Best use of DC VMU Screen

[jay_red]

I was playing Virtua Tennis last night and noticed that the VMU would display the game the same as the screen, it was a little slow, but I could seriously play using just the VMU screen.

It got me thinking about different ways developers used the screen. I know in Resident Evil it would display health, and in the football games you could pick your play without your opponent seeing. What are some of your favorite uses of the screen?

[BRIK]

I've never really seen any game use it that much, besides from flashing messages (ie when you were saving). You could collect those little animal things in Sonic Adventure and they would live in your VMU. Apparently you could then bring the VMU with you when you were out and about and take care of them. I never did it though.

[ExedExes]

I was playing Virtua Tennis last night and noticed that the VMU would display the game the same as the screen, it was a little slow, but I could seriously play using just the VMU screen.

It got me thinking about different ways developers used the screen. I know in Resident Evil it would display health, and in the football games you could pick your play without your opponent seeing. What are some of your favorite uses of the screen?

I too noticed that on Tennis 2K2, and the RE games VMU health display is very useful. If you notice just you aren't playing the VMU has very neat animations like on The House of The Dead 2/Typing of The Dead it has a neat title animation on the VMU.

It is also useful in games that do not tell you on screen if they are going to save, sometimes the "OK", "Game Saved" or "Success" on the VMU is also helpful.

Of course you can't look down at it all the time, but if you have a massive DC collection you'll notice the developers never really took the VMU for granted. It was designed to be more than just a memory storage element.

[Opa Opa]

In Skies of Arcadia, Cupil (a small creature owned by one of your party members) helps you find hidden items by making noises and giving you hints on the VMU.

[BRIK]

Come to think of it, Shenmue uses it quite a bit. Like when you learn fight moves, it tells you on the VMU.

[jay_red]

I've never really seen any game use it that much, besides from flashing messages (ie when you were saving). You could collect those little animal things in Sonic Adventure and they would live in your VMU. Apparently you could then bring the VMU with you when you were out and about and take care of them. I never did it though.

I remember loading those on the VMU (they were called chao's) It was a lot like giga-pets or tamagotchi pets. Shame the VMU battery couldnt last very long at all, I dont think I ever replaced them in any of mine.

[harper]

I was playing Virtua Tennis last night and noticed that the VMU would display the game the same as the screen, it was a little slow, but I could seriously play using just the VMU screen.

I thought that was pretty cool too. I used to like playing Virtua Tennis watching the vmu just because it was neat. Other than that I don't think I had any games that made much use of the vmu.

[bacardipr05]

Wasnt there a game where you could train your fighter to be stronger. I seem to remember something like that. Also i think in PowerStone you could trade and view your items. I thought it was a neat idea the VMU. It was under utilized device though. It would have been awesome if at some point Sega made one with perhaps more storage, better processor, more features and in color. It basically just one of them virtua pets things that was the rage back then. I guess that new Wii U thingy a ma jingy is the further evolution of that basic concept.

[vlame]

some football games used them to choose plays secretly.

[ExedExes]

Come to think of it, Shenmue uses it quite a bit. Like when you learn fight moves, it tells you on the VMU.

*BEEEEEEEP BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP BEEEEEEEEP*

means you got the move right