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Long lost Virtual Boys found, oddly not in E.T. landfill

IceBurnerIceBurner It's cold and there are penguins.Registered User regular
edited September 2008 in Games and Technology
Source: http://blog.wired.com/games/2008/09/lost-virtual-bo.html

Seems a crate of 100 forgotten factory-sealed Virtual Boys turned up in Dubai, United Arab Emerates. Frankly I'm not sure this topic has a lot of mileage for actual discussion, but it is rather amusing.

Did anyone actually own one of these? If so, did you like it?

I did get to play with a demo unit once. While I didn't get a migraine, it was definitely not portable or easy to use. Come to think of it, they're not exactly small, so how did a crate of 100 Virtual Boys go unnoticed for this long?

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Posts

  • LaPuzzaLaPuzza Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I have one. I worked at Software etc. (Gamestop for the youngins) the year it released. I got it from the manager, who also bought me a few games.

    I didn't have the headaches, but I played it 1) in the dark and 2) right before going to bed.

    I thought it was good at what it did. The graphics were decent given the red-on-black, and the 3D was exactly as described. Tennis, Red Alarm, and even pinball and golf did a good job of making fun games that had 3D, as opposed to pure gimmics. It was worth the $0 I paid for it.

    LaPuzza on
  • Speed RacerSpeed Racer Scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratchRegistered User regular
    edited September 2008
    When it came out I thought it was so cool and just the neatest thing ever, but the guy at the game store convinced my mom that it was a piece of shit so we didn't buy one. Thanks, game store guy!

    Speed Racer on
  • TaramoorTaramoor Storyteller Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I really enjoyed the Virtual Boy, primarily for Teleroboxer and Wario Land.

    Granted, I think only 14 games made it out for the system.

    When you really think about it, if Nintendo sees something failing pretty hard they shut that shit down fast.

    Taramoor on
  • RonaldoTheGypsyRonaldoTheGypsy Yes, yes Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    My friend has one. In his basement. Still. We laugh at it every time we see it.

    RonaldoTheGypsy on
  • SaraLunaSaraLuna Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I have one. I bought it from some random guy at college a few years ago for $15. I think I played it twice for less than 10 minutes.

    I packed up the wires and have it on display on a shelf near my tv though.

    SaraLuna on
  • taliosfalcontaliosfalcon Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I actually preemptively took aspirin before attempting to use my virtual boy due to the crushing headaches it gave me. How I loathe that vile machine, and myself for putting up with it for so long :P

    edit: by so long i mean roughly a week, before i boxed it up and exiled it to the depths of my storage room never to be seen again

    taliosfalcon on
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  • Shoegaze99Shoegaze99 Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    So do officials in Dubai put these up on eBay to fund their next super huge skyscraper?

    Shoegaze99 on
  • cheezcheez Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I got one in high school from some kid, along with like six games, in exchange for a CD I never listened to anymore. And hey, for that price, I enjoyed it. Many hours of pinball and tennis were had in the darkness on nights I couldn't go to sleep.

    cheez on
  • bloodyroarxxbloodyroarxx Casa GrandeRegistered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Shoegaze99 wrote: »
    So do officials in Dubai put these up on eBay to fund their next super huge skyscraper?

    No they put the poor schmuck who found the crate in prison for some crazy law he magically broke most likely.

    bloodyroarxx on
  • h8b1llg8tsh8b1llg8ts Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I have two because I thought I lost it in my move a couple of years ago. The best system ever, no ... but not the worst either. It's just something, like P_Price, I have it out as a conversation piece more then for pratical use. I have almost all the US released games and there are some that are better then others.

    I, in fact, have tried to sell that second one on Egay two seperate times and both times the buyer never paid.

    Don't know if that tells you something ...

    h8b1llg8ts on
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    VOICE-OVER: It's September 24th, I'm Liz Parker and five days ago I died. But then the really amazing thing happened. I came to life.
  • AthenorAthenor Battle Hardened Optimist The Skies of HiigaraRegistered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I think this story is more interesting in terms of international trade and shipping. I mean, those things have been in a crate for what, 10 years? 12?

    Athenor on
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  • MundaneSoulMundaneSoul fight fighter Daehan MingukRegistered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I had one way back when. I have no idea what happened to it.

    It was actually kinda fun.

    MundaneSoul on
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  • MooreningMoorening Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I played a demo virtual boy and had fun, never got the headache, but I've never owned one. My life feels somehow incomplete. Then again it was short lived...maybe my life should feel enriched that I've never owned one.

    Still...maybe it's time to find one.

    Moorening on
    It would appear there ain't no rest for the wicked...who knew?
  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I think it would be fun to bring one of these to PAX and bust it out at the Handheld Lounge.

    I guarantee you'd get a lot of attention.

    Feral on
    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
  • h8b1llg8tsh8b1llg8ts Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Or you could walk around looking like this guy ...
    Image12.jpg

    h8b1llg8ts on
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    sig.gif
    MAX: Liz I really, really wish that this could be something, you know, more. But it can't. We're just...

    LIZ: Different.

    VOICE-OVER: It's September 24th, I'm Liz Parker and five days ago I died. But then the really amazing thing happened. I came to life.
  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    edited September 2008
    That guy is awesome.

    I bet the ladies are all up ons.

    Feral on
    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
  • solsovlysolsovly Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I can't remember the name of the shooter but that was pretty fun. Had tennis and wario which were pretty decent games. I bought all of this for 5 dollars in high school... primarily cause I wanted the AC adapter (worked for SNES). The other stuff was just thrown in.

    I'm going to have to dig it up today.

    solsovly on
  • JustinSane07JustinSane07 Really, stupid? Brockton__BANNED USERS regular
    edited September 2008
    A friend of mine bought one shortly after they went out of production for cheap. Holy shit, it was aaaawwwffuuulll. We immediately agreed never to speak of it again.

    JustinSane07 on
  • maximumzeromaximumzero I...wait, what? New Orleans, LARegistered User regular
    edited September 2008
    If they put these up for sale for $10-$40 I'd pick one up simply for collector's sake.

    maximumzero on
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  • IceBurnerIceBurner It's cold and there are penguins.Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    A friend of mine bought one shortly after they went out of production for cheap. Holy shit, it was aaaawwwffuuulll. We immediately agreed never to speak of it again.
    You have failed your vow of silence.

    IceBurner on
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  • JustinSane07JustinSane07 Really, stupid? Brockton__BANNED USERS regular
    edited September 2008
    IceBurner wrote: »
    A friend of mine bought one shortly after they went out of production for cheap. Holy shit, it was aaaawwwffuuulll. We immediately agreed never to speak of it again.
    You have failed your vow of silence.

    But he doesn't know that! So it's cool. Right?


    Right?

    JustinSane07 on
  • Shoegaze99Shoegaze99 Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I tried that one with my wife ...

    Shoegaze99 on
  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I thought the virtua boy was great; granted I only rented it, never bought it.

    On the other hand it gave me some of the worst non-migrane headaches I have any memory of.

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  • h8b1llg8tsh8b1llg8ts Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    solsovly wrote: »
    I can't remember the name of the shooter but that was pretty fun. Had tennis and wario which were pretty decent games. I bought all of this for 5 dollars in high school... primarily cause I wanted the AC adapter (worked for SNES). The other stuff was just thrown in.

    I'm going to have to dig it up today.

    Vertical Force?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertical_Force

    h8b1llg8ts on
    Coolest Guy I Know
    h8b1llg8ts.gif
    sig.gif
    MAX: Liz I really, really wish that this could be something, you know, more. But it can't. We're just...

    LIZ: Different.

    VOICE-OVER: It's September 24th, I'm Liz Parker and five days ago I died. But then the really amazing thing happened. I came to life.
  • GihgehlsGihgehls Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    These things have really good sound circuits.

    Gihgehls on
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  • Grizzly_AddamsGrizzly_Addams Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited September 2008
    I have one. I like it. Sits on my desk. I had Galactic Pinball, Panic Bomber, and Vertical Force, and some baseball game for a while. The other day I went to a local hole in the wall game store and bought Wario Land and Mario Clash. They're fun. I'll go back soon for Red Alarm and Teleroboxer.

    Grizzly_Addams on
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  • maximumzeromaximumzero I...wait, what? New Orleans, LARegistered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Goddammit now you people are making me want to buy one. I've never owned one, but wanted one so bad back in the day.

    maximumzero on
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  • darren66darren66 Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Kind OT, but if we are talking about the worst headaches ever caused by gaming.... Never play Athena on the NES for 8 hours in one sitting. I think I lost a lot of brain cells that day.

    darren66 on
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  • SolidhavocSolidhavoc Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I remember really enjoying the Pinball game.

    Solidhavoc on
  • LukinLukin Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I seem to remember before this thing launched, EGM had a deal where they basically said if Nintendo had waited, they could have done a full color version but they wanted to rush it to market. Anybody else remember this, or am I making it up?

    Lukin on
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  • AuburnTigerAuburnTiger Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Lukin wrote: »
    I seem to remember before this thing launched, EGM had a deal where they basically said if Nintendo had waited, they could have done a full color version but they wanted to rush it to market. Anybody else remember this, or am I making it up?

    From Wikipedia:

    "'The Virtual Boy is iconic for its monochromatic use of red LED lights. The use of the red LED lights was chosen for being the least expensive, the lowest drain on batteries, and for being the most striking color to see. The use of other LED colors proved to be too cost prohibitive and would have forced the system to retail for over US$500. It would not be until 1996 that high-efficiency indium gallium nitride (InGaN) blue and green LEDs would become available from Nichia Corporation. During development, a color LCD was experimented with but was found to just cause users to see double instead of creating the illusion of depth."

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  • EgoEgo Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I rented one for a week when it came out. I liked the boxing game a lot.

    Ego on
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  • ZekZek Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I bought one from the bargain bin after it died. Some good games on there.

    Zek on
  • MalakaiusMalakaius KalamazooRegistered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Still have mine (Functional too), Galactic Pinball is great :)

    Malakaius on
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  • Cameron_TalleyCameron_Talley Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I have one. Paid $30 for it on closeout at Software Etc. Or was it Babbages? Whatever.

    I bought it solely for the collectors value but have enjoyed playing it from time to time. Mario's Tennis is fun, as is Red Alarm. And the Wario Land game is an excellent platformer.

    I haven't gotten headaches but if you play for more than 15 minutes without taking a break, it somehow blocks the ability to see red for a while, leaving you in a matrix world until your eyes adjust again. Kind of scary.

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