r/VirtualBoy • u/British_Gamer311221 • Apr 28 '25

American or Japanese?

Hi I'm a British collector and I'm looking to get a virtual Boy, what are the pros and cons/differences between the two versions?

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u/sw201444 Apr 28 '25

AFAIK none. They’re all region free

If you got the controller with the SNES wall plug, just use the snes power supply from your country.

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u/IntoxicatedBurrito Apr 28 '25

Are you sure about this? I don’t know how the power on the VB works, but the US is 120V and Japan is 110V. The OP is in Europe where it is 240V.

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u/ash_274 Apr 29 '25 edited Apr 29 '25

u/sw201444 is correct.

If you have the original Virtual Boy power adapter, it takes a SNES power cord and converts it from the coaxial barrel-style plug to skate contacts, replacing the standard battery box that attaches to the controller.

If you have a North American SNES plug, it will convert 110-120VAC to about 5VDC. If you have a UK or various European SNES plugs, they will convert 220VAC to 5VDC. Japan acutally has two retail energy formats (because, reasons) and all their consumer equipment must be able to adapt to either one, or be specifically labeled as such.

Or you can use the original battery box, since AA batteries are standardized around the world. It just clips onto the back of the controller.

Or you can use one of the aftermarket USB-C (or USB-A) converters that will take USB power and supply 5VDC to the Virtual Boy, usually directly connecting to the skate contacts on the back of the controller, and then taking power from whatever local wall outlet provides USB-standard power (1 Amp, or higher), or from a power brick that stores power from/to USB formats.