{"id":357836,"date":"2023-01-12T12:00:54","date_gmt":"2023-01-12T18:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/?p=357836"},"modified":"2023-01-12T04:19:50","modified_gmt":"2023-01-12T10:19:50","slug":"best-virtual-boy-games-of-all-time-ranked-list-nintendo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/best-virtual-boy-games-of-all-time-ranked-list-nintendo\/","title":{"rendered":"10 best Virtual Boy games of all time, ranked"},"content":{"rendered":"

They\u2019ll have you seeing red<\/h2>\n

After ruling the home console roost for almost a decade, the mid-nineties were a turning point for Nintendo, and not in a \u201cthey finally quit cocaine and got their act together\u201d kind of way. After creating their own worst enemy by screwing Sony in an effort to make a CD expansion for the Super Nintendo, they were struggling with getting their own next-generation console to the market. A lot of other companies were touting their fancy 32-bit monstrosities, and Nintendo needed something to convince people that they were still on the cutting edge. Otherwise, they might turn to Phillips, Atari, or 3DO to satiate their need for extra bits.<\/p>\n

So, they turned to the inventor of the Game Boy, Gunpei Yokoi, had him put a bow around that virtual reality thing he was tinkering with, and shoved it out to market. The hardware wasn\u2019t ready. Developers weren\u2019t ready. The public wasn\u2019t ready. Nintendo wasn\u2019t ready. So, the Virtual Boy was swept under the rug in less than a year, and we were all politely asked to forget it ever happened.<\/p>\n

But then, there are jerks like me who won\u2019t let undetonated warheads lie. We have to just keep poking them, waiting for the safety mechanism to fail. We pull it apart, trying to see what makes it tick and if we can make it tick again. It\u2019s in the name of science or something, I don\u2019t care, let\u2019s just light this candle.<\/p>\n

So here\u2019s a list of the top 10 North American releases on the Virtual Boy<\/a>. You may be asking, \u201cthere were more than ten games?\u201d Yes, but only barely<\/a>, so this should be easy.<\/p>\n

\"3-D
Screenshot by Destructoid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

10. 3-D Tetris<\/h2>\n

3-D Tetris<\/i> belongs to the category of Virtual Boy games that were novel ideas that didn\u2019t work out but no one had the heart to cancel it. Tetris<\/i> is fun, cubes are great; on paper, everything should be pastries and gravy. 3-D Tetris<\/i> almost works, and it even has a great aesthetic with some \u2018tuded up tetrominoes watching you from the sideline.<\/p>\n

The main idea is that rather than just building solid Tetris walls, you\u2019re filling in a cube. This is a fine idea, but it fails in a few key areas. First, the controls take a lot of practice. Tetris <\/i>succeeded in its easy-to-learn, difficult-to-master gameplay, so telling someone to manipulate blocks on three-axis is a big ask. Second, while the added depth helps with figuring out where your blocks are going to land, the fact that the tetrominoes fill as you set them down means you\u2019ll never be given a full view of the gaps in your structure. This slows things down substantially and makes it very difficult to course correct after making a mistake.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not sure the formula ever had a chance to work, but it was a reasonable experiment. I\u2019ll stick to Tetrisphere.<\/i><\/p>\n

\"Mario
Screenshot by Destructoid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

9. Mario Clash<\/h2>\n

We, unfortunately, never got a true Mario <\/i>platformer on the Virtual Boy. Instead, there was Mario Clash<\/i>, which was sort of like the original Mario Bros.<\/i> arcade game if it was single-player and had the obligation to have an X-axis. You ascend a tower, floor by floor, eliminating baddies to proceed. The enemies are all impervious to Mario\u2019s boots, so you need to first jam some koopas back in their shells, then fling them at their more resilient comrades. Some can only be knocked out by hurling the hapless lackeys into the foreground or background, making use of the 3D depth.<\/p>\n

Mario Clash<\/i> isn\u2019t a bad game, but it suffers from a problem you\u2019re going to see a lot on this list: it\u2019s insubstantial. There are 99 levels, but they all play out essentially the same. When you clear them, you\u2019re sent back to level 1, but the enemies are faster. I can\u2019t imagine having the attention span to burn through the entire tower, let alone replaying it. While it\u2019s fun for a while, it wears thin long before you get to the penthouse.<\/p>\n

\"Vertical
Screenshot by Destructoid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

8. Vertical Force<\/h2>\n

Another category of Virtual Boy is the \u201cwhy is this even on the console\u201d game. Vertical Force <\/i>is a fine example of that. It\u2019s sort of like Star Soldier<\/i>, another of Hudson\u2019s shoot-\u2019em-ups. And, that\u2019s it. It\u2019s like Star Soldier<\/i>. The end.<\/p>\n

Okay, what I mean by that is that it\u2019s a vertical shoot-\u2019em-up. It\u2019s extremely basic, aside from the fact that you can move into the foreground and background. It\u2019s not even a particularly exciting shoot-\u2019em-up, nor is it a good showcase for the Virtual Boy. 1995 saw the release of Capcom\u2019s 19XX: The War Against Destiny<\/i> in the arcade, and you want to tell me that this is the best the Virtual Boy can do?<\/p>\n

Just to top off the disappointment, like custard instead of whipped cream, Vertical Force<\/i> is extremely short at five levels.<\/p>\n

\"Red
Screenshot by Destructoid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

7. Red Alarm<\/h2>\n

Speaking of \u201cnot bad, but insubstantial,\u201d Red Alarm<\/i> is one of the games on this list that actually feel like a complete concept. You fly your ship through wireframe corridors, shooting down enemy wireframes. The fact that objects aren\u2019t filled in by solid textures can make it difficult to figure out what is a hole and what is a wall, but overall, it generally works fine. The problem is that there are 6 levels, and they all take about 5 minutes to complete. Math was never a strong subject for me, but I imagine if you put those numbers together, they don\u2019t make a very big one.<\/p>\n

\"Nester's
Screenshot by Destructoid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

6. Nester\u2019s Funky Bowling<\/h2>\n

Bowling is a fun sport since you can usually do pretty well without being in shape. Athletes shouldn\u2019t have all the fun. Nester\u2019s Funky Bowling<\/i> is a decent-ish representation of the sport, but there\u2019s not much to it. While there\u2019s a 2-player mode where you hand the crimson goggles back and forth, there\u2019s no progression, career, or even a tournament mode to keep you hooked. The bowling pin physics are also rather underwhelming, and the bowling itself is pretty basic. It\u2019s not the worst bowling game I\u2019ve played, but far from the best.<\/p>\n

\"Virtual
Screenshot by Destructoid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

5. Mario\u2019s Tennis<\/h2>\n

A Mario Kart <\/i>game would have been a good fit for the Virtual Boy, but we never made it that far. Instead, Mario\u2019s Tennis<\/i> would add a new sport to Mario\u2019s proficiencies. Like Nester\u2019s Funky Bowling<\/i>, this isn\u2019t a bad approach to the sport. Using a sprite-scaling Tennis court, Mario\u2019s Tennis<\/i> gives you a behind-the-back view of all the ball smacking, which makes good use of the Virtual Boy\u2019s stereoscopic depth.<\/p>\n

However, tournament mode is your only feeling of progression, and they\u2019re incredibly basic. Once again, there is no career mode. There aren\u2019t even various cups you can win across different terrains. It\u2019s another game that just doesn\u2019t have enough content to make it look like anything other than a tech demo. It does have the excuse that it was packed in with the console, which is something these other games can\u2019t hide behind.<\/p>\n

\"Virtual
Screenshot by Destructoid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

4. Panic Bomber<\/h2>\n

Originally released in arcades in 1994, this is technically the only time Panic Bomber <\/i>was released in the West. That\u2019s unfortunate, but at least it isn\u2019t the only way to play the game. Panic Bomber<\/i> is a rather solid match-3 puzzle game with a Bomberman<\/i> twist. That\u2019s about it. I enjoy it for what it is, and Hudson did try to use the 3D effects to jazz up the graphics a bit. Still, it really doesn\u2019t benefit from added depth. However, in terms of puzzle games, this one rules the roost on the Virtual Boy.<\/p>\n

\"Virtual
Screenshot by Destructoid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

3. Jack Bros.<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s said that Jack Bros.<\/i> is the first game of the Megami Tensei <\/i>series to be released outside of Japan. Before you get too excited, it\u2019s a pretty unrelated spin-off. You can play as Jack Frost, Jack Lantern, or Jack Skelton, and their goal is to go through a series of mazes collecting keys. It\u2019s nice to have a more adventurous game appear on the list, but Jack Bros. <\/i>isn\u2019t very compelling. The only use the depth has here is displaying the next level below the one you\u2019re on. It\u2019s better than nothing, but it\u2019s not something you couldn\u2019t find on Game Boy.<\/p>\n

\"Virtual
Screenshot by Destructoid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2. Teleroboxer<\/h2>\n

Now we get to the first game on the list that I\u2019d actually recommend. Teleroboxer<\/i> is, as the name implies, a boxing game. However, it stars giant robots. Of any game released, it\u2019s the one that makes the best use of the hardware. The graphics keep the headset in mind, giving you a first-person perspective on the combat. Meanwhile, the movement makes use of the Virtual Boy\u2019s unique controller, having you manipulate your fists with the symmetrical d-pads.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s actually a great little title, packed full of personality. Something of a mix of Punch-Out!! <\/i>And Battle Clash<\/i>. The only problem is that it\u2019s very difficult. To date, I think I\u2019ve only barely cleared the third fight. Maybe that\u2019s for the best since there are only seven battles. On the other hand, there are only seven battles. Still, it\u2019s worth checking out for the unique control scheme and fun personality.<\/p>\n

\"Virtual
Screenshot by Destructoid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1. Virtual Boy Wario Land<\/h2>\n

The fact that Nintendo has never re-released Virtual Boy Wario Land<\/i> is criminal in the most uncool<\/a> sense of the word. The Wario Land<\/i> has never really stuck to one particular convention of gameplay since its start as the third Mario Land <\/i>title on Game Boy. This is the nearest continuation of that introductory title. However, it\u2019s more focused, expanded, and while it could be done without the 3D effects, it does make the effort of utilizing the Virtual Boy\u2019s unique features.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also as tight as a pair of leather pants and as solid as a Christmas cake. It\u2019s perhaps not the most unique platformer on the plantation, but it\u2019s polished to a mirror sheen. Plumbing the levels for treasures feels great, and Wario\u2019s unique mannerisms shine through. It\u2019s one that shouldn\u2019t be missed, which makes its exclusivity to the Virtual Boy nothing short of frustrating.<\/p>\n

However \u2013 and maybe you can predict this shortcoming \u2013 it\u2019s very short. It still feels like the most feature-complete and well-rounded product in the Virtual Boy\u2019s limited library, but at 2-3 hours, it\u2019s the shortest in the Wario Land <\/i>series.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

They\u2019ll have you seeing red After ruling the home console roost for almost a decade, the mid-nineties were a turning…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":357872,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"article_type":"","ub_ctt_via":"","_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"\"\"","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false},"categories":[21999],"tags":[468,1025,1312,22000,19110,172],"internal-label":[],"invoiceable_action":[],"article_type":[],"coauthors":[{"id":17,"display_name":"Zoey Handley","user_nicename":"adzuken"}],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Virtual-Boy-Eyes.jpg?fit=1200%2C746","author_info":{"display_name":"Zoey Handley","author_link":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/author\/adzuken\/"},"apple_news_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Virtual-Boy-Eyes.jpg?fit=1200%2C746","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/357836"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=357836"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/357836\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":357880,"href":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/357836\/revisions\/357880"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/357872"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=357836"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=357836"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=357836"},{"taxonomy":"internal-label","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-label?post=357836"},{"taxonomy":"invoiceable_action","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/invoiceable_action?post=357836"},{"taxonomy":"article_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_type?post=357836"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.destructoid.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=357836"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}