The newly released Virtual Boy from Nintendo might be more visually appealing than enjoyable to play. Despite its status as both a commercial flop and a critical disappointment, the notoriety surrounding the Virtual Boy has transformed it into an intriguing element of Nintendo's legacy. Original models still fetch hundreds of dollars on auction sites, and enthusiasts have dedicated years to sustaining the Virtual Boy's presence through emulation and homebrew game development. For a significant period, it seemed that Nintendo wished for everyone to forget this ill-fated console ever existed. However, as time passed, the company has grown more at ease with acknowledging and even humorously referencing the system in games like Super Smash Bros. Melee, Tomodachi Life, and Luigi’s Mansion 3.
Reflecting on the Nintendo 3DS and recent innovations such as the Nintendo Switch and Labo, it was not particularly shocking to learn about the reintroduction of the Virtual Boy as a peripheral for the Switch. This new accessory is designed for playing classic Virtual Boy titles through Nintendo Switch Online. There is a certain poetic irony in transforming Nintendo's least successful console into a stylish accessory for its most triumphant system to date. The launch of this revamped Virtual Boy indicates Nintendo's confidence in revisiting one of its significant missteps and creatively reinventing it to enhance the Switch family of consoles.
However, after spending some time testing the new Virtual Boy, I found that Nintendo's assurance regarding this $100 accessory might not be entirely warranted. The combination of the headset and stand is visually striking and quite comfortable to use. Surprisingly, while I anticipated encountering some bizarre visual distortions, the stereoscopic lenses did not induce any headaches. That said, the gameplay experience felt clumsy, giving the impression that the device is more of a nostalgic relic rather than a gaming system I would want to invest substantial time in.
The primary attraction of this device lies in its faithful recreation of the original console's functional elements, while attempting to address some of the issues that contributed to its failure in the 1990s. However, if retro nostalgia doesn’t particularly excite you, it may be wise to skip this plastic model and instead dig out your old Labo kit.
As someone who missed out on the original Virtual Boy and usually finds VR headsets uncomfortable, I was pleasantly surprised by how well the new peripheral fit my face. It is designed to sit on a table and works using a controller after inserting either a Nintendo Switch or Switch 2. In contrast to my cardboard Labo headset, which often allowed external light to seep in, the plastic version of the Virtual Boy immersed me in complete darkness, even in a brightly lit event environment.
That darkness highlighted the vibrant red hues—customizable to other colors—of the Virtual Boy’s monochrome game selection screen, making my browsing through the limited catalog of 3D titles quite engaging. Nintendo has announced plans to release 14 different Virtual Boy titles through its Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription service by the end of this year, which costs $50 annually for individual accounts and $80 for family plans. The first batch of Virtual Boy games will launch on February 17, coinciding with the release of the $100 peripheral and its more affordable $25 cardboard alternative.
While playing titles like Galactic Pinball, Teleroboxer, and a newly ported version of The Mansion of Innsmouth—previously exclusive to Japan—I found myself captivated but somewhat underwhelmed. The games functioned well and embodied the experimental spirit of Nintendo during a unique phase in its history. Although the lens technology was groundbreaking when the original Virtual Boy debuted, it pales in comparison to what Nintendo achieved with the 3DS, failing to convincingly create the illusion of a true 3D gaming experience.
Interestingly, it was the simpler graphics in games such as 3-D Tetris and Red Alarm that truly drew me in with their innovative representation of three-dimensional space. Additionally, it's worth noting that accessing these games has become increasingly challenging over the years. While this new peripheral may not spark a resurgence in Virtual Boy game preservation, it certainly makes them far more accessible, especially for those who were not around during the console's fleeting existence.
Although Nintendo didn’t provide an opportunity to try out the cardboard version of the Virtual Boy, I left feeling much more curious about experiencing that and discovering how these games might translate onto a Labo setup. The plastic model looks impressive and may satisfy those who wished they could have owned a Virtual Boy during the '90s. Yet, in 2026, these types of 3D games seem slightly outdated, raising the question of whether the investment is justified unless you are already subscribing to NSO.
