When it comes to mocking the Virtual Boy, Red Alarm is a game that comes up a lot due to how the wireframe graphics mean that its impossible to tell apart walls from gaps. If you’re looking at screenshots or not paying attention, that’s certainly true, but the depth effect and just looking at the level structure as you go though it means that the vast majority of the time, it’s quite clear what you can and can’t fly into. I did encounter one or two problems with it, but it’s really a minor issue.

From the Virtual Boy launch titles, Red Alarm is the only one that takes place in a 3D space, letting you fly around in all angles. The levels are still very long corridors, but you still have full movement. The left D-pad turns you around, the right D-pad provides a dodge while L lets you turn faster. You don’t need to hold down a button to accelerate (other than boosting or reversing), instead you use A and B to set the speed level and let go. It controls quite nicely, and is quite enjoyable, although quite difficult.

You can also change the camera angle with the select button, with a couple of behind-the-ship views, a first person view and a cool looking but rather useless angled view. There are six levels in total, each consisting of the main level followed by a boss encounter in a large enclosed arena. It’s the strongest of the Virtual Boy’s launch titles and enjoyable in itself.

Fun

Remake or remaster?

It would be nice to see this with texturing and colour. Perhaps D4 Enterprise can do something with it.