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Virtual Boy 3DS XL skin by GameThemedThings

What a simple, clever way to decorate a (red) 3DS XL! Of course, one problem with Virtual Boy references is that they’re inherently limiting; not that many people are going to recognize the look…

BUY Virtual Boy stuff, upcoming games

New Virtual Boy game!: Advanced Pasta Cooking Simulator

I’m happy to post about any new Virtual Boy homebrew project, but I was extra motivated to share this one with you after reading HorvatM’s description:

“The goal of this game is simple: just cook pasta. But be very careful: your neighbors are terrorists and they want to make sure you don’t get to taste any of it. Can you cook yourself lunch while they shoot at you through the windows?”

You can download Advanced Pasta Cooking Simulator here.

BUY Virtual Boy stuff, upcoming games

The lost Virtual Boy version of Faceball. PlanetVB users have reportedly found and purchased a prototype of this game, and will release it as a reproduction cartridge in February for $100, as well as a free ROM.

This is basically the best idea for a Virtual Boy game. I really liked Faceball when I played it on SNES…

 VIA Retro Collect, @rdb_aaa

Virtual Boy emulator running on a 3D television. Now that this has proven to be technologically possible, Nintendo has no excuse, except that it doesn’t actually want anyone to remember what Virtual Boy games looked like. Which is a good excuse.

See also: More Virtual Boy posts
[Via GoNintendo]

Virtual Boy wigglepics! On the heels of that life-changing Pizza 3D² photo, some VideoMan fellow uploaded a set of stereoscopic 3D screenshots from Virtual Boy games.

Through a bit of wizardry, I managed to copy the MPO files to my SD card and load them on my 3DS, allowing me to see the 3D effects of these old games on the modern portable. I don’t know what it is, but I felt a headache immediately coming on after looking at them for a few seconds (I don’t have this problem with 3DS games).

The Virtual Boy’s still got it!

Buy: Nintendo DS/3DS release dates, discounts, & more

See also: More Nintendo 3DS news and media

[Thanks, Mike N.!]

Virtual Boy wasn’t Gunpei Yokoi’s downfall

With the Virtual Boy’s 15th anniversary for Japan having passed last week and its U.S. birthday coming up, I thought I’d take a moment to correct a long-held misconception about the maligned red and black console.

As if the system doesn’t already receive enough hate from gamers, you’ll find many online sources claiming as fact that the Virtual Boy’s failure compelled Nintendo to force the resignation of its creator, Gunpei Yokoi — also the father of the Game & Watch, the Game Boy, the WonderSwan, and several memorable NES franchises.

According to Nintendo Magic and Yoshihiro Taki, who worked under Yokoi at Nintendo and later served as president and CEO of WonderSwan developer Koto, that wasn’t the case at all:

Virtual Boy demakes of Metroid Prime, The Secret of Monkey Island, Mega Man, and some Aliens game.

Did you know this week marks the 15th anniversary of the Virtual Boy’s Japanese launch? Nintendo’s unappreciated, headache-inducing system launched on July 21, 1995 — and was discontinued less than two years later. A 3D portable system! What were they thinking?

In honor of the Gunpei Yokoi-designed console, Pixel Joint is asking its members to create mock-ups of Virtual Boy-style games for its pixel art challenge this week. My favorite submission so far is the demake for The Secret of Monkey Island, which doesn’t take advantage of the system’s 3D capabilities but still looks great!

See also: More rad Virtual Boy posts

“No matter how amazing the image you display on a TV screen, nobody’s going to be surprised. But with sterescopic vision, you can show them something with depth, and they’ll discover something new nearly every day.”

Game Boy creator Gunpei Yokoi dropped this knowledge in the debut issue of Japanese magazine Jugemu in 1995. Obviously, he’s referring to the flawed Virtual Boy here, but this quote seemed appropriate to share on the eve of the Nintendo 3DS’s reveal.

Buy: Nintendo Magic (where I found this excerpt)

See also: Tiny Review: Nintendo Magic

Virtual Boy TV. This Wide Boy-like device, designed by beloved Nintendo second party Intelligent Systems, allowed developers to test games on a television. The regular Virtual Boy is uncomfortable enough for me — I’d rather not have to strap one of these and a television to my face.

How interested are you in seeing Nester’s Funky Bowling super-sized? If it’s $50,000 interested, eBay awaits!

[Via GameSniped; yep, totally had GameSniped-sourced posts two mornings in a row.]

“Nintendo 3DS” by 7. What? VIRTUAL BOY is evolving!

See also: More 3DS stuff

“Adventures of Wizard Davey Crockett Jr.” by Kazimir Strzepak (click for larger, dusty image). Since the Game Over art show is kicking off tonight at Giant Robot San Francisco, I thought I should finally get around to sharing this piece I purchased at last year’s exhibit.

According to legend, this piece and two others — “Black Barrel Roll” and “Facetious Dungeon 3-D” — are based on Virtual Boy titles that were actually in production but eventually cancelled, likely due to the system’s monumental failure. It’s a believable myth, considering the artist that produced these works as a Nintendo tester!

I asked Kaz about it, however, and he says he’s always wanted to design his own game, and so he produced these fantasy titles for the art show. Someone at Nintendo should really pay attention to these ideas; I want someone to make Adventures of Wizard Davey Crockett Jr.!

Even though the piece I have isn’t based on an actual unreleased title, I love the playfulness of it — the robot cat boss, the Wario-like Davey Crockett hero, and the UI elements. It also uses three glass panes inside with different elements painted on each, giving it a very 3D/Virtual Boy effect. It’s one of the few video game related tchotchkes I allow to populate my office.

Kaz is debuting another curious piece at Game Over 3 tonight, a 3D replica of the Ikari Warriors title screen. It has an interactive element, allowing you to twist a knob that will make the figures turn outward and make a ticking noise that simulates the sound of machine gun fire:

You can check out Kaz’s new personal site here. Here’s some info on Game Over 3 if you plan to visit it tonight or some time in the next four weeks.

NSFW: Another reason why the Virtual Boy was a terrible portable console. In all my years playing with Game Boys, Game Boy Advances, and DSes, I’ve never had a man-butt touch my head while immersed in those devices.

See also: Virtual Racing, Pac-Butt