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| {{redirect|VB|the device in ''[[Luigi's Mansion 3]]'' based on the Virtual Boy|[[Virtual Boo]]}}
| | The '''Virtual Boy''' is a failed game system by [[Nintendo]] released August 14, 1995. Its twin eyeglass-style projector displays monochromatic images in black and red once labeled by Nintendo as "true 3D." The console was a flop for many reasons, including its lack of portability and the headaches gameplay caused in a matter of minutes. Concern regarding Nintendo's warnings that the Virtual Boy could cause eye problems also detracted potential customers. It was also released before it was ready to keep fans occupied during the long wait for the [[Nintendo 64]], and many weren't willing to invest in the Virtual Boy with another Nintendo system on its way. Due to its failure in Japanese and American markets, the Virtual Boy was never exported to Australia or Europe. Sony speculated that the [[Nintendo DS]] would suffer the Virtual Boy's fate due to its similar obscurity, but thankfully, the DS has actually become quite a success. |
| {{system infobox
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| |image=[[File:VB System.png|300px]]
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| |generation=Fifth
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| |release={{flag list|Japan|July 21, 1995|USA|August 14, 1995<ref>{{cite|title=VIRTUAL BOY LAUNCH DATE ANNOUNCED|url=https://www.virtual-boy.com/events/e3-1995/articles/733039/|publisher=Nintendo of America|date=May 11, 1995 |accessdate=December 19, 2024}}</ref> }}
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| |discontinued=March 2, 1996
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| |predecessor=[[Game Boy]]
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| |successor=[[Game Boy Color]]
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| }}
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| {{quote|We saw the future, and it was black and red.|''{{wp|Official Nintendo Magazine}}''}}
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| [[File:Virtual Boy Official Logo.PNG|left|200px]]
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| The '''{{wp|Virtual Boy}}''' is the third portable video game system developed by [[Nintendo]] and released in 1995. It consisted of a red box on black legs with a black visor that players would look into for gameplay. It was created by [[Gunpei Yokoi]], and his 60-headed research team, together with Reflection Technologies. This team worked on the console for over three and a half years. Virtual Boy game images are 3D and are displayed using mirror-scanning technology. They appear on LEDs in four shades of red with a black background. The image is reflected off oscillating mirrors, which create the apparent thickness of the image. This type of graphics was once referred to by Nintendo as "true 3D." Digital stereo sound is emitted from the self-contained speaker system found on either side of the visor. The console was a commercial failure for many reasons, including its lack of portability and the headaches gameplay caused in a matter of minutes, hence the reason why the Virtual Boy automatically paused gameplay every 15 minutes. | |
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| [[File:Virtual Boy Color Palette.png|frame|left|The four colors the Virtual Boy is able to display]]
| | == Mario Virtual Boy games == |
| The Virtual Boy was released early to keep fans occupied during the long wait for the [[Nintendo 64]]. It had an original retail price of about US$179.95 upon its release.<ref>Edwards, B. (August 21, 2015). [https://www.fastcompany.com/3050016/unraveling-the-enigma-of-nintendos-virtual-boy-20-years-later Unraveling The Enigma Of Nintendo’s Virtual Boy, 20 Years Later]. ''Fast Company''. Retrieved April 25, 2020.</ref> Due to its failure in the Japanese and American video game markets, the Virtual Boy was never released in Europe or Australia, and it was discontinued less than a year after its release. It shipped only 800,000 units and sold 770,000 of them during its lifetime.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080906185209/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/111823/the-10-worst-selling-consoles-of-all-time-page-2-of-2/ GamePro - 10 Worst-Selling Consoles of All Time (pg. 2/2)]</ref>
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| The Virtual Boy has an EXT. port that was most likely made to support two-player mode. Games such as ''[[Mario's Tennis]]'' support this mode, but the cable was never released since the system was discontinued so quickly.
| | === Released === |
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| Years later, Nintendo released a handheld system with 3D support, the [[Nintendo 3DS]].
| | * [[Mario Clash]] |
| {{br|left}}
| | * [[Mario's Tennis]] |
| | * [[Virtual Boy Wario Land]] |
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| ==Controller== | | === Cancelled === |
| [[File:VB Controller.png|150px|thumb|The Virtual Boy Controller]]
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| The Virtual Boy Controller is the standard and only controller for the Virtual Boy. It consists of a {{button|start}} and {{button|select}} button on the left side, with the {{button|nes|A}} and {{button|nes|B}} buttons on the right. One {{button|nes|pad}} is found on each side; most of the buttons are reminiscent of the NES's buttons. The controller is also the power source for the system itself via a battery pack on the back of the controller.
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| ==''[[Super Mario (franchise)|Super Mario]]'' games on the Virtual Boy==
| | * [[Donkey Kong Country 2]] |
| ===Released===
| | * [[VB Mario Land]] |
| *''[[Mario Clash]] | |
| *''[[Mario's Tennis]] | |
| *''[[Virtual Boy Wario Land]]
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| ===Canceled=== | | === Demos === |
| *''[[VB Mario Land]]''
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| The German magazine ''Big N'' claimed that a Virtual Boy installment of the ''[[Mario Kart (series)|Mario Kart]]'' series, tentatively named ''VB Mario Kart'', was in development.<ref>[[Media:Big N Magazine (Germany) VB.jpg|Big N magazine (Germany), July-August 2000, pg. 19]]</ref> The only known media report of it is Big N's August 2000 issue, which listed it among various other canceled Virtual Boy projects.
| | * Mario Demo (Unnamed) |
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| ===Tech demos=== | | == Links == |
| [[File:Rareware Virtual Boy DKC2 Quote.png|thumb|The quote from Rareware, inaccurately referring to a Virtual Boy port of ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]''.]]
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| *''[[Tech demo#Mario Demo|Mario Demo]]''
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| *Unnamed ''[[Donkey Kong Country (series)|Donkey Kong Country]]'' proof-of-concept
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| A proof-of-concept for a ''Donkey Kong Country'' title was made for the Virtual Boy.<ref name="DK Vine">Cameron. "[https://dkvine.com/?p=games&page=dkvb§ion=red_dead_reflection Red Dead Reflection]". ''DK Vine''. Retrieved October 16, 2020</ref> While a quote from [[Leigh Loveday]] on [[Rare]]'s Scribes mailbag referred to it as a Virtual Boy port of ''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest'',<ref>[https://rarewhere.neocities.org/2000_2002/aug10_01.html August 10 2001 Scribes mailbag]. ''Rarewhere''. Retrieved October 16, 2020</ref> various subsequent statements by employees involved on the project, most notably [[Paul Machacek]], clarified that were no concrete plans for ''Donkey Kong Country'' game on the system and that what Loveday referred to was a short demo to test the capabilities of the Virtual Boy.<ref name="DK Vine"/> Speaking of the demo, Machacek stated "''I did it for 3 months & was cross-eyed with headaches by the end. I implemented a simple horizontally scrolling jungle background with split-level platforms & DK running around "being DK". All art was pre-rendered and lifted from DKC. [...] We only ever got something running against a jungle background on VB & whilst that art had been lifted from DKC it had already gone through some “monochroming” for [[Donkey Kong Land|DKL]] on gameboy which seemed a more apt place to directly take monochrome art from [...] We never got a full playable level working. Merely a short side scrolling split-level jungle background with DK walking/running/jumping on it. There were some rats running about as well (which i lifted from a GB {{wp|Battletoads}} game!) Enjoy{{sic}} ...imagine [https://twitter.com/Paul_Mach1/status/1104010982408548352 these images] in various shades of red with some rats running around DK. That's pretty much what it looked like. While i could see. Honestly that thing gave me neck-ache as well come to think of it.''" Work on the demo ended and no plan for a full-blown game was developed after it became obvious that the Virtual Boy was a commercial failure.<ref name="DK Vine"/>
| | * [http://www.nintendo.com/systemsclassic?type=vb Nintendo article] |
| | * [[Wikipedia:Virtual Boy|Wikipedia article]] |
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| ==Production==
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| [[File:Virtual Boy-First Concept Drawings.png|thumb|The first concept drawings for the Virtual Reality project.]]
| | [[Category: Video Game Systems]] |
| When [[Gunpei Yokoi]] first had the idea of a Virtual Reality gaming console, he referred to it as "Virtual Utopia Experience".<ref>[http://www.planetvb.com/modules/hardware/?type=vb&sec=protos&show=2 Virtual Utopia Experience]</ref> However, {{wp|Argonaut Games|Argonaut}} was working on an advanced virtual reality gaming system called the "Super Visor" for Nintendo, which Yokoi canceled in favor of his own idea.<ref>Hamill, Jasper (September 26, 2018). [https://metro.co.uk/2018/09/26/secrets-of-lost-nintendo-console-revealed-by-british-gaming-pioneer-who-led-its-design-7980023/ Secrets of lost Nintendo console revealed by British gaming pioneer who led its design]. ''Metro'' (retrieved June 4, 2019).</ref> The first concept drawings showed the possibilities of 3D images by displaying two slightly different images using mirrors. During development, the system was codenamed "VR32", meaning "Virtual Reality 32-bit". The early patents of VR32 were made public in 1994, with diagrams showing that the controller was originally going to have three buttons on the right, near the D-Pad. The system was officially announced at the Japan Shoshinkai event on November 15 and 16, 1994<ref>[[Media:Nintendo Power January '95.jpg|Nintendo Power, issue #68, January 1995, pg. 52]]</ref>, where it was first known as "Virtual Boy". The prototype which was unveiled differed from the final version, as the system was colored blue and red, and the blue controller had multicolored buttons. It looked very similar to the future [[Nintendo GameCube]] controller. The public were shown how each lens displayed a different image, giving the impression of "True 3D".
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| Several different pre-production models were later created in Japan, sharing characteristics of both the first prototypes as well as the final design. The plastic was more smooth than the final, and without any writings engraved in it. The adjustment knobs on top are black instead of grey, and the controller reached its final design. North America soon got its own pre-production model. These had the Virtual Boy logo on the side of the system, and the logo on the controller is a bit thicker than on retail units. These pre-production models were given to Nintendo of America's game testers to review Virtual Boy games, and the testers were later allowed to take them home.<ref>[http://www.planetvb.com/modules/hardware/?type=vb&sec=protos&show=10 Pre-Production Model (USA)]</ref>
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| ==Appearances in the ''Super Mario'' franchise==
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| ===''[[Super Mario-kun]]''===
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| [[File:SMKun 13 chapter 5.png|thumb|150px]]
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| In chapter 5 of [[Super Mario-kun Volume 13|volume 13]], Mario is running from [[Bowser's Minions]] in [[Morton]]'s mall and trips, getting a Virtual Boy stuck to his face. Taking advantage of this, Morton makes him attack his friends whom he believes to be enemies and avoid obstacles that are not there. Panicked, Mario swings his [[hammer]] left and right until he hits some [[Bob-omb]]s, blowing up the entire mall.
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| ===''[[Super Smash Bros. (series)|Super Smash Bros.]]'' series===
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| ====''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''====
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| A Virtual Boy appears in the shelf, in the room where all [[Trophy (Super Smash Bros. series)|trophies]] are kept. Although the Virtual Boy only appears in the Japanese version of the game, the player can still see it by setting the language to Japanese in the North American version of the game.
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| ====''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''====
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| [[File:Gamer SSB4.png|thumb|200px|A Virtual Boy can be seen on the shelf on the right side of the [[Gamer (stage)|Gamer]] stage.]]
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| In the stage [[Gamer (stage)|Gamer]], based on the minigame of the same name in ''Game & Wario'', the [[#Game & Wario|same Virtual Boy]] can be seen next to the television.
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| ===''[[WarioWare (series)|WarioWare]]'' series===
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| ====''[[WarioWare: Smooth Moves]]''====
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| A Virtual Boy appears in Level 3 of the [[Sifty Character]] [[microgame]].
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| ====''[[Game & Wario]]''====
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| In the minigame [[Gamer]], [[9-Volt]] has a Virtual Boy in his room, next to the television. In ''WarioWare Gold'', Sneaky Gamer has a [[Wii U]] instead of the Virtual Boy.
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| ====''[[WarioWare Gold]]''====
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| The Virtual Boy appears as a collectible Nintendo [[List of souvenirs in WarioWare Gold|souvenir]].
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| ===''[[Super Paper Mario]]''===
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| [[File:SPM Francisroomright.png|thumb|''Super Paper Mario'']]
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| [[Francis]] has a Virtual Boy in his room, where he also keeps other various Nintendo consoles.
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| ===''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions]]''===
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| [[File:SpI SecretSpecs MLSS+BM.png|frame|left]]
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| The Special Item accessory [[Secret Specs]] sprite is designed after the Virtual Boy.
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| {{br|left}}
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| ===''[[Luigi's Mansion 3]]''===
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| Another invention by [[Professor Elvin Gadd|Professor E. Gadd]] introduced in the game is the [[Virtual Boo]] ("VB" for short), a communication device based on the Virtual Boy that replaces the [[Game Boy Horror]] and [[Dual Scream]] from previous installments. When E. Gadd gives it to [[Luigi]], he mentions that he plans on selling it and claims that it will "fly off the shelves," a joking reference to the Virtual Boy's commercial failure.<ref>GameXplain (October 16, 2019). [https://youtu.be/UHJJghjSY6Q Luigi's Mansion 3 Has a Virtual Boy Spoof + Joke]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved October 16, 2019.</ref>
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| {{br}}
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| ==Gallery==
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| ===Logos===
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| <gallery>
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| Virtual Boy-VR32 Logo.png|"VR32" logo
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| Virtual Boy-Beta Logo 1994.png|Prototype logo
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| Virtual Boy-Beta Logo 1995.png|Alternative prototype logo
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| Virtual Boy-Final Logo.svg|Final logo
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| Virtual Boy-Final Logo.png|Final logo
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| Virtual Boy Official Logo.PNG|Alternative final logo; mainly seen on box art
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| Virtual Boy Startup Logo.png|Game start-up logo, seen in most games.
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| </gallery>
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| ===Early design===
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| <gallery>
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| Virtual Boy-First Concept Drawings.png|First concept drawings, 1993
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| Virtual Boy-Mirror Scan Diagram.png|Basic design of how the 3D images were to be displayed
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| Virtual Boy-Shoshinkai Patent.png|Shoshinkai patent 1994
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| Virtual Boy-Shoshinkai Controller.png|Early controller with a similar casing to a default GameCube controller; Shoshinkai 1994
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| Virtual Boy-Japan Prototpe.jpg|Japan prototype
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| Virtual Boy-Pre Production Controller.png|Pre-production controller
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| </gallery>
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| ===Final system===
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| <gallery>
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| VB System.png|System
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| Virtual Boy System.png|System
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| Virtualboy 1.jpg|System
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| Virtual boy 2.jpg|System
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| Virtual Boy-Visor.png|Close up of visor
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| Virtual Boy-Focus Adjust.png|Close up of focus adjust
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| Virtual Boy-VBWL Cartridge.png|A ''[[Virtual Boy Wario Land]]'' cartridge being inserted into the system
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| Virtual Boy-Controller.png|Controller
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| VB Controller.png|Controller
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| </gallery>
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| ===Shipping box===
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| <gallery>
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| Virtual Boy-Prototype Box.png|Prototype design
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| Virtual Boy-Japanese Box.png|Final Japanese design
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| Virtual Boy-NA Box.png|Final NA design
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| </gallery>
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| ===Games===
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| <gallery>
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| MarioClash.jpg|''[[Mario Clash]]''
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| Marios tennis english cover.jpg|''[[Mario's Tennis]]''
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| Virtual Boy Wario Land box art.jpg|''[[Virtual Boy Wario Land]]''
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| </gallery>
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| ===Promotional artwork===
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| <gallery>
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| Wario Virtual Boy Artwork - Nintendo Power.png|[[Mario]] and [[Wario]] with a Virtual Boy, from GamePro.
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| Virtual Boy Gamefan Magazine.jpg|Cover of a Gamefan Magazine, showing [[Mario]] with the Virtual Boy.
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| </gallery>
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| ==References==
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| <references/>
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| {{NIWA|FZeroWiki=1|LylatWiki=Star Fox (series)#Star Fox Virtual Boy|NWiki=1|SmashWiki=Chronicle#Virtual Boy|StrategyWiki=Category:Virtual Boy}}
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| {{VB}}
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| {{Systems}}
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| [[de:Virtual Boy]]
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| [[it:Virtual Boy]]
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| [[Category:Systems]]
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