We apologize that we can't deliver this post to you in glorious red monochrome 3D. Unfortunately, that technology hasn't been invented yet and hopefully never will be. So here in boring old 2D, we bring you news that Nintendo's unloved offspring, the Virtual Boy, is back. Well, sorta. It's back in the sense that someone has actually made a new flash cart that allows for homebrew devs to make games for it. (Or -- and this is never going to happen -- unscrupulous individuals to play pirated ROMS on it.)
That "someone" is Richard Hutchinson and the something he's built is the Flashboy Plus. Hutchinson introduced the original Flashboy back in 2007; the Plus model, costing $130 and already sold out until late this year, can store one game and has battery backup for a single save slot. (Swap games and that save state gets wiped, too.)
We know it's a long shot, but perhaps this device will lead to fan ports of 3DS games to the superior Virtual Boy. Mark our words: Glasses-free 3D is a fad; nothing is more immersive than pressing your face into a sweaty eye hood for hours at a time.
Reader Comments (38)
Posted: Aug 27th 2010 1:36AM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said
Wow, that is actually really badass.
Reply
Posted: Aug 27th 2010 2:05AM ShadowXIII said
@Faenix
I rented one back in the day, yeah I wouldn't pay what they were asking for it at the time, it had few and far between games-wise...
...but I can honestly say I had an 'effing blast with it...!
Red Alert (not the RTS) and Teleroboxing (I think it was called) I rented with it. Was 12$ well spent.
Reply
I rented one back in the day, yeah I wouldn't pay what they were asking for it at the time, it had few and far between games-wise...
...but I can honestly say I had an 'effing blast with it...!
Red Alert (not the RTS) and Teleroboxing (I think it was called) I rented with it. Was 12$ well spent.
Posted: Aug 27th 2010 8:31AM s1l3n70n3 said
@ShadowXIII
I was confused when I was a kid too about the Red Alarm game. The logo was so similar and red that I often too thought it said "Red Alert." In a continuation of corrections, the other is Teleroboxer. One thing I won't correct is having a blast. It's just what it was. Except when you ran into a wall in Red Alarm which you might mistake for a corridor.
Reply
I was confused when I was a kid too about the Red Alarm game. The logo was so similar and red that I often too thought it said "Red Alert." In a continuation of corrections, the other is Teleroboxer. One thing I won't correct is having a blast. It's just what it was. Except when you ran into a wall in Red Alarm which you might mistake for a corridor.
Posted: Aug 27th 2010 1:41AM ArchiGamer said
Ah, the Virtual Boy, what a fun thing.
And by fun, I mean headache endusing nightmare.
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And by fun, I mean headache endusing nightmare.
Posted: Aug 27th 2010 5:50AM peternography said
@ArchiGamer
yeah didn't they give people headaches trough eyestrain?
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yeah didn't they give people headaches trough eyestrain?
Posted: Aug 27th 2010 1:44AM DangerMouse001 said
Wow. Posting this will open the floodgates on Virtual Boy piracy, and in turn, kill the system. Great journalistic integrity, Joystiq, you really hit a new low.
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Posted: Aug 27th 2010 1:44AM squallgengar said
Look, I hate piracy as much as the next sane guy, but even Nintendo won't waste its time giving a crap about pirated Virtual Boy games. I mean come on...the system only ever had 22 games released globally to begin with.
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Posted: Aug 27th 2010 1:54AM benjamines said
With the exception of Jack Bros, you could almost buy every VB game on eBay for less than $130 total. I did.
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Posted: Aug 27th 2010 8:37AM s1l3n70n3 said
@Punkrawk Bbob
Ahh jack bros. I'm so glad I have a copy of it. I Went to goodwill and found a Virtual Boy with travel case and the entire library minus waterworld and tetris. I paid 12 dollars. Turns out Jack bros. is the first Shin Megami Tensei game I played.
Reply
Ahh jack bros. I'm so glad I have a copy of it. I Went to goodwill and found a Virtual Boy with travel case and the entire library minus waterworld and tetris. I paid 12 dollars. Turns out Jack bros. is the first Shin Megami Tensei game I played.
Posted: Aug 27th 2010 2:44AM Covnam said
That's pretty cool for people who want to learn to program for a different type of game play. I'm sure that there could be some interesting games made for it, at least until the 3DS comes out :)
Though that brings up the question of whether or not it would be possible to see Virtual Boy games on the 3DS... Is it possible to convert a 3D game that expects you to be looking into glasses to one that uses a parallax screen? Not that I'm holding my breath though considering Nintendo still hasn't put any GB/GBC/GBA games on DSi shop or virtual console.
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Though that brings up the question of whether or not it would be possible to see Virtual Boy games on the 3DS... Is it possible to convert a 3D game that expects you to be looking into glasses to one that uses a parallax screen? Not that I'm holding my breath though considering Nintendo still hasn't put any GB/GBC/GBA games on DSi shop or virtual console.
Posted: Aug 27th 2010 2:53AM Einlander said
Joystiq you're welcome
http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/7406/flashboy.jpg
Yes i half assed the logo, but i'm not being paid....
Reply
http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/7406/flashboy.jpg
Yes i half assed the logo, but i'm not being paid....
Posted: Aug 27th 2010 4:24AM The 8Bit King said
I have my virtual boy, but lost the leg stand. Guess how much fun that is to play.
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Posted: Aug 27th 2010 8:20AM adv2k169 said
Cool in theory, but in reality I think its a total waste of time. How many virtual boys actually exist? How many still work? Are you really going spend time making a game that less than 1% of the population can play. At least the mario mods you could potentially emulate them on your PC and play them without problem, but you can't emulate VB (maybe the 3DS will be able to but still)
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Posted: Aug 27th 2010 8:44AM s1l3n70n3 said
@adv2k169
I'm pretty sure VB can be emulated on the PC... (*checks)... and it is. Don't complain about enthusiasts and their hobbies. If someone want's to make a game for a dead system, let him/her do it. You could argue that reading novels are a waste of time because no one else benefits from you reading that novel, but that would be ridiculous.
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I'm pretty sure VB can be emulated on the PC... (*checks)... and it is. Don't complain about enthusiasts and their hobbies. If someone want's to make a game for a dead system, let him/her do it. You could argue that reading novels are a waste of time because no one else benefits from you reading that novel, but that would be ridiculous.
Posted: Aug 27th 2010 9:13AM adv2k169 said
@s1l3n70n3 are you kidding me, that comparison is totally FAIL !!
You only need eyes, and the ability to read so you can enjoy a book. TO play virtual boy mod you need a virtual boy in working condition. Virtual Boy was a failed piece of shit hardware and it was too limited to red and black. Its sort of arrogrant to think " I can make a system have cool games when Nintendo themselves couldn't do that."
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You only need eyes, and the ability to read so you can enjoy a book. TO play virtual boy mod you need a virtual boy in working condition. Virtual Boy was a failed piece of shit hardware and it was too limited to red and black. Its sort of arrogrant to think " I can make a system have cool games when Nintendo themselves couldn't do that."
Posted: Aug 27th 2010 9:25AM wcarnation said
@adv2k169 Care to tell me what brilliant devices you've produced that have changed countless lives?
These things are built to personal worth, they're worth something to someone somewhere. I doubt most of Virtual Boy's detractor's have even touched the thing, half probably weren't even born when it came out. I'm not raising a defense for the system, but don't claim to know why anyone would or wouldn't want to use this - you're not them. Feel free to spout why you wouldn't, everyone will be waiting with baited applause for the stunning revelations that your own opinion can bring.
In other words, lets just put the AVGN-fueled opinions dressed as absolute fact to rest and focus on the topic at hand.
Reply
These things are built to personal worth, they're worth something to someone somewhere. I doubt most of Virtual Boy's detractor's have even touched the thing, half probably weren't even born when it came out. I'm not raising a defense for the system, but don't claim to know why anyone would or wouldn't want to use this - you're not them. Feel free to spout why you wouldn't, everyone will be waiting with baited applause for the stunning revelations that your own opinion can bring.
In other words, lets just put the AVGN-fueled opinions dressed as absolute fact to rest and focus on the topic at hand.
Posted: Aug 27th 2010 9:29AM Bananarama said
Ouch Randy, you are rivaling Ludwig in the bad pun department, first the Demon's Sole one from the SF shoes (Schramm outed you on that one) and now this? What is Joystiq coming to?
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Posted: Aug 27th 2010 9:32AM ColorblindMonk said
I can already feel my glasses thickening as I stare into the red lights for hours.
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Posted: Aug 27th 2010 9:42AM CaptainProtonX said
This is going to make Nintendo...
**Puts on Sunglasses**
...see red.
YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAH
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**Puts on Sunglasses**
...see red.
YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAH
Posted: Aug 27th 2010 10:04AM Deadlinejon said
am i the only one that thinks the pixle virtual boy like a sentry from TF2?
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