In 1995, Nintendo released its weirdest video game console to date: the Virtual Boy, which combined a stereoscopic monochrome red display with an untethered tabletop form factor.
At it turns out, the Virtual Boy was neither Virtual Reality nor liberatingly portable like the Game Boy, leaving many wondering exactly what Nintendo was thinking when it developed and released it.
The answer to that question is complicated, but with a market lifespan of about one year total and only around 770,000 units sold in North America and Japan, the Virtual Boy is considered an unmitigated flop. As a result, few people have actually had the chance to try a genuine Virtual Boy in all its red 3D glory. So they pass on the word that it's horrible, the games are horrible, it makes you hurt, and end of story, right?
Wrong! The Virtual Boy is a very fun and innovative platform, albeit quirky, and even within its meager 22-game library (14 of which sold in the US), there exist a handful of gems that are worth remembering and playing. Chief among them is Virtual Boy Wario Land, of course, which is the system's crowning achievement.
But dig a little further than Wario Land, and what have you got? Mario Clash? Teleroboxer? Sure, those are neat, but let's take a look at seven particularly underrated and sometimes unknown Virtual Boy games that are still worth experiencing today (in 15-minute increments with frequent eye rest breaks, of course). Children with developing ocular systems under the age of 7 should refrain from indulging.
Editors' Note: This story was originally published on February 7, 2019.
Jack Bros. (1995)
Jack Bros. is an incredibly fun and unique game, and in my opinion, it's second only to Wario Land as the best game on the system. It unfolds as an overhead action puzzler that reminds me of The Adventures of Lolo, but with combat elements. You play through maze-like levels with an overhead perspective, collecting keys and killing enemies while making your way down to platforms you had previously only seen in the background. You can use the right D-pad to independently attack enemies while you're moving, which adds another fun twist. It also has an unusual Halloween/lite-horror theme. If you're into Virtual Boy, you can't miss it.
Nester's Funky Bowling (1996)
Further cementing the Virtual Boy's reputation as an odd system with odd games, here we have a competent bowling simulator starring former Nintendo Power magazine cartoon mascot Nester. As the second-to-last game released for the Virtual Boy, it's an often overlooked title. But it mixes solid play, great sound effects, and sometimes funny cartoon animations (reaction shots of Nester) to pleasing effect.
Innsmouth No Yakata (1995)
I'll be honest: Japan-exclusive Innsmouth No Yakata isn't a great game. But it's crazy for what it attempts on this platform—an H.P. Lovecraft-inspired 3D first-person maze shooter with grisly horror-themed monsters. You basically run around a haunted mansion with only a few bullets and a time limit, and you try to make it out alive. It's difficult, surreal, and worth trying at least once.
Space Squash (1995)
I've read some other reviews of Space Squash, and I'm not sure why other people don't enjoy it as much as I do. It feels like a mashup of Space Harrier (in perspective) and Pong, with robots batting a ball back and forth in stereoscopic 3D. It controls well and makes good use of the technology inherent in the Virtual Boy.
Red Alarm (1995)
If you're a fan of third-person space shooters like Star Fox—and you can stomach the Virtual Boy's depth effects—you'll probably enjoy Red Alarm. It's as immersive as Virtual Boy games get, propelling you into a futuristic space battle through winding 3D corridors. Without any flat shading on the polygons, the wireframe graphics can get confusing at times, but the first time you fly upward through a tunnel, it will warp your mind (in a good way).
Galactic Pinball (1995)
When Nintendo first showed off the Virtual Boy to the press, it included a prototype pinball game called Space Pinball—the first game developed for the system. With refinements, that prototype became Galactic Pinball, a thoroughly enjoyable pinball simulation that replaces the ball with a "puck." (They should have called it pinpuck. But I digress.) Virtual Boy designer Gunpei Yokoi saw great potential in the Virtual Boy display because its absolute blackness could suggest infinite space behind the playfield, and I believe that is the origin of this game and its prototype.
Golf (1995)
With a name like Golf, it's got to be good. Right? Well, it depends on your taste in sports simulations. Fans of vintage PC golf games like Links 386 will probably love this rendition of the sport. I personally find it satisfying and well done, although owing to its all-red color, it feels like a very surreal experience. (They should have titled it Martian Golf.) Consider it one more notch of weirdness on the belt of this odd and beautiful console.
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