What would you do for a Wii? Would you smash one of your other consoles? Jack is right about to. In May he started up Destroy My Virtual Boy as his personal fundraiser for getting his hands on the next Nintendo console. Right now it doesn’t look like he’s going to get a Wii, there is only $126 in his fund. Is the Wii really worth the death of another system? Jack explains.
So you’re going to smash your (beloved?) Virtual Boy in hopes of getting a Wii… you could just sell it and the games on eBay and keep the cash. Why do you want to smash it?
Jack: Let’s face it. The Virtual Boy isn’t exactly Nintendo’s finest moment. While there are lots of people out there who love the Virtual Boy, it is perhaps the shortest lived system ever made. I was excited to get one at first, but looking at those little red screen for hours on end was just too painful. I’m all too glad to see that monstrous combination of LEDs and mirrors splayed out on the ground.
How much money have you raised and how long have you been working on this project?
Jack: I first came up with the idea back in about May. Since then, we’ve gotten about halfway to the purchase price of a Wii, which was our target. We were featured on a couple foreign language blogs, which was pretty exciting. I’ve never had to use a Greek to English translator before. If we don’t get the rest of the money before Wii-Day, I’ll figure out what percentage we have raised and destroy that much of the Virtual Boy. Actually, how much do you think half of a Virtual Boy would go for on eBay?
What is your favorite game out of your Virtual Boy catalog?
Jack: I have always loved platformers. Wario Land is my favorite Virtual Boy game. The gameplay is just what you would expect from a Mario game, and it was one of the first games to feature Wario. And now Wario is going to be in Smash Brothers! Look how far he’s come from being just a bunch of red dots!
What about the Wii makes you want it so badly?
Jack: The Wii is going to be absolutely amazing. From accidently hitting your friends in the teeth while trying to fish to the system actually knowing when you throw the controller across the room in frustration, what’s not to love? I am really excited for a system that actually makes you get up and play. DDR games are really fun to play with friends because it forces more social interaction. The Wii will be the same way.
What games on the Wii are you looking forward to?
Jack: I think Twilight Princess is going to be my favorite launch title, but I’m also really excited about Smash Brothers: Brawl and the eventual Lucasarts game that will have lightsaber duels in it. Imagine how awesome that’s going to be. I think whatever Mario Party game they come out with will be super fun too. They were starting to run out of new ideas for games you could play with a standard controller.
Some gamers consider the Virtual Boy a rare “treasure” in gaming history you’re really going to go through with this? And what’s the plan for smashing it?
Jack: I’ve actually received a lot of e-mails begging me not to destroy the Virtual Boy. I am absolutely prepared to smash my Virtual Boy. Right now, I’m not sure what the method of destruction is going to be, since it might change if we get more donations. The donators ultimately have the final say, but right now physical destruction is the leader. I’m trying to find where I can get the biggest sledge hammer. Keep your eyes on the site a few days after the Wii comes out for the final video. It will be awesome.
