Ending the Virtual Boy retrospective on a high note, Bound High is a cancelled Virtual Boy game that was fully complete, and is actually a ton of fun. You played as a small see-through ball as it bounces up and down, with the camera looking on from above. This means you’re constantly moving backwards and forwards as the level zooms in and out. On a 3DS screen, this looks great and isn’t disorienting in any way. The objective in each level is simple: take out all enemies.

Throughout the game, you’ll encounter enemies with require different tactics to defeat, and you’ll have to use various types of blocks to achieve this, such as timing your jumps on one-use blocks so that there’s an enemy on it when it vanishes, or using bounce pads to jump high up into the air to break the shells of tougher enemies. Each concept is introduced slowly before being used in more difficult situations, so Bound High constantly keeps you on your toes. There’s even boss stages for every world. The developers manage to do a lot with a simple concept.

There’s also an additional mode called “Pocket and Cushion” which is like a cross between pool and crazy golf, where you have to pocket the balls in a limited time using the mechanics of the game. There’s a good amount of levels and it helps extend the game by using the satisfying core gameplay in a different way. After Bound High! was cancelled, Japan System Supply used the main character for the game and used him in a 2D platformer on the Game Boy called Chalvo 55.

Fun

Remake or remaster?

It would have been great to see this on the 3DS, but as Japan System Supply went out of business in 2000 and parts were acquired by different countries, it might be difficult to find out who actually owns it.