Front-page

New Virtual Boy emulator "Red Viper" for 3DS released with full 3D support

Screenshot from 2024-02-26 13-15-02.png

The Nintendo 3DS is already past its prime, both in life-cycle and its homebrew scene, and while its homebrew scene still continues to be strong to this day, many people have moved away from it and are instead focusing on the Nintendo Switch.

While the 3DS did get its fair share of emulators from previous Nintendo consoles, even up to a Nintendo 64 emulator with DaedalusX64-3DS, one specific console from Nintendo's history of failures is the Virtual Boy, and given the 3DS feature of playing games in actual 3D, it was a lost opportunity for Nintendo not to capitalize on the success of the 3DS' 3D technology to revive the Virtual Boy in its full 3D glory, without the headaches of the actual red-lenses visor that the original Virtual Boy was known for.

Despite the Virtual Boy's failure, some people are still interested in it, and 10 years ago, a user by the name of mrdanielps worked on an initial Virtual Boy for the 3DS, titled r3Ddragon. The project itself was more of a WIP, and it never got developed further, until today.

@Floogle continued the work that mrdanielps originally made for r3Ddragon, now titled "Red Viper", and has managed to make the entire 22 games library of the Virtual Boy at full speed, and not only that, but Floogle also added the feature to play the games in proper 3D, utilizing the 3DS' 3D upper screen for this achievement, effectively making the Virtual Boy revival that many wanted since the inception of the 3DS and its homebrew scene.

​


The full features of the Red Viper emulator for 3DS include the following:
  • All officially licensed games are playable at full speed, even on the original 3DS
  • 3D support
  • Game saves are supported
  • Map either the A/B buttons or the right D-Pad to the face buttons, with the other being on the touch screen
  • New 3DS C-Stick is also supported
  • Configurable face button mapping
  • Configurable color filter
Floogle also lists possible future additions to the emulator:
  • Support for PCM samples
  • Savestates
  • Homebrew support
  • Circle Pad Pro support
  • Button controls for menu
  • More versatile color filter
  • A forwarder to allow loading a specific game from the home menu
Those interested in trying out the emulator and discussing it can do so at the GBATemp's release thread for the project by Floogle.

:arrow: Red Viper Release Thread on GBATemp
:arrow: Red Viper GitHub Repository
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: TVL, SaulFabre, MicroNut99 and 68 others
Click to expand...
Smoker1

Smoker1

Well-Known Member
Member
Level 16
Joined
Feb 17, 2015
Messages
5,063
Trophies
1
Location
California
XP
6,133
Country
United States
One old VB Emulator for Windows had a Cheat File included (just labeled rd38), curious if it can work with this, or if Cheats can be done.
 
KingVamp

KingVamp

Haaah-hahahaha!
Member
Level 18
Joined
Sep 13, 2009
Messages
13,533
Trophies
2
Location
Netherworld
XP
8,048
Country
United States
Xzi said:
Wow, it seems so obvious after the fact that 3DS is the perfect system for emulating Virtual Boy. Never crossed my mind before, but then again, I've never spent any notable amount of time thinking about Virtual Boy emulation. Neither has Nintendo apparently.
Click to expand...
I wonder how VB would look in Labo VR.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Xzi
furbi963

furbi963

Active Member
Newcomer
Level 4
Joined
Dec 4, 2021
Messages
29
Trophies
0
Age
33
XP
477
Country
Mexico
Tendré que meter al congelador la batería para revivirla por ... TERCERA VEZ jajaja.
... Pobre 3ds a vivido tantas cosas, una vez hasta nado, se ahogo y vivo zombie.:cry:

I'll have to put the battery in the freezer to revive it for... THIRD TIME hahaha. ...Poor 3ds has experienced so many things, once he even swam, drowned and became a zombie.:cry:
 
AmandaRose

AmandaRose

Do what I do. Hold tight and pretend it’s a plan
Member
Level 25
Joined
Aug 19, 2015
Messages
10,202
Trophies
1
Location
Glasgow
Website
www.rockstarnorth.com
XP
16,217
Country
United Kingdom
  • Like
Reactions: Subtle Demise
hippy dave

hippy dave

BBMB
Member
Level 34
Joined
Apr 30, 2012
Messages
9,946
Trophies
2
XP
30,340
Country
United Kingdom
KingVamp said:
I wonder how VB would look in Labo VR.
Click to expand...
It's doable using retroarch and a custom shader, it works well, but playing it in Red Viper on a 3DS is much more comfortable tbh!

Ten years since the original project started, damn! 👴 I was so excited for it back then, and it was sad when it lost momentum - am really happy to see a new dev take it over the finish line! This was the 3DS's destiny.

Played a good amount of Wario Land and a bit of Mario Clash today. Any other strong recs?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Subtle Demise, Naster, KingVamp and 2 others
PopcornSweetie

PopcornSweetie

Well-Known Member
Member
Level 7
Joined
Aug 24, 2022
Messages
297
Trophies
0
Location
New York
XP
1,085
Country
United States
I remember checking out r3Ddragon back when it was released. Afaik it ran very poor. But this is a huge W for the homebrew community. It always makes me smile seeing new homebrew being released for 3DS, Wii, Wii U and Switch (other consoles too but i have a soft spot for those.)
 
AmandaRose

AmandaRose

Do what I do. Hold tight and pretend it’s a plan
Member
Level 25
Joined
Aug 19, 2015
Messages
10,202
Trophies
1
Location
Glasgow
Website
www.rockstarnorth.com
XP
16,217
Country
United Kingdom
hippy dave said:
Played a good amount of Wario Land and a bit of Mario Clash today. Any other strong recs?
Click to expand...
Jack Bros is a really fun action adventure game. And Vertical Force is a fun little shmups and that's coming from someone who mostly hates shmups lol.
 
  • Love
  • Like
Reactions: Subtle Demise and hippy dave

Site & Scene News

Go to forum More news

Popular threads in this forum

New static recompiler tool N64Recomp aims to seamlessly modernize N64 games

Nintendo officially confirms Switch successor console, announces Nintendo Direct for next month

Name the Switch successor: what should Nintendo call its new console?

DOOM has been ported to the retro game console in Persona 5 Royal

Mario Builder 64 is the N64's answer to Super Mario Maker

Anbernic reveals the RG35XXSP, a GBA SP-inspired retro handheld

Majora’s Mask PC port 2Ship2Harkinian gets its first release

"Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition", a new NES Remix-like game, launching July 18th

General chit-chat
Help Users
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Plus all bios are set up and usually includes at least 128gbs or 64
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Yeah but if your main goal is just to play n64 and GameCube you can save about $50 and have the portability option
     +1
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    True, but on 2 monitors at 4k. Its just want you want really, to each they own.
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    For a kids aspect Anbernic would be the better option they'd probably melt over the price on a good 4k display
     +1
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    For that texasroo guy, I'd recommend the Spell and speak as his first system.
     +1
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    So they buy a pi5 kit for about $150 and say a 28" 4k display probably looking around $400 total
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    They'll be getting in the territory of portable Pcs anyway
     +1
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    Again you get what you pay for, its like buying a S series for $300 but its only 1440p native, if you want true 4k, gotta get the X model for $500. But yea you right, when moms buying it anyways, you gotta stay cheap.
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    They could use HD out on their TV no real need for a monitor these days tbh the purists will disagree
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    I'm kind of phasing out on the need for wanting all these consoles cool to have but they just become dust build ups
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    I here ya there, I have too many myself, and have hard time letting them go, since most of mine I've modded at some point. Anymore I just play Switch on the go, seriesx at home.
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    ack my throat
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    I need to invest in some storage totes tbh
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    Tots?
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Tootles
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    Tootles? Wtf
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Oh tootles
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    Oh totes , lol, like Tupperware storage, I gotcha
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    I'm designing my own entertainment cabinet for my man cave, to store all my systems, then I'm also designing a power supply/HDMI switcher so I can switch to whichever system I want, and power it also. Already picked up the cabinet board, but tinkering with my drawings before start
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    But yea, I have frogger arcade cabinet that I gutted and put a Pi4 then Pi5 into, but it never gets played much anymore, should sell it. Even when the kids come over, they don't want to play on it, just the xbox. TMNT and Simpson's arcade is still so fun on it, esp w 2 players.
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Gonna check out the new Garfield looks like garbage
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    Can't wait to see the new "stick" that can actually play Ps3 or 360 games. I know they are getting close.
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    @Xdqwerty didn't you see the new garfield?
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Ah it's all animated I was hoping for some live action
     +1
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    @BigOnYa, yes i did
    Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty: @BigOnYa, yes i did