Have you ever played a Virtual Boy?

Yes. I had a friend who bought every system around that time. Didn't give me (or him) a headache but still wasn't very good.

Yes. They used to have one setup at the Base Exchange and I would play it anytime I was out there when I was a kid.

No. And, have no idea what that is. I imagine some kind of handheld console back in the day.

No, not something I ever had any interest in.

Pretty sure I tried one a few times via a Lechmere display as a kid. Definitely never owned one.

My brother-in-law proudly has one (that he got on closeout) still setup and has a complete or near-complete collection of games. I never played it myself, though. I may have had one other friend who owned one back in college, but I can't say for sure.

Played one at a video game store back when it came out but never bought one.
Having played the games via emulation… I’m good. No need for the “real thing” but it’s neat that Nintendo will be adding some Virtual Boy games to NSO.

Yes, a total bomb for Nintendo. All red 3D games.
Coming back as a $100 Switch 2 peripheral for Nintendo Online Expansion Pass members.

You could try to play it handheld but it would have been tough. More like a lightweight system on a tripod.

When you finished with the games you always felt like you just left the Mario Bros Red Light District... or a super seedy bar in Brooklyn.

Briefly, a long time ago. I could see that it had potential but the way it was done was the absolute wrong way to do it. They were trying to emulate the old VR helmets, but made it a desktop thing you put your face into. I always felt that (even at the time) it would have worked better if they had made an actual headset to wear that just had the screen, and then a cable running to the game unit that you hooked to your belt.

I want to say that there was some Japanese regulation that would've made liability a pain if they made it fully portable, understandable for what would have been considered a toy for kids, I guess.

I tried a demo version when I was a kid. Didn't like it.

I remember picking up the Virtual Boy new on a clearance table with most of the catalog of games for about $50 at either Toys R Us or KB Toys. It was fun for a few weeks and eventually I dumped it. I should have kept it just for collectability, but oh well.

So if anyone is curious, $100 for a plastic attachment tied to a current console and paying for a rental service to play those games is FUCKING CRAZY.

I expect there will be after market versions within a matter of weeks, it's basically a fancy case.

Hell, given how fast travel docks came out for the Switch 2 despite its "challenges" it may be even shorter than that.

I don’t think so. If I did it was briefly at a store demo display. I am considering getting the accessory for Switch.

Yes, we got one when it was $25 new. Had Mario Tennis, and the Wario game which was actually pretty good.

One of my biggest non-purchasing regrets is not picking one up at Kmart when they went on clearance for $30. I think I even looked for it again when I went back and it was gone.

One of the reasons why I didn't pick it up is because I had already played it at Best Buy at a demo. So yeah it wasn't great. But the demo in BB was actually probably set up better than at home because if I remember correctly they had the headset on an adjustable rail so you could try it standing up. And for whatever reason I remember playing multiple games so I don't know if that's a manufactured memory or if they had some kind of demo cart with multiple games on it or if they actually switched out the games.


I think it was something like this:

Very juvenile style. But I still like him. AVG and his VB "review"

Yes. Blockbuster Video had one set up to play. It's the only Nintendo console, handheld, whatever it was, that I haven't owned. Not because I didn't want one, it's because I could never find a store that carried it.

Would you have bought one for full price?

I would've bought one on deep clearance if I found it, but not at full price (which is why I never owned this or the Jaguar)

I played a demo model back in the 90s. My only memory of it is it hurt my eyes and smelled like shit.