Virtual Boy: Difference between revisions

|image = [[File:Virtual_Boy1.jpg|300px]]

|VR/AR = [[Virtual Reality]]

|Type = [[Head-mounted display]]

|Subtype = [[Tabletop VR]], [[Vintage VR]]

|Release Date = {{vgrelease|JP=July 21, 1995|NA=August 14, 1995}}

|CPU = NEC V810 (V810 uPD70732) 32-bit RISC processor @ 20 MHz

|HPU =  

|Storage =  

|Memory = 128 KB DRAM (framebuffer), 128 KB VRAM, 64 KB WRAM, 1 KB cache

|Peak Brightness =  

|Pixel Density =  

|Precision = 32 levels of intensity (4 shades displayed simultaneously)

|Field of View = ~50° horizontal

|Horizontal FoV = ~50°

|Vertical FoV =  

|Visible FoV =  

|Rendered FoV =  

|Average Pixel Density =  

|Peak Pixel Density =  

|Passthrough =  

|Tracking Frequency =  

|Base Stations =  

|Update Rate =  

|Tracking Volume =  

|Latency =  

|3.5mm Audio Jack = Yes (on controller)

|Connectivity = Controller port, cartridge slot, EXT port (unused)

|Ports = Game Pak slot, Controller port, AC adapter port, EXT port

|Wired Video =  

|Battery Capacity =  

|Battery Life = Approximately 4-6 hours

|Charge Time =  

|Dimensions = 8.5" W × 10" H × 4.3" D (25.4 cm × 20.3 cm × 10.1 cm)

|Weight = 750g-760g (without batteries)

|Compliance =  

The '''Virtual Boy''' (Japanese: バーチャルボーイ ''Bācharu Bōi'') is a 32-bit tabletop [[virtual reality]] [[video game console]] developed and manufactured by [[Nintendo]]. Released in 1995, it was marketed as the first consumer [[stereoscopic 3D]] gaming system capable of displaying "true 3D graphics" without requiring glasses or traditional [[head-mounted displays]].<ref name="wikipedia">Virtual Boy - Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Boy</ref> The system featured a distinctive red [[monochrome display]] viewed through a [[binocular]] eyepiece, utilizing the [[parallax effect]] to create an illusion of depth through an effect known as [[parallax]].<ref name="copetti">Rodrigo Copetti. Virtual Boy Architecture - A Practical Analysis. Retrieved from https://www.copetti.org/writings/consoles/virtual-boy/</ref>

The project was initially codenamed "VR32" (Virtual Reality 32-bit), and Nintendo entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with RTI around 1991-1992. Yokoi's [[Nintendo R&D1]] team, consisting of approximately 60 people, spent four years developing the system.<ref name="nintendo-fandom"/> During development, Yokoi referred to his vision as the "Virtual Utopia Experience."<ref name="nintendo-fandom"/> Notably, [[Shigeru Miyamoto]]'s involvement in the development of the Virtual Boy was minimal.<ref name="wikipedia"/>

Nintendo constructed a dedicated manufacturing facility in China specifically for Virtual Boy production. However, various factors during development led to significant changes from the original concept. The system evolved from a head-mounted display to a tabletop device due to concerns about liability issues, including fears of children falling down stairs or getting injured in car accidents while playing.<ref name="fastcompany"/> Nintendo also eliminated head tracking to mitigate motion sickness and risks like lazy eye, prioritizing user safety.<ref name="wikipedia"/>

The Virtual Boy was officially announced at the Japan Shoshinkai event on November 15-16, 1994, and shown at the 1995 Consumer Electronics Show.<ref name="nintendo-fandom"/> Nintendo released the system in Japan on July 21, 1995, followed by a North American launch on August 14, 1995.<ref name="techspot">Shawn Knight. Virtual Reality Then: A Look Back at the Nintendo Virtual Boy. TechSpot. Retrieved from https://www.techspot.com/article/1085-nintendo-virtual-boy/</ref> The console launched with a retail price of $179.95 USD.<ref name="nintendo-fandom"/>

Nintendo's marketing campaign portrayed the Virtual Boy as a paradigm shift in gaming, using cavemen in advertisements to indicate historical evolution and psychedelic imagery to emphasize the revolutionary nature of the technology. The company partnered with [[Blockbuster]] and [[NBC]] for a $5 million promotional campaign.<ref name="wikipedia"/> In a marketing campaign with Blockbuster, customers could rent the console and receive a $10 coupon towards the purchase of a new one.<ref name="wikipedia"/>

Despite heavy marketing, the Virtual Boy struggled commercially from the start. Nintendo had projected sales of three million consoles and 14 million games, but the Virtual Boy sold only 770,000 units during its lifetime.<ref name="wikipedia"/> Nintendo reduced the price to $159.95 in October 1995 and further dropped it to $99.95 in May 1996.<ref name="planetvb">Planet Virtual Boy. Virtual Boy (1995). Retrieved from https://www.virtual-boy.com/hardware/virtual-boy/</ref> By mid-1996, unsold units were discounted to $50 at retailers.<ref name="nintendo-fandom"/>

The system was discontinued in Japan on December 22, 1995, and in North America in March 1996 (some sources cite August 1996). Total worldwide shipments reached 800,000 units, with approximately 770,000 sold-140,000 in the United States and 630,000 in Japan.<ref name="nintendo-fandom"/> The Virtual Boy was never released in Europe, Australia, or PAL regions.<ref name="nintendo-fandom"/>

The Virtual Boy utilized advanced hardware for its time, featuring a 32-bit architecture built around the [[NEC V810]] processor, Nintendo's first 32-bit system.<ref name="video-games-museum">The Video Games Museum. Technical specifications, specs Nintendo Virtual Boy. Retrieved from https://www.video-games-museum.com/en/sys/35-virtual-boy</ref>

| Color Depth || 4 shades (2-bit) monochrome red (32 levels of intensity)<ref name="wikipedia"/>

* 32 levels of brightness intensity per pixel (with 4 shades displayed simultaneously)<ref name="consoledatabase"/>

Nintendo chose red LEDs because they were the cheapest, most efficient, and brightest option available in 1995. [[Blue LEDs]] and [[green LEDs]] with sufficient brightness for the display system were prohibitively expensive and did not become commercially viable until 1996.<ref name="planetvb"/><ref name="copetti"/>

 

The Virtual Boy included an automatic pause feature that activated every 15–30 minutes to encourage breaks, addressing reports of headaches, dizziness, and eye strain. Nintendo included warnings in the manual about potential health issues and recommended regular breaks during gameplay.<ref name="wikipedia"/>

The controller was designed symmetrically to accommodate both left-handed and right-handed players.<ref name="nintendo-fandom"/> It served as the system's power connection point, accepting either six AA batteries via the Battery Pak (providing 4-6 hours of playtime) or an AC adapter that used the same connector as the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]].<ref name="nintendo-fandom"/>

The Virtual Boy had an extremely limited software library, with only 22 games released worldwide, 14 in North America and 19 in Japan.<ref name="nintendowiki"/> The North American launch titles were ''[[Mario's Tennis]]'' (pack-in game), ''[[Red Alarm]]'', ''[[Teleroboxer]]'', and ''[[Galactic Pinball]]''.<ref name="wikipedia"/>

! Title !! Developer !! Region !! Release Date

| [[Virtual Bowling]] || [[Athena (company)|Athena]] || Japan only || {{vgrelease|JP=December 22, 1995}}

| [[Virtual Fishing]] || [[Pack-In-Video]] || Japan only || {{vgrelease|JP=December 22, 1995}}

| [[Virtual Lab]] || [[J-Wing]] || Japan only || {{vgrelease|JP=December 8, 1995}}

| [[Virtual League Baseball]] || [[Kemco]] || Worldwide || {{vgrelease|JP=August 11, 1995|NA=September 1995}}

| [[Virtual Boy Wario Land]] || [[Nintendo R&D1]] || Worldwide || {{vgrelease|JP=December 1, 1995|NA=November 1995}}

| [[Waterworld]] || [[Ocean Software]] || NA only || {{vgrelease|NA=December 1995}}

Many additional titles were in development but were cancelled when the system was discontinued, including Virtual Boy versions of [[GoldenEye 007]], [[Star Fox]], [[Donkey Kong Country 2]], and a [[Metroid]] game.<ref name="nintendowiki"/>

* Nintendo successfully implemented stereoscopic 3D technology in the [[Nintendo 3DS]] (2011), using [[autostereoscopic]] display technology<ref name="wikipedia"/>