Jaguar vs Virtualboy

[A Sprite]

Atari vs. Nintendo, both kings of their world once, taking their first steps into a new dimension.*

 

Both fell down those steps.

 

Only one company walked away, and yet it was the inventer of the Virtual Boy who paid the highest price...

 

Looking over the trainwreck now, no other time than the mid 90's better tells the story of the two cultures, and how they deal with defeat...

 

But that's a book, and this is only a post. So instead, lets look for what made it out of the wreckage - how do their games compare?

 

 

(I, Robot and the FX chip don't count. Neither do all the other exceptions, like Battle Zone - this is the cable news version.)

Edited July 26, 2007 by A Sprite

[A Sprite]

*sighs* This is the last time I make a vs. topic just because someone asked for more vs. topics...

[kevincal]

This is a rather ridiculous comparison.

[Foxsolo2000]

You know I disagree with your suggestion that either system was a train wreck. The Jaguar was simply mishandled (I wont bore you with the list of reasons how Atari mishandled it) and as for the Virtualboy it was simply too far ahead for its time. i remember a few years before it was launched how 3D was suppossed to be the next big thing and how Tomy released three handheld games that offered 3D gaming. Most of my friends rushed out and bought them and I even remember a que forming outside a local electrical store as people were desperate to get their hands on the first VirtualBoy in my home town. I also agree with Kevincal for it is impossible to compare the two systems but at least you attempted to try something different

[A Sprite]

You know I disagree with your suggestion that either system was a train wreck.

 

In the sense of how each game system was designed in a way that looked good on paper, but contained a fatal flaw. The Jaguar's lack of software libraries, combined with the 68k sitting in the wilderness like the serpent's apple, was doomed from the start.

 

And the Virtual Boy, was a nearly portable game system designed without thought to the comfort of the user. I suffer no pain, but others do.

 

More importantly, neither company offered users a true look at their potential...look at Mario Clash, Trevor Mcfur, and tell me how they became important 1st party releases?

Edited July 27, 2007 by A Sprite

[Foxsolo2000]

You know I disagree with your suggestion that either system was a train wreck.

 

In the sense of how each game system was designed in a way that looked good on paper, but contained a fatal flaw. The Jaguar's lack of software libraries, combined with the 68k sitting in the wilderness like the serpent's apple, was doomed from the start.

 

And the Virtual Boy, was a nearly portable game system designed without thought to the comfort of the user. I suffer no pain, but others do.

 

More importantly, neither company offered users a true look at their potential...look at Mario Clash, Trevor Mcfur, and tell me how they became important 1st party releases?

 

You know no offence to you but I am tired of people using one game for a system and saying because of that game the system failed. For the 2600 people use ET as an example of why Atari fell from grace and for the Jag it is Trevor Mcfur. There were other equally bad games for the Jag such as Dragon and Busby to name but a few. Trevor Mcfur became a 1st party releases because there was nothing else available but again, one bad game does not automatically make the system it was for a failure.

[A Sprite]

Oops. Is that how it looked? I meant to use them more as examples that the companies had lost touch with their fans. Mario Clash began life as a mini-game, and did for the Virtual Boy what Sonic 3D blast did for the Saturn - nothing.

 

As for Trevor McFur... flashback to NES vs 7800. The pack in games are Super Mario Bros and Pole Position II. Right away, the NES has a deal for the customer, which might sell the system to anyone who visits...

 

Pole Position...existed. My own personal memories of the game consist of being blown away by the track scenery, and wondering what was happening far away. Fun, sure, but I had to help...

 

SuperMarioWorld, Tetris, and Kieth Courage in Alpha Zones later, the message was clear - a classic game can sell a system, and a mediocre one makes the system look mediocre.

 

Atari looked at mediocre, and lowered the bar...

Edited July 27, 2007 by A Sprite

[PFG 9000]

You know I disagree with your suggestion that either system was a train wreck.

 

In the sense of how each game system was designed in a way that looked good on paper, but contained a fatal flaw. The Jaguar's lack of software libraries, combined with the 68k sitting in the wilderness like the serpent's apple, was doomed from the start.

 

How is a weak software library a design flaw?

[A Sprite]

It's time to come out of the closet.

 

Mom, dad, I'm retarded.

 

Oh, you knew? Great!

 

By software library, I meant software development tools. How I screwed that up, I have no idea. Retardation can only go so far.

 

*wonders what was in that crackpipe you guys gave him.*

[jboypacman]

Jaguar's software libary was pretty weak compared to its comtempararies at that time and it hurt the Jaguar in the long run.

 

The Virtualboy was a good ideal i think on paper but it failed to catch on due to i feel the success and popularity of the GameBoy and just the overall design of it.

 

I have a Jag and only really play one game on it(Tempest 2000) and i had a VirtualBoy(2 at one point)got rid of them because of the headaches i got from using them.

 

I dont know if you can really compare the two of them outside of the fact that they failed to capture the game public's intrest or heart.

[gamersrevenge]

This is a rather ridiculous comparison.

didnt like virtual boy at all jag rules again

[Foxsolo2000]

Jaguar's software libary was pretty weak compared to its comtempararies at that time and it hurt the Jaguar in the long run.

 

The Virtualboy was a good ideal i think on paper but it failed to catch on due to i feel the success and popularity of the GameBoy and just the overall design of it.

 

I have a Jag and only really play one game on it(Tempest 2000) and i had a VirtualBoy(2 at one point)got rid of them because of the headaches i got from using them.

 

I dont know if you can really compare the two of them outside of the fact that they failed to capture the game public's intrest or heart.

 

As I said before the main problem of the Virtual Boy was it was too far ahead for its time. Peopel weren't ready for it. It was a bit like the Jaguar XJS being too much of a concept at time of release and only thirty years on people are looking at it and thinking wow, what an idea

[kevincal]

This is a rather ridiculous comparison.

didnt like virtual boy at all jag rules again

 

The VB is a cool gimmick at best imo... Mario's Tennis, Red Alarm, and Wario Land are good games, and there may be a few more good games, but that's about it. The Jag has atleast 15-20 good solid games that are pretty much irrefutable in their being good quality games.

[kevincal]

Jaguar's software libary was pretty weak compared to its comtempararies at that time and it hurt the Jaguar in the long run.

 

The Virtualboy was a good ideal i think on paper but it failed to catch on due to i feel the success and popularity of the GameBoy and just the overall design of it.

 

I have a Jag and only really play one game on it(Tempest 2000) and i had a VirtualBoy(2 at one point)got rid of them because of the headaches i got from using them.

 

I dont know if you can really compare the two of them outside of the fact that they failed to capture the game public's intrest or heart.

 

As I said before the main problem of the Virtual Boy was it was too far ahead for its time. Peopel weren't ready for it. It was a bit like the Jaguar XJS being too much of a concept at time of release and only thirty years on people are looking at it and thinking wow, what an idea

 

All the Virtual Boy needed was maybe only a dozen more colors than just red and black. That's it! Maybe even only a few more colors would have done the trick...

[EmOneGarand]

Jaguar's software libary was pretty weak compared to its comtempararies at that time and it hurt the Jaguar in the long run.

 

The Virtualboy was a good ideal i think on paper but it failed to catch on due to i feel the success and popularity of the GameBoy and just the overall design of it.

 

I have a Jag and only really play one game on it(Tempest 2000) and i had a VirtualBoy(2 at one point)got rid of them because of the headaches i got from using them.

 

I dont know if you can really compare the two of them outside of the fact that they failed to capture the game public's intrest or heart.

 

As I said before the main problem of the Virtual Boy was it was too far ahead for its time. Peopel weren't ready for it. It was a bit like the Jaguar XJS being too much of a concept at time of release and only thirty years on people are looking at it and thinking wow, what an idea

 

All the Virtual Boy needed was maybe only a dozen more colors than just red and black. That's it! Maybe even only a few more colors would have done the trick...

I think they should have done medical tests with it too... alot of people heard rumors of it damaging your eyes or givng you migraines which then turned them off of the system.

Edited July 28, 2007 by EmOneGarand

[Pete5125]

also The Virtua Boy was originaly made as a system that you could move around w/ but Nintendo lawyers for good reason made them add arms and make the system heavier plus added a power cord so you had to lean into the system to play it. It was uncomfortable and you were paying $200 for this discomfort, also red on black didn't work, to figure Atari already had out a VR hement w/ better design near the same price point...if Atari would of presuded that instead of the CD unit, imagine the posabilities

[Gorf]

I would have liked to see the Jag VR make it out. the VB could have been dynomite

with a color screen and a little rethinking. Make it like the Jaguar VR unit where you

strap it on your noggin. Red and black look great on hot models but not as the only

colors in video games.