1995 Boss Game Studios
Platform: Nintendo Virtual Boy
As part of the launch and release of The Games That Weren’t book, we are adding assets and content that didn’t make it to print as bonus DLC content to share with you.
Virtual Tank was an unreleased 3D action game in development at Boss Game Studios for Nintendo’s ill-fated Virtual Boy, and is a title we covered extensively in the first Games That Weren’t book.
The idea came from the studio’s creative director Seth Mendelsohn, who saw the Virtual Boy hardware and immediately thought of Atari’s classic arcade game Battlezone. The system’s controls seemed particularly well suited to driving a tank, while its distinctive red and black display was also a natural fit for a game inspired by an old vector arcade title.
Originally known as 3D Tank, the project was pitched successfully to Nintendo and entered development during 1995. Rather than being a hardcore tank simulation, the intention was to create an accessible arcade action game, expanding upon the Battlezone formula with different weapons, enemies, missions and terrain to navigate.
Development progressed surprisingly well in a short period of time. After around three to four months, the team had a playable game with ground and air enemies, targets to destroy, a working HUD and enemy scanner, along with a small number of levels. Although still some distance from completion, it had progressed beyond being a simple technical demonstration.
Unfortunately, Virtual Tank was being developed for a system whose commercial life was about to collapse quickly. Following the disappointing launch of the Virtual Boy, Boss Game Studios saw the writing on the wall and Nintendo encouraged the team to concentrate instead on its Nintendo 64 developments. With the game designed specifically around the Virtual Boy hardware, there was little reason to move it elsewhere and development came to an end.
Thankfully, the game wasn’t completely lost. Many years later, Seth revealed that he had retained a build and was able to get it running again, allowing us to show screenshots from the game for the first time as part of our original feature. We’ve been told that it isn’t possible for them to release anything of the game.
The complete story of Virtual Tank, including extensive recollections from Seth Mendelsohn, Hans Piwenitzky, Warrick Holfeld and Rob Povey, can be found in the first Games That Weren’t book. We also published the chapter online with Nintendo Life, so rather than repeat the full story again here, you can read the complete feature at the link below:
The Story Of Virtual Tank, A Lost Virtual Boy Successor To Atari’s Battlezone – Nintendo Life
For this bonus GTW entry, we’ve added a selection of additional photographs kindly sent to us by Seth, showing Virtual Tank running along with his surviving Virtual Boy development kit. These particular images didn’t make it into the book, so we’re very happy to finally add them to the archive below.
Unfortunately, the prototype itself isn’t currently available for release. Hopefully another copy may surface independently one day so that people can finally experience this intriguing lost Virtual Boy title for themselves.
With a huge thank you to Seth Mendelsohn for his help with the original feature and for sharing the additional photographs with Games That Weren’t.
Gallery
