jojobean wrote:
^this. vb faceball isn’t that great of a game. its just cool to have access to it.

…i never stated that i had access to it. i was speaking generally, as in the fact that it’s not a good game but it’s cool (for aynone) to have access to.

I would definitely agree that jojobean’s original statement only gives the impression that he has the game. The key words being “this” – which would indicate that the game is very close to him, as opposed to “that” or no such descriptor, which would indicate it not being so close to him – “isn’t” – which indicates that he has the ability to form a solid opinion on the game based on experience, as opposed to “probably isn’t” or something similar – and “it’s” – which again strongly shows that he knows from experience that having access to the game is cool, as opposed to “it would just be cool…” or something similar.

Thus, if jojobean didn’t have the game, a proper sentence could have read: “VB Faceball probably isn’t that great of a game, but it would just be cool to have access to it.” It’s also interesting to note the unnamed prototypes that jojobean says he has in his collection, which would again lead some to conclude, especially after the above statement, that the Faceball prototype is part of his collection. I also find it interesting that in his reply, he never firmly states that he doesn’t have access to it, which again causes some suspicion.

All in all, such info could, indeed, cause a lot of e-mails to come jojobean’s way about his possible access to the Faceball prototype, unless he firmly clarifies the situation. 😉

By the way, I actually don’t care too much to play the Faceball prototype either, I’m just sort of playing around with this for a little fun. After all, the Faceball prototype doesn’t even contain a finished game, right?

Here is a translation for the Japanese text that appears within the game after one completes a level:

おめでとう。
ここで、すこしめを、
やすませてください。
Congratulations.
Please take a rest
here for a little while.

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Special thanks to Amos Bieler, aka “RunnerPack,” for his assistance in converting the text on several of the pages into digital format for me.

Preliminary English Translation for Page 30 of the Instruction Booklet:

完全にミューを撃退できるカナー?!
Is it possible for you to fend off the Mu’s completely?!

Preliminary English Translations for Page 31 of the Instruction Booklet:

ユーザーの皆様ヘ
To All Users

●このソフトウェアと取扱説明書は、株式会社
J ・ウイングの著作物です。その一部または
全部を、株式会社J ・ウイングの許諾なく、
複写、複製すること、およびレンタル案、も
しくはそれに類似する行為に使用することは、
法律 (著作権法など) で禁止されています。
●This software and instruction booklet are copy-
righted by J-Wing Corporation. These may not
be copied or reproduced in whole or in part with-
out the permission of J-Wing Corporation. Also,
commercial rental and other similar acts are pro-
hibited by law (such as copyright law).

●ゲーム内容などに関するご質問、攻略法など
については、誠に勝手ながらお答えできませ
んのでご了承ください。
●Though it is, indeed, arbitrary, please note that
we cannot answer any questions about game
contents, strategies, and the like.

●製品には万全を期しておりますが、万一
株式会社 J ・ウイングの責に帰する不都合が
生じましたら、ご面倒とは思いますが、
「株式会社J ・ウイング ユーザーサポー係」
までご連絡くださいますようお願い申し上げ
ます。
●We expect perfection in our product, but in the
unlikely event that there are any inconveniences
which turn out to be attributable to J-Wing Corp.,
we would appreciate it if you would take care to
contact us at “J-Wing Corp. User Support Rela-
tions.”

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Preliminary English Translations for Pages 28 & 29 of the Instruction Booklet:

ゲームオーバー
Game Over

●画面のパネルが上まで積み上がったら、ゲー
ムオーバーです。
次のトライをお待ちしています。
●When the panels on the screen pile up to the top,
it’s “game over.”
We look forward to your next try.

●レベルアップ時の休憩タイムは、最大限利用
したほうが、高得点にもつながりますよ。
●You better take full advantage of the break time at the
time of level up, as this also leads to high scores.

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Preliminary English Translations for Page 26 of the Instruction Booklet:

連鎖反応
Chain Reaction

●上に乗っているパネルは下のパネルが消失す
ると重力の法則で落下します。そして、落下後
開口部が地面にくっついたり、他のパネルの
口を塞いだりすることがあります。そしてす
べての口が塞がれればそのパネル群も消失し
ます。
●A panel resting on top of another falls by the law of
gravity when the panel beneath it disappears. And
sometimes, after the fall, the open part sticks to the
ground or covers the opening of another panel. If all
the openings are then blocked up, then even that group
of panels will disappear.

●場合によっては、2度、3度の連鎖反応を作る
ことも可能です。
●In some cases, it is even possible to make a chain
reaction occur 2 or 3 times.

…それはあなたの腕しだい!!
… this is dependent upon your skill!!

Preliminary English Translations for Page 27 of the Instruction Booklet:

レベルアップ
Level Up

●画面のパネルを全部消すと、そのレベルがクリ
アされたことになります。そして、次のレベル
に上がります。
●When all the panels on the screen are eliminated, the
level is cleared. Then, it rises to the next level.

●レベルアップは、同時に消去したパネルの数に
よって上がり方が変わります。
MAX20未満 : 1レベルのアップ
MAX20~29 : 2レベルのアップ
MAX30~39 : 3レベルのアップ
MAX40~49 : 4レベルのアップ
●As for leveling up, how much it rises changes depending on
the number of panels that were eliminated simultaneously.
MAX = <20 : Up 1 Level
MAX = 20-29 : Up 2 Levels
MAX = 30-39 : Up 3 Levels
MAX = 40-49 : Up 4 Levels

●場合によっては、一番初めのステージで、1つ
のパネルを処理しただけで、レベルアップにな
ることもあります。
●Sometimes, in the very first stage, it may level
up with only one panel being dealt with.

…それはあなたの運しだい!!
... this is dependent upon your luck!!

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I recently acquired a Japanese Virtual Boy:

V10084459

If we truly need 20 people to get the order at all, and there comes a time where it looks like nobody else is going to be added to the list, I will probably put my name in all the remaining spots to get the list up to 20 names.

If such should have to happen, though, I WILL definitely be reselling my extra boxes and manual covers on Ebay and will probably make each one out to be a really rare and special item. I don’t want to have to do that, but if there’s a need, I will.

For some reason, people are just more comfortable with purchasing things on Ebay than directly from a site such as this. I’m sure that I could get rid of all of them in due time.

Preliminary English Translations for Page 24 of the Instruction Booklet:

[In the yellow bar at the top]

複数のパネルについて
About Multiple Panels

[Right beneath the yellow bar]

レベルアップすると落下してくるパネルが複数にな
ることがあります。
複数のパネルのどれか1つが着地すると他のパネルは
独立して動かすことができるようになります。
When it levels up, there are times when multiple panels
fall down at the same time.
When any one of the multiple panels lands, it becomes
possible to move the other panel(s) independently.

Preliminary English Translations for Page 25 of the Instruction Booklet:

[In the yellow bar at the top]

10個以上同時に消した場合
When You Erase 10 or More at the Same Time

[To the left of the picture]

どうも、甲斐です。

プレイ前に1つ教えたい
事が…。 きっと役に立つ
と思います。
― もし、操作を間違え
たりして消せなくなった
“ミュー” が出てきたら、
慌てずに10匹以上の
“ミュー”を同時に消し
てください。その後妖精
が現われて、画面のー番
下の段の “ミュー” を消
失させますので。えっ ?
どうして下だけ消える
かって ? ここではとても
説明できませが、そうい
う法則があるんです。消
せなくなった “ミュー”
を消失させるにはこの
方法しかありません。こ
れをうまく利用してリサ
さんを手伝ってあげてく
ださいね。

Hi, I’m Mr. Kai.

Before you play, I would like to
teach you something…. I think
that it will surely be useful.
If you make a mistake in oper-
ation and there are “Mu’s” that
can no longer be erased, please
stay calm and erase 10 or more
“Mu’s” at the same time. This is
because a fairy then appears and
causes the “Mu’s” of the level,
which are located across the bot-
tom of the screen, to disappear.
Huh? Why do only the ones at the
bottom disappear? I can’t really
explain that, but that’s the rule.
There is only this method to cause
the disappearance of the “Mu’s”
that can no longer be erased.
Please help Lisa by taking ad-
vantage of this.

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Well, seeing how there doesn’t seem to be a ROM for Space Pinball released online anywhere, I don’t think I’d be too upset if I was tricked into paying $1800.00 for a cart that still had the fully playable version of a game that could be gotten nowhere else.

In fact, if someone wants to trick me into paying $1,800.00 for a fully playable eprom cart of Dragon Hopper, be my guest! 🙂

Preliminary English Translations for Page 22 of the Instruction Booklet:

[At the very top, in bold]

パネルの消し方
How To Erase The Panels

[Right beneath the above]

パネルの開口部をすべてふさぐと、パネルは消失
します。 パネルの塞ぎ方は2通りあります。
When the opening of a panel is completely blocked up, the panel
disappears. There are 2 ways to clog a panel.

[Right above the upper illustration]

1. パネルの開口部どうしをつなぐ。
1. Connect the openings of the panels to each other.

[Right above the lower illustration]

2. パネルの開口部を床や壁につけます。
2. Attach the opening(s) of a panel to the floor and/or a wall.

Preliminary English Translations for Page 23 of the Instruction Booklet:

[In the orange bar at the top]

※このような場合、消失しません。
※In this kind of situation, it does not disappear.

[To the left of the upper illustration]

パネルの開口部が、自
分の表面にくっついて
しまった場合、このパ
ネルは消失しません。
When the opening of a
panel is stuck to another
panel’s surface, the panel
does not disappear.

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Hedgetrimmer wrote:
…a ‘fake’ space pinball came on ebay a couple of years back for $1500 (i think)…

Is the “fake” space pinball the one that I see sitting in Virtualboy [Swe]’s collection?

If so, what does “fake” mean? Can the game not be played?

Preliminary English Translations for Page 20 of the Instruction Booklet:

[At the very top of the page]

パネルの種類
Types of Panels

[Beneath the five panels]

上の5種類があります。
There are 5 types above.

[Near the middle of the page, in large bold font]

操作方法
Operation Method

[Right beneath the above]

十字キーの左右で、パネルを左右に移動させる
ことができます。
With left and right on a control pad, you can move the
panels left and right.

[Beneath the lower left illustration]

十字キーの左で
左へ移動
With left on a control pad,
it moves to the left

[Beneath the lower right illustration]

十字キーの右で
右へ移動
With right on a control pad,
it moves to the right

Preliminary English Translations for Page 21 of the Instruction Booklet:

[In the green bar at the top]

十字キーの下でパネルの速度を速めること
ができます。
With down on a control pad, you can increase the speed
of the panels.

[Beneath the upper left illustration]

十字キ一の下を
押さない場合
When you don’t press down
on a control pad

[Beneath the upper right illustration]

十字キ一の下を
押した場合
When you press down
on a control pad

[In the middle green bar]

Bボタンを押すと、パネルの位置が変わります。
Press the B button to change the positions of the panels.

[Beneath the two arrows of the following illustration]

Bを押す。 Bを押す。
B is pressed. B is pressed.

[In the lower green bar]

Aボタンを押すとパネルが回転します。
Rotate the panels by pressing the A button.

[Beneath the three arrows of the following illustration]

Aを押す。 Aを押す。 Aを押す。
A is pressed. A is pressed. A is pressed.

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If Dragon Hopper were to appear on Ebay, I wonder how much one would have to bid, in order to win it?

$5,000.00? $10,000.00?…

All I know is that I would probably place a bid of $10,000.00, and if I happened to win with that, I’d be spending the next several months trying hard to pay off my newly acquired credit card debt, but most importantly, I would make every effort to ensure that a ROM would be made and that the Virtual Boy community would have free access to it. Heck, once that would be accomplished, I could then put the prototype back up for bids and maybe get some money back.

I just don’t trust other collectors, especially given the fact that the game is still being hoarded.

Preliminary English Translations for Page 18 of the Instruction Booklet:

[In the green bar at the top]

タイトル画面
Title Screen

[Beneath the screenshot]

ここで、落下速度の設定をします。
LOW (遅い) ・MID (普通) ・HI (速い)
This is where you set the fall speed.
LOW (slow) / MID (normal) / HI (fast)

Preliminary English Translations for Page 19 of the Instruction Booklet:

[Above the top yellow bar]

PLAY画面の説明
PLAY SCREEN EXPLANATIONS

[Inside the top yellow bar]

画面の上から落下してくるパネルをつなぎあわせ
てパネルを消失させてください。
Connect the panels that fall down from the top of the screen
together and make the panels disappear.

[Above the screenshot]

次回落下パネルの表示
Display of the next falling panel

[To the left of the screenshot]

落下パネル
Falling panel

[To the right of “SCORE”]

スコア
Score

[To the right of “MAX”]

同時消失パネル数の最高記録
(ゲームオーバーで抹消)
The best record of the number of simultaneously disappearing panels
(This is deleted when it’s “Game Over”)

[To the right of “GET”]

直前の同時消失パネル数
(次の反応で更新)
The last number of simultaneously disappearing panels
(Updated with the next reaction)

[To the right of “LEVEL”]

現在のレベル
The current level

[At the very bottom of the yellow table]

落下速度 – (LOW、MID、HIの3段階)
FALL SPEED – (3 levels: LOW, MID, HI)

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Preliminary English Translations for Page 16 of the Instruction Booklet:

[In the blue bar, to the right of “CONTROLLER”]

の説明
EXPLANATIONS

[Starting at the leftmost part of the controller and going to the right]

L十字キー
Left Control Pad

電源スイッチ
Power Switch

R十字キー
Right Control Pad

Preliminary English Translations for Page 17 of the Instruction Booklet:

[To the right of “START:”]

ゲームスタート
ポーズ
Starts the game
Pauses

[To the right of “SELECT:”]

選択の決定
Determines the selection

[To the right of “A:”]

落下パネルの時計回り回転
Rotates the falling panels clockwise

[To the right of “B:”]

複数パネルの位置替え
Changes the position of multiple panels

十字キー左右 : パネルの左右移動
Left and Right on a Control Pad : Move the panels left and right

十字キー下 : パネルの落下加速
Down on a Control Pad : Accelerates the fall speed of the panels

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Preliminary English Translations for Page 14 of the Instruction Booklet:

ゲームの目的
Object Of The Game

…ったく、お父さんの無責任さにもまいる
なぁ…なんてあきれてる場合じゃなあ〜い!!
私にはやらなきゃならない事がいっぱいある
し。
… Good grief, I’m stricken by the irresponsibility of
father… Aah! How shocked I am by this situation!!
I need to work at my fullest capacity.

…そう、研究室にあったあのメモに処理方法が
書いてあったの。
それによると”ミュー”は断片にある穴で呼吸し
ているから、これを塞げばいい…とのこと。
… OK, how to deal with this was written on that note that
was in the laboratory.
According to this… “since a ‘Mu’ breathes from the hole
that is in its body, this hole should be blocked up.”

うーん、要するに口を全部塞いで窒息死させれ
ばいいんだね。
Well, essentially, if I block up a Mu’s mouth entirely,
it should die of suffocation, don’t you think?

“ミュー”は死ぬと空気中の酸素によって体が溶
かされて消えるそうだ…って、これは別にどう
でもいいかな。
When a “Mu” dies, it is said that it disappears, the
body being disintegrated by the oxygen in the air…
Hmmm, it’s OK if I do this separately.

Preliminary English Translations for Page 15 of the Instruction Booklet:

だって目的はたくさんの”ミュー”を同時に消し
て、1匹も残らぬように消失させる事なんだか
ら。
However, the goal is to erase lots of “Mu’s” at the same time and
to make them disappear in such a way that not even one organism
remains.

…これを読んでいるそこの君、しっかり私を操作
してね。
なんといっても君 の腕次第なんだから…。
… You, there, who is reading this, please operate me reliably.
After all, I’m depending on your skill….

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Preliminary English Translations for Page 12 of the Instruction Booklet:

[In the green bar at the top]

キャラクター紹介
Character Introduction

[Inside the girl’s speech bubble]

私、片桐 リサ13歳。
性格は明るくて、
ちょーっと気が強いっ
てとこかな。
一応このゲームの主人
公だよ。
(スタン博士の娘)

I am 13-year-old Lisa
Katagiri. I have a very
strong-willed and bright
personality. Tentatively,
I am the main character
of this game.
(Daughter of Dr. Stan)

[Inside the organisms’ speech bubble]

ミュー、ミュ
ミュー ミュ〜〜。
(訳 : 僕達、原生動
物で「ミュー」 と
いうんだ。謎の多
い生物だよん。)

Myoo, myuh
myoo myoo-oo-oo.
(Translation: We, the
protozoans, are called
“Mu’s.” We are numerous
organisms of mystery.)

Preliminary English Translations for Page 13 of the Instruction Booklet:

[Inside the older man’s speech bubble]

ふっ私は片桐スタン35歳だ。
研究所の所長も勤めておる。自分
で言うのもなんだが、なかなかの
切れ者だぞ。
(でも性格はいいかげん : 娘談)

Hah, I am 35-year-old Stan Katagiri.
I serve as head of the research institute.
If I may say so myself, I am quite a sharp
and able person.
(With an irresponsible personality,
however. See daughter’s story.)

[Inside the younger man’s speech bubble]

はじめまして。
甲斐ケンと申しま
す。年は18歳で
す。年のわりには
よくしっかりして
いると言われます。
現在片桐博士の
助手をしています。

How do you do?
My name is Ken Kai.
I am 18 years old.
It is often said that
I have an old head
on young shoulders.
Currently, I am an
assistant to Dr. Katagiri.

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Preliminary English Translations for Page 11 of the Instruction Booklet:

「な〜にこれ…。」私がいつものように研究室のドアを開ける
と、そこはいつもと違う光景だった。私の目の前で、奇妙な
生物が部屋中を覆いつくしていたのだ。「これって、お父さん
の研究していた生物じゃないの〜。部屋の中にいないところ
を見ると逃げたなあ一。」ふと、机の上のメモに気づいた。こ
の状況の原因と生物の対処法とが書いてある。“後は宜しく”
と父の伝言と甲斐君の“博士を探してきます”というメモを
手に、私の体は硬直した。
「もう〜、おとうさん見つけたらタダじゃすまないからね!!」
そんな私の目の前で、『ミュー』達はどんどん増え続けていっ
た。

“What’s this?…”

When I opened the door to the laboratory as usual, there was an unusual sight. Before my eyes, strange organisms covered the room from wall to wall.

“What are these? These are not the organisms that father has been studying.”

I didn’t see anybody inside the room and wanted to run away. Unexpectedly, I noticed a note on the desk. Written on it was the cause of this situation and how to deal with the organisms. Having Mr. Kai’s “looking for the doctor” note and father’s “I wish you the best” message in hand, my body stiffened.

“From Father: I’m sorry about everything, but I know you can take care of it!”

With such in front of my eyes, the “Mu’s” continued to increase rapidly.

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Preliminary English Translations for Page 10 of the Instruction Booklet:

「げげっ、…これはやばい!!こんな事が学会のメンバー
に知られたら、私の名前に傷がつく。……甲斐君、この事
は誰にもいってはならんぞ。私はしばらく隠れておるか
らな。」「そ、そんな…この状況はどうするんです？」「そ
んなものリサにでも任せておけ。もう、授業が終わるこ
ろだろうからな。」そういって博士はドアから出ていっ
てしまった。「そういうわけにはいきませんよ、博士!!」
すでに姿の見えなくなった博士の後を追って甲斐も
部屋を出ていった。

“Oh no!… This is terrible!! If this becomes known to the members of the institute, my name will be tarnished! …… Mr. Kai, this cannot be mentioned to anyone. Because of this, I am going to hide for a while.”

“This, this… What should I do about this situation?”

“Just leave this matter to Lisa. Yes, because it is probably about the time when her classwork ends.”

So saying, the doctor went out the door.

“That isn’t really a good reason, Dr.!!”

Kai also left the room, chasing after the doctor, who was already no longer visible.

Attachments:

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