Original Post

Hi gang I wrote a poem and had the superiors look over it to make sure I didn’t offend anyone let me know if you like it

Virtual Renaissance

Listen closely and I will tell,
About a breakthrough system that wouldn’t sell.
Its father RTI it’s mother Nintendo,
But the fate of this system was one sad crescendo!
What should of ussured in a new time,
Was seen as a freak a faulty design.
Not a Metroid nor Zelda nor Mario,
Was packed in its launch when they let it go.
Between SNES betwixt 64,
Big N wanted cash and they wanted more.
It was launched with only just a handful of games,
They thought just it’s concept would bring them fortune and fame.
The company heads wanted games from the best companies,
But that proved to be a fatal strategy.
Across the Sea yet it was launched,
The Yen was so few to the big N still haunts.
Neck aches and head aches and red and black look,
So was the fate not reading the instruction book.
So it was then launched on American Shores.
The worst Launch in history for Uncle Sam’s stores.
The Commercials were running the prices were dropping,
Nintendo’s profits took quite a chopping.
But let’s not let this great system die,
Let’s launch it again with D-Hopper and Bound High.
But before it could reach greatness before a fair try.
They pulled the plug and then watched it die.
But there were some not really a few,
That saw 3d gaming as really something new.
These were the ones that saw it’s potential,
And knew that stereoptic games was fun exponential.
So Silently they worked with their Virtual boy.
They toiled and programmed and were not annoyed.
Till the millennium dawned and were given a place,
To voice their findings through cyberspace.
Then one day a flash cartridge was born,
The dark day was ended the break of the morn.
It gave us hope it gave us joy.
The greatest triumph from it’s death was called the Flash boy.
It entered The system graveyard full of gloom,
And went before it’s lonely tomb.
“Unto death”( it spoke) you are no longer a slave.
The flash boy exclaimed;” arise from your grave,
And oscillate your mirrors once more,
And let LEDs flash as never before.”
Then we all knew that the system was back,
The king of 3d V.B. red and black!

22 Replies

Ahhh… it brings tears to one’s eyes.

You need to update your signature to reflect that you now know how to spell “oscillate”.

Virtual Boy poetry is something I never thought would exist, but I’m so glad it does! 🙂

That’s very well written. The ending is epic.

Thanks guys, hey since you read it do you think I should add something about Gunpei Yokoi. I wanted to but I couldn’t figure out how to pronounce his name. As you probably have figured you can’t rhyme what you cannot pronounce. Anyway thank you for your compliments. And as far as the spelling of oscillate I can’t believe that spell check missed that one well thank you for your insight. I should also thank KRI55E for reviewing it first, thanks.

I pronounce Gunpei Yokoi as Gun-pay Yo-koi

Correct pronunciation is :

Goon pay yo ko ee

Whenever I hear or see the word “oscillate,” I think of the palindrome “Satan, oscillate my metallic sonatas!” That’s how I learned to spell it. But anyway, it’s nice to know the correct pronunciation of the guy’s name. A word that rhymes with Yokoi would be “holey-moley!”

Thanks for the pronunciation Ill work on updating the poem paying my respects to Mr. Yokoi. BTW that is a seriously scary palindrome guys.But at least it will help me with remembering how to spell oscillate.

Ok gang, here’s the new poem that includes a few verses on Gunpei Yokoi. Let me know if you like it.

Virtual Renaissance

Listen closely and I will tell,
About a breakthrough system that wouldn’t sell.
Its father RTI it’s mother Nintendo,
But the fate of this system was one sad crescendo!
The matchmaker was gameboy master Gunpei Yokoi,
Nintendo and RTI kept this union low key.
What should of ussured in a new time,
Was seen as a freak a faulty design.
Not a Metroid nor Zelda nor Mario,
Was packed in its launch when they let it go.
Between SNES betwixt 64,
Big N wanted cash and they wanted more.
It was launched with only just a handful of games,
They thought just it’s concept would bring them fortune and fame.
The company heads wanted games from the best companies,
But that proved to be a fatal strategy.
Across the Sea yet it was launched,
The Yen was so few to the big N still haunts.
Neck aches and head aches and red and black look,
So was the fate not reading the instruction book.
So it was then launched on American Shores.
The worst Launch in history for Uncle Sam’s stores.
The Commercials were running the prices were dropping,
Nintendo’s profits took quite a chopping.
But let’s not let this great system die,
Let’s launch it again with D-Hopper and Bound High.
But before it could reach greatness before a fair try.
They pulled the plug and then watched it die.
There had to be someone for these lost profits to pay,
So it wound up being the mastermind Gunpei ,
He took it bad when the system got robbed,
He lost his position and then lost his job.
But there were some not really a few,
That saw 3d gaming as really something new.
These were the ones that saw it’s potential,
And knew that stereoptic games was fun exponential.
So Silently they worked with their Virtual boy.
They toiled and programmed and were not annoyed.
Till the millennium dawned and were given a place,
To voice their findings through cyberspace.
Then one day a flash cartridge was born,
The dark day was ended the break of the morn.
It gave us hope it gave us joy.
The greatest triumph from it’s death was called the Flash boy.
It entered The system graveyard full of gloom,
And went before it’s lonely tomb.
“Unto death”( it spoke) you are no longer a slave.
The flash boy exclaimed;” arise from your grave,
And oscillate your mirrors once more,
And let LEDs flash as never before.”
Then we all knew that the system was back,
The king of 3d V.B. red and black!

That doesn’t rhyme at all!

Transliterations of Japanese to the Latin alphabet are mostly (if not compeletely) phonetic. This means it’s pronounced as it’s written; ignore all English spelling rules, and only make one sound per letter. Try not to apply any stress.

A Slovene gaming magazine spelt it Gunpei Jokoi, and our spelling is almost phonetic: http://www.joker.si/article.php?rubrika=37&articleid=8147&page=2 (Look at the picture; there’s Galactic Pinball in the background!)

Ok,
I’m sorry I asked how to pronounce it and I got a response which I thought it was right. It’s obvious that you know more about how to pronounce his name than I do so I’ll try my best to correct it. Meanwhile I do have a couple of new verses that I want to add that I know will rhyme, I’ll keep you posted when I write my final draft.

morintari wrote:
Ok,
I’m sorry I asked how to pronounce it and I got a response which I thought it was right.

Just paste his name into this. (Don’t worry, it accepts Romaji; I checked).

Well guys here’s the final version I probably will not change it unless there are some real problems. If you notice I avoided the issue of rhyming with Gunpei and Yokoi all together. Anyway I hope you like the new imagery.

Virtual Renaissance

Come and see look inside,
The fate of it’s darkest secret they cannot hide.
Listen closely and I will tell,
About a breakthrough concept that wouldn’t sell.
See this system it’s face to yours,
Peer inside a 3d door
The “screen” appears with darkness fading,
Read the Instructions before operating.
It’s fate is sad as you will soon see,
Adjust your focus and IPD.
Its father RTI it’s mother Nintendo,
But the fate of this hardware was one sad crescendo!
Gunpei Yokoi was the matchmaker,
If the project should fail he was the risk taker.
What should of ussured in a new time,
Was seen as a freak a faulty design.
Not a Metroid nor Zelda nor Mario,
Was packed in its launch when they let it go.
Between SNES betwixt 64,
Big N wanted cash and they wanted more.
It was launched with only just a handful of games,
They thought just it’s concept would bring them fortune and fame.
The company heads wanted games from the best companies,
But that proved to be a fatal strategy.
Across the Sea yet it was launched,
The Yen was so few to the big N still haunts.
Neck aches and head aches and red and black look,
So was the fate not reading the instruction book.
The audience wondered why the couldn’t see 3d
But none of them thought what the heck Is the IPD!
So it was then launched on American Shores.
The worst Launch in history for Uncle Sam’s stores.
The Commercials were running the prices were dropping,
Nintendo’s profits took quite a chopping.
But let’s not let this great system die,
Let’s launch it again with D-Hopper and Bound High.
But before it could reach greatness before a fair try.
They pulled the plug and then watched it die.
And even though Gunpei Yokoi was the mastermind
When this system failed he was left behind.
He took it hard when the system got robbed,
He lost his position and then lost his job.
But his genius and legacy we will always honor.
But to Nintendo he was a goner.
The system died without much cause,
Placed in the cemetery of gaming…Automatic pause.
But there were some not really a few,
That saw 3d gaming as really something new.
These were the ones that saw it’s potential,
And knew that stereoptic games was fun exponential.
So Silently they worked with their Virtual boy.
They toiled and programmed and were not annoyed.
Till the millennium dawned and were given a place,
To voice their findings through cyberspace.
Then one day a flash cartridge was born,
The dark day was ended the break of the morn.
It gave us hope it gave us joy.
The greatest triumph from it’s death was called the Flash Boy.
It entered The gamming cemetery full of gloom,
And went before V.B.’s lonely tomb.
“Unto death”( it spoke) you are no longer a slave.
The flash boy exclaimed;” arise from your grave,
And oscillate your mirrors once more,
And let LEDs flash as never before.”
Then we all knew that the system was back,
The king of 3d V.B. red and black!

That’s really good!

But I’d thought I’d tell you that you misspelled gaming (you added another m) after you mentioned the Flash Boy

I asked how to pronounce it and I got a response which I thought it was right. It’s obvious that you know more about how to pronounce his name than I do so I’ll try my best to correct it.

My pronunciation is correct *cough* fluent in Japanese for 19 years *cough* used to be a professional translator *cough* taught English as a second language at Virginia Tech *cough*

colesonwilson wrote:

I asked how to pronounce it and I got a response which I thought it was right. It’s obvious that you know more about how to pronounce his name than I do so I’ll try my best to correct it.

My pronunciation is correct *cough* fluent in Japanese for 19 years *cough* used to be a professional translator *cough* taught English as a second language at Virginia Tech *cough*

Does this mean you could translate what is said on the back of Japanese Virtual Boy game boxes? 😮

colesonwilson wrote:
Correct pronunciation is :

Goon pay yo ko ee

I found a website that corroborates colesonwilson’s pronunciation of Gunpei Yokoi:

http://www.metroid-database.com/faq_metroid.php

There, it reads:

“Why is Gunpei Yokoi’s (pronounced: “GOON-pay YO-ko-ee”) name sometimes spelled “Gunpei” and other times spelled “Gumpei?” Which is correct?”

It’s a shame that the attempt to rhyme with his name seems to have been removed from the poem solely because of the comment of one who is uninformed. I, personally, found the lines now removed to be rather historically accurate and well written. In addition, the properly rhymed lines should cause those who are uninformed in the matter to look into it and learn something from it, but unfortunately, that’s not always the case.

Oh well, I’ll be sure to keep the original lines in my copy of the poem.

Question : “Why is Gunpei Yokoi’s (pronounced: “GOON-pay YO-ko-ee”) name sometimes spelled “Gunpei” and other times spelled “Gumpei?” Which is correct?”

Answer : In the Japanese language just about every consonant is followed by a vowel. For instance there would be 5 “R” letters. Ra, Re (ray), Ru (roo), Ri (ree), and Ro.

The only real exception is N. There is na, ne, nu, ni, and no, but there is also an “n” by itself.

There is no “m” by itself.

Sometimes, in some areas, people pronounce their N a little different, but I can’t stand it when people spell things like that.

I may need your help, colesonwilson, in the future. As far as I know, nobody has ever translated the instruction manuals and the information on the back of the boxes of the Japanese only games into the English language and made it available online, so I’m going to try to be the first. I have to use translation programs, though, and while I know from personal experience that such programs and online dictionaries work very well with the German and Spanish languages and I’ve become proficient at translating these languages, I have yet to try to translate the Japanese language using such means.

My plan is that at some time in the not too distant future, I will begin the “English Translations of Instruction Manuals and Boxes of Japanese Only Games” thread on this site, where I will post my initial work, and then those who know Japanese can critique it and make any necessary corrections. But first, I have to see if I can even begin this project, once I see how well the software programs and online dictionaries work.

In order to begin the project, I first have to make high resolution scans of each of the Japanese only instruction manuals and boxes, so that I can then convert the text into digital format using an OCR program. I have all of the boxes and instruction manuals for every Japanese only game except for Virtual Lab. Thus, if anyone out there owns the box and instruction manual for Virtual Lab and would like to help me out in this, please get in touch with me and send me high resolution scans of each page of the instruction manual and the back of the box, and we can begin to get this material translated into the English language.

 

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