Space Squash (Virtual Boy)

It’s a lot of fun when this happens. I’ve wanted Space Squash for the Virtual Boy for something like 10 years now — since a little after I got the VB. I never really bit the bullet because it’s an import-only game and was always kind of expensive. Then I packed up the system for several years and never really touched it. Well, I got it out a couple weekends ago, dusted it off, and started playing again. Naturally, that made me want to buy more games for the system (such is the plight of the classic game collector). Then, when some fairly reasonably priced new copies of Space Squash showed up on eBay (as they seem to be doing regularly now), I decided it was time. But would it live up to 10 years worth of anticipation? Surprisingly, yes! And maybe more!

Now, I’ll be the first to admit I’m not much of a Virtual Boy expert. I only own five games, and I’ve never even played Wario Land. But with that said, this is my favorite Virtual Boy game yet, and even if Wario Land does turn out to be as great as everyone says, that doesn’t diminish how much fun this game is. It’s straightforward, if not a little simplistic, but engaging and addictive. It’s Pong in 3D, and it’s executed perfectly.

In fact, this is a first for me since I’ve been running this site: I got this game a few days ago, and I’ve already played it enough to give it a proper review. No filler posts first, either! No “Latest Haul” or “Impressions” to announce I got it. This game is just plain fun. I can’t imagine why it wasn’t considered for immediate translation and release in the US. But maybe I should qualify my enthusiasm a bit, first. I love bouncing ball games. Pong, Breakout, Arkanoid, Wii Sports Tennis… It’s all good stuff and good fun to me. So I dunno, maybe I’m a little biased, and if you don’t like Pong, Breakout, and their ilk, maybe you won’t be as engaged by this game as I was.

But with that said, I love this game. The 3D effects are done very well, the control is spot-on, there are a ton of stages to play through, the branching routes through the levels keep things fresh when you play through multiple times, and any one path is short enough to play in a single sitting — great for people with short attention spans (like me!).

You take control of a hovering robot, out to play 3D space squash against a variety of opponents, and every few stages, you face off against a powerful boss that has special powers. The stages vary in size from tiny tunnels to what feel like gaping landing decks on a space station. I have no idea what the background story of the game is (I speak no Japanese) but it doesn’t really matter. The gameplay transcends language barriers. Here are the basics to get you started, though:

Left control pad: Hover around
Right control pad, Up: Overhead smash
Right control pad, Right: Swing your right hand
Right control pad, Left: Swing your left hand
Right control pad, Down: Charge your special power
R/L: Use your special power when charged

It makes very intuitive use of the dual D-pads, and the special powers add an extra element of depth. You can choose between power shots, speed boosts, force fields to protect your end, and homing shots. (Go with the power shots against most opponents and homing shots against the bosses). On top of that, there are special items and obstacles scattered about each stage. So while the basic gameplay remains simple (get the ball past your opponent, just like Pong), there’s enough variety to keep it fresh and interesting.

Final Thoughts: There’s a bit of a premium on the price of Space Squash, since it’s somewhat rare and was never released in the US. But that premium is not exorbitant, and it’s well worth the price. It’s games like this that make me think the Virtual Boy had some real potential. The 3D effect is used very well and the controls are top-notch with the dual d-pads. If you’re looking for a new game for your VB and haven’t checked this one out yet, do yourself a favor and track it down.