RE VB/Nintendo site & Games

[P3D <DDDShelley@xxxxxxx>]

First, Dr. T... (Get ready, this is more emotional than normal...) re: Your
last note about other types of 3D work being novelty... I feel the need to
let you know that when I read your note, I was a bit insulted... How is it
that all other types of 3D (other than Realist) are not capable of being used
(thru hard work) to create truly great examples of 3D art? Everything else
does NOT have to be a novelty, and some of us work extremely hard to create
our own particular flavor of 3D. Cut us a little slack... We are not "WRONG"
just because we don't happen to choose Realist type slides as our media of
choice. It is one thing to have a personal favorite, it is quite another to
reject all others as insignificant because they are not your personal
favorite... (Back to information dissemination mode...)

Second: More VB stuff...

>) For those of you who have recently aquired a VB system (yes, I succumb as
>) well...) Here are a few hints from the Nintendo Web site:
>
>Uhhh....Stupid question, but could you post the Nintendo Website address and
any >other pointers to vb info for all us newly converted?  Please?

The Virtual Boy/Nintendo Web site is:
http://www.nintendo.com/virtual/tech.html and the games description page
(with screen shots) is: http://www.nintendo.com/virtual/games.html The games
page has most of the games, but not all... It also has not been kept up to
date well... Another place to find some information is the Nintendo area in
America On Line. KEYWORD: NINTENDO.

For those who do not have WWW access, but might be interested... The text
from the games page follows along with some notes I have added in myself. I
also have downloaded the images, and will make them available for my FTP
directory if anyone is interested... (Only annoying thing is that they choce
to include only one of the paris... Why not the pair, or at least an anaglyph
of the 3d effect!) This only includes 10 games. 
As to the note someone put out about some of the games not being in 3D, I
have yet to see one that isn't. What are they?
------------------

"Thanks to dazzling 3-D imagery, Mario's Tennis delivers unprecedented
realism in a sports game.You control your player's movement, whether to make
a lob or a smash, and the direction and spin on the ball. You can charge the
net or stay back,  waiting for your opponent to make a mistake. The manual
that accompanies the game is full of tips and tactics. You'll need them,
because strategy is all-important on this court. Select your player from
seven all-star characters. Can Mario keep up with Donkey Kong Jr.'s smashes?
Can the fleet-footed Yoshi beat Koopa's brutal baseline game? To find out,
grab your virtual racquet and hit the court! Mario's Tennis is included with
the Virtual Boy system package."

HAVEN'T PLAYED THIS ONE MUCH YET, BUT FOUND IT SIMPLISTIC SO FAR. THE 3D IS
FUN, BUT NOT STUNNING.

"When pinball meets outer space, it's bound to take on some weird and wild
features  unlike any you've seen before. The four  tables in Galactic Pinball
offer up all sorts  of bells & whistles, with unusual , 3-D play and special,
hidden bonus games. And yes,  you can tilt in outer space."

HAVE PLAYED THIS GAME THE MOST. THE EFFECT OF PLAYING PINBALL WHERE YOU
SOMETIMES LAUNCH YOUR BALL INSTEAD OF SHOOT IT UP A TRACK, PLAYING ON A SEE
THRU FIELD WITH THE STARS IN THE BACKGROUND, THE GREAT STEREO SOUND. MY
FAVORITE SO FAR.

"When you immerse yourself in Teleroboxer, you'll enter a world where
hazardous duties are assigned  to robots that mirror the movements of their
human  controllers. The technology, known as telerobotics, isn't used for
work alone. In an effort to bring  telerobotics more widespread appeal,
scientists have organized a worldwide, robotic boxing tournament. The new
sport, dubbed teleroboxing, has become a huge sporting sensation. See what
it's all aboutseize your Virtual Boy controller and  enter the ring of the
future."

DON'T HAVE IT YET...

"The 21st century is a time of war and strife for the entire planet. As the
pilot of the last Tech-Wing fighter, you must battle the forces of KAOS, a
doomsday weapon  with artificial intelligence and a will to survive. In Red
Alarm, your orders are to fly the Tech-Wing into KAOS itself, disable its
defenses and destroy it from within. Your fighter is equipped with a limited
number of shields, speed boosters and homing missiles, which can be
replenished along the way. Gauges on your heads-up display indicate your
fuel, shields and weapon status. Launch when ready!"

THE WIRE FRAME LOOK IS INTERESTING TO ME. BUT, CAN BE CONFUSING DURING GAME
PLAY. I FIND I SOMETIMES LOSE MY PERSPECTIVE. (REMINDS ME OF AN OLD ARCADE
GAME CALLED ZAXXON.) THE MINI MOVIE AT THE BEGINNING IS A MUST SEE. THE SOUND
IS GREAT AS WELL.
                                                          
"Mario Clash debuts on Virtual Boy this October. That's when players will get
their first shock. Clash may look like the original Mario Bros. arcade game,
but it plays like a frantic round of bombardment. Every stage features an
army of  koopas and other foes marching relentlessly across platforms and
through pipes. Mario's mission is to knock them off--from the front, back, or
side. You have to think and act in three dimensions. It's a little bit like
life itself."

NOT HAVING BEEN FAMILIAR WITH ANY MARIO STUFF BEFORE, I FOUND THIS A BIT
STRANGE. IT MIGHT BE LIKE THE OTHERS IN HISTORY, BUT... IT SEEMS LIKE IT WILL
BE A GOOD GAME, BUT HASN'T GOT A WHOLE LOT OF MY ATTENTION YET. 

"Nintendo isn't the only game company developing exceptional software for the
Virtual Boy system. Third party publishers in Japan and the United States
have been burning the midnight oil to bring you more in-your-face games. For
most of these games, these are the first photos ever shown. As always, look
to Nintendo Power to review the games once they're complete. 

Kemco's Virtual League Baseball recreates the nation's favorite pastime in
3-D. While batting or pitching you'll find the perspective moves in close
behind home plate. Once the ball is hit, the perspective pans back to a wide
angle view so you can see and maneuver your outfielders. VLB should be ready
for release sometime in October. The Japanese version is shown here. The U.S
 version may have modified characters." 

THE FIRST NON-NINTENDO GAME I TRIED... YUCK! IF I WASN'T INTERESTED IN HAVING
ALL THE GAMES MADE FOR THE VB, THIS IS THE ONE I WOULD NOT BUY. THERE IS
ALMOST NO DELIBERATE CONTROL IN THIS GAME, AND THINGS YOU DON'T EXPECT
HAPPEN. LOSING BADLY EVERYTIME YOU TURN IT ON IS NOT FUN...

"Hudson Soft's 3-D puzzle game may take a page from the Tetris book of game
design, but it draws players into a new visual experience with three
dimensional objects. Although easy to learn, Panic Bomber is difficult to
leave."

MUCH LIKE TETRS, ALTHOUGH YOU ARE PLAYING AGAINST THE COMPUTER. WILL LIKE
THIS ONE WHEN I HAVE TIME TO KILL...

"Atlus Jack Bros. Jack Bros. (formerly know as Devil Busters) is a
maze-oriented action game from Atlus. The three brothersJack O'Lantern, Jack
Frost, and Jack Skeltonmust race the clock to reach their homes before the
stroke of midnight. Standing in their way are traps, enemies and mazes. Each
of the six scenarios in the game may have up to 15 stages."

AGAIN, THE MOVIE AT THE START IS FUN. THE GAME IS OK. LIKE PAC-MAN (SORT OF)
WITH A GUN... DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO DESCRIBE IT, BUT IT IS PLAYABLE. THE
FAIRY THAT KEEPS GIVING YOU HINTS GETS ANNOYING THOUGH.

"Hudson's second Virtual Boy game falls into the space shooter genre. The
Vertical Force space ship flies vertically through stages filled with
enemies. A second level of action takes place below the main level, so in
effect you have to be aware of two planes of action at one time." 

SORT OF LIKE THE OLD GAME GALAXIAN, BUT WITH MULTIPLE LEVELS... I PERSONALLY
FIND IT HARD TO THINK ABOUT SWITCHING BETWEEN LEVELS, BUT IT IS A GOOD GAME!

"Ocean designed Waterworld for an arcade experience. The action begins
immediately as you pilot a trimaran ship in a sea infested with evil jet
skiers. A new game engine yields awesome speeds and 3-D graphics. As you
progress, more jet skiers race into the picture and try to steal the helpless
Atollers whom you must protect." 

YOU PLAY THIS GAME AND THINK THAT THERE MUST BE MORE... BUT, THE INTRO LEVEL
IS ABOUT ALL YOU EVER GET... INTERESTING TO LOOK AT, BUT LACKS A WHOLE LOT OF
"MEAT" THEY COULD/SHOULD HAVE DONE MORE. THE SECOND GAME I PROBABLY WOULD
HAVE SKIPPED.

THE OTHER GAMES I HAVE ARE:

MARIO LAND: ANOTHER MARIO TYPE GAME. GREAT 3D STUFF AND FUN TO PLAY. IT MAY
BE YEARS BEFORE I DO ALL THERE IS TO DO IN THIS GAME. IN A WAY, IT'S LIKE
WORKING A PUZZLE. `WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO GET FROM HERE TO THERE?'

GOLF: AMAZING 3D EFFECTS. THE CONTROLS ARE PRESENTED IN A UNIQUE 3D MANNER,
AND THE BALL GOING DOWN THE FAIRWAY IS FUN TO WATCH IN 3D. WILL PLAY THIS ONE
MORE.

Just another note: my favoirte position to play the VB in is lying flat on my
back with a pillow under my head, and my legs bent. I use the legs of the
stand to take a majority of the weight of the VB off my nose by resting them
on my chest. Try it an let me know what you think!

Enough for now...

Dan


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