This pretty "Virtual Boy Display System" was designed by Design Phase for
Nintendo and won the "Design of the Times Display of the Year" award (left
pic) in 1996. Deservedly... this thing looks just great! The displays were
supplied to big stores like Toys'R'Us or Wal*Mart nationwide when the
Virtual Boy was released in the US. It allows costumers to adjust the
headset to the proper height to demo the Virtual Boy from the best visual
angle. The headset could be adjusted in height as well as moved up and down.
A locking metal flap protected the cartridge slot and the volume control
against meddling hands in the store. The ads in the 2 wings on both sides
explain what Virtual Boy is and how to operate it. The red lighted logo
features an infinity-mirror technique that emphasizes the Virtual Boy's 3-D
quality. This logo was also available as a free-hanging sign with extra
hooks (more
here).
Three different versions were available to retailers:
the huge floor-standing "Floor Model", the "Counter Version" that was
designed to sit on a shelf and a tiny all-plastic "Low Profile Counter".
Floor Model and Counter Version are the same units just mounted on different,
interchangeable feets.
The VB Display System was also supplied to japanese retailers. Japanese and
american displays are the same, but some japanese Floor Versions had an
additional footplate and they had different sets of ads announcing different
games not just one set as in the US.
When the Virtual Boy flopped, all displays were thrown out of the stores.
More Pics and Info on the three different display units:
Links:
VB@NOA
The different japanese and US Ads:
Click below for high res scans of canadian inserts (12.4 MB):
