About: The Virtual Boy is a 32-bit tabletop portable video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. Released in 1995, it was marketed as the first console capable of displaying stereoscopic “3D” graphics. The player uses the console like a head-mounted display, placing the head against the eyepiece to see a red monochrome display. The games use a parallax effect to create the illusion of depth. Sales failed to meet targets, and Nintendo ceased distribution and game development in 1996, having released only 22 games for the system.
Virtual Boy Specs and Info…
Headset: Virtual Boy
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Announced Date: Febuary 1994
Release Date: July 1995
Launch Price: $179 (£132)
Device Type: Other
Display: X2 2-bit monochrome red screens of 384 × 224 pixels
Diagonal Field of View(FOV): 40°
Refresh Rate: 50 HZ
Weight: 760 g (1.67 lb)
CPU: NEC V810 32-Bit RISC Processor at 20 MHz clock speed
GPU: N/A
Battery: N/A
Tracking: N/A
Controllers: Virtual Boy controller
Our Thoughts: Nintendo fans will be debating the reasons this VR console failed well after everyone else has forgotten who Nintendo is! The end truth is even at the time it was a poor quality console. Despite its name, it didn’t even do anything truly virtual! It was just a simulated 3D view on its games.
Nintendo said the Gameboy VR “Could transport game players into a virtual utopia!” Well, they tried at least. While it was Nintendo on the console the tech was made by a company called reflection technology. It wasn’t true virtual reality, but it was a good imitation. It turned out even Sega turned this tech down! So why was the screen red? There was 2 reason, 1st it was cheaper, and 2nd it eliminated the motion blur of the sprites.
Sources used…
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Boy#cite_note-NYT_Nintendo_counts-16
- https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Virtual_Boy