15 replies to this topic

[KaineMaxwell]

I'm considering starting one of these 3 collections this year sometime, or more then one. Thanks to a few items included with my prize pack from a contest, I decided not to let them go to waste and considering building a collection starting with them. What's some advantages or disadvantages you guys discovered collecting one or more of these 3 items?

[MegaManFan]

It's not hard to get a lot of the common games for cheap, even CIB, because there's not much demand. It's only the top of the line and rare games that command a big premium.

[Susuwatari]

VB is probably the easiest one to collect for if you limit to USA version. Jack Bros is the rarest of all USA release and you should expect to pay around $50 for a CIB. Most of the other games can be bought for under $10. Mario Tennis were not officially released in box as they were pack in game so finding an original box (not the more common box that says "For Display Only" on the bottom. A total of 14 VB games was released in USA, 13 of them with box. There are also label variations, Red Alarm with Demo only label and Wario Land with Demo only but they are quite rare and pretty much the same as released version.

Do get a copy of VTetris (Japanese) if you can, it's fairly common and it's like original Gameboy Tetris on steroid.

If there's one major drawback to VB, it breaks very easily. Even a short 6 inch drop could kill one of the 2 displays so if you order them online ot through eBay, get insurance and let Post Office eat it.

If you want to get complete japanese set, expect to pay premiums for games like Space Invader ($500 is not unusual) and Insmouse, SD Gundam, Space Squash, Virtual Lab, and Virtual Fishing. Here's a complete list of known games:

USA                                     Japan

3D Tetris                               Galactic Pinball

Galactic Pinball                        Golf (T&E Virtual Golf)

Golf                                    Insmouse : No Yakata 

Jack Bros.                              Jack Bros.

Mario Clash                             Mario Clash

Mario Tennis                            Mario Tennis

Nesters Funky Bowling                   Panic Bomber

Panic Bomber                            Professional Baseball

Red Alarm                               Red Alarm

Teleroboxer                             S D Gundam Dimension Wars

Vertical Force                          Space Invaders Virtual Collection

Virtual League Baseball                 Space Squash

Wario Land                              Teleroboxer

Waterworld                              V-Tetris

                                        Vertical Force 

                                        Virtual Bowling 

                                        Virtual Fishing

                                        Virtual Lab   

                                        Wario Land

Lynx is also very cheap to collect for. You could easily get as many as 20 mint in box games and still get a change from a $100 bill. But there are many more games and it would be harder to get a complete collection. Especially if you want cart variation (flat vs lip vs curved) and box variations.

[tyranthraxus]

INTV is quite cheap and the games are quite often boxed. But the
controllers are bad and the games in general have aged badly.

I think VB is the coolest of the three since its such an oddball system
but its not much fun to play more of a display piece.

Lynx however is cheap & fun.

[gamerz]

Maybe I'm just being stupid but what is VB?

[KaineMaxwell]

VB = Virtual Boy
INTV = Intellivision

[gamerz]

KaineMaxwell said:

VB = Virtual Boy
INTV = Intellivision

'doh...I knew I was just being stupid.

[Mr.FoodMonster]

My friend has a VB and I love it, guess I am one of the 5 people that dont want to vomit after playing for awhile?

[JB]

Susuwatari said:

If there's one major drawback to VB, it breaks very easily.  Even a short 6 inch drop could kill one of the 2 displays so if you order them online ot through eBay, get insurance and let Post Office eat it.

Don't forget that a good jolt can ALSO knock the displays out of alignment, causing the Virtual Boy to melt your eyeballs or something.

[Susuwatari]

Yeah. Of the 3 buswted VB I had, all of them has the same thing. The worst thing was the part that breaks easy isn't even a mechanical part but the LED array. I think the fault lies at where the ribbon cable meets the LED board.

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[JB]

Mr.FoodMonster said:

My friend has a VB and I love it, guess I am one of the 5 people that dont want to vomit after playing for awhile?

You probably realized what I did...
It flickers visibly at the highest brightness settings, and turning the brightness down a little VASTLY improves the visual quality.

Either that or most people are playing on misaligned systems.

[Rezrov]

KaineMaxwell said:

I'm considering starting one of these 3 collections this year sometime, or more then one. Thanks to a few items included with my prize pack from a contest, I decided not to let them go to waste and considering building a collection starting with them. What's some advantages or disadvantages you guys discovered collecting one or more of these 3 items?

Virtual Boy:

Advantages - Novelty factor, unique gameplay, relatively easy to build a complete US game library

Disadvantages - Headaches (your milage varies on this, I've never had any problems), some stinker games (Waterworld I'm looking at you), and finally ... you're going to hit a wall collecting Japanese games once you get to Space Invaders, SD Gundam, Virtual Bowling and Virtual Lab. Going Ebay prices for these four are an order of magnitude higher than for any other VB games.

- Shawn

[sku_u]

Both the VB and Lynx are relatively easy systems to collect for with relatively small libraries, making collecting for them relatively easy. I don't think I've spent more than $5.00 on any game for the Lynx as of yet and i'm about half way to a complete collection.

The Intellivision has one of the best libraries of games out there, but collecting for it will take more time and money due to the age of the system, the size of the system's library, and the high prices some of the games bring in at auction.

I'd collect for all three systems if I were in your shoes and take turns being active in the collecting process for one at a time.

[JB]

Rezrov said:

KaineMaxwell said:

I'm considering starting one of these 3 collections this year sometime, or more then one. Thanks to a few items included with my prize pack from a contest, I decided not to let them go to waste and considering building a collection starting with them. What's some advantages or disadvantages you guys discovered collecting one or more of these 3 items?

Virtual Boy:

Advantages - Novelty factor, unique gameplay, relatively easy to build a complete US game library

Disadvantages - Headaches (your milage varies on this, I've never had any problems),

I did finally figure out what causes that.
50Hz refresh rate, and that's painfully visible at the higher brightness levels.
Turn the brightness down a notch or 2, and the problem goes away.

[goatdan]

Personally, I would totally go for the Lynx. The Virtual Boy might have some cool games, but the overall variety ust isn't there. The Lynx on the other hand has a little of everything.

[christianscott27]

it depends how you want to collect, if you prefer ebay then it doesnt matter much but in terms of finding stuff its like this-

INTV- for every 3 atari's theres an intv pile to be found, usually with boxed games and quite cheap. the intv list is not impossibly long and its pretty fun to play.

virtual boy- i picked up all of the commons at a kaybee in 2000 (behind the counter and yes they laughed at me). once in a while stuff turns up at thrifts and fleas, got waterworld and funky bowling that way. some of the games are fun, oddly they dont really do that much 3-D wise.

lynx- never, ever see it anywhere. the only time i ran across used lynx games was overseas. it must have been a really poor seller, i've found more channel F stuff honestly. you can get the commons for a song on ebay but anything exciting is gonna be $15 and up, such as my favorite joust.