMO.
Boxed Eyeshade.
Hard Carry Case (The BB one for my “play” version VB)
A dump of any proto game ;P
The Hong Kong Module (Multi Cart – if it Exists)
VB Cap
The promo cards.
Any other old tat thats got VB related stuff on it :o)
Well I don’t think I’ve done too bad in the time frame and living in the UK. I will never make any money from this but I like the system (I may sell the whole lot in the future but I suspect it would be at a loss), I can see why it failed but it’s just so damn cool anyway, some people have no taste – yet we suffer through their lack of vision. Not once has it affected my eyes but you notice how it misses a link up capability (yep i know it can link but it should have been available from day one – mario tennis etc)
Hopefully the proto’s will surface dumped onto carts for us to buy at some point. I fear this will not happen now as Nintendo seem to once again recognise that the system exists.
