Why get a 3DS when you can have this?

Last Updated on Sunday, 20 March 2011 05:56 Saturday, 19 March 2011 00:29

O.G.

Okay, so maybe the Virtual Boy isn't as hot as the 3DS, but we just got one of these in, and it's in great condition.  On the market for even less time than the Sega Saturn, it's always fun to see one of these guys roll into the store.  As mentioned, this system is in great condition, it has the controller, battery pack, Mario's Tennis, and even the documentation!  We expect people to go, "Whaaaaaaaa?!?" when they spot this in the store (while it's here).

Released in August 1995 then discontinued in 1996, the Virtual Boy was the first video game system to have "true" 3D graphics.  Sadly, this innovation was not able to earn the Virtual Boy much praise or generate sales.  Not helping was also the MSRP for Virtual Boy being $180.  Given that the MSRP for the 3DS is $250, $180 in 1995 money was pretty intense.

Regardless of this mis-step by Nintendo, it was still pretty neat to see a company that could have easily played it safe behind a wall of money take a chance on an idea like this.  Thankfully, Nintendo wasn't put off of taking chances.  Aside from the Wii successfully proving motion control as a viable way to play games and the 3DS on its way to North America, there was an interview not too long ago with Satoru Iwata and Shigeru Miyamoto, where they confirmed that the Game Cube actually had 3D capability built into its circuitry, and they had toyed with the idea of doing 3D with the Game Boy Advance SP.