Considering Nintendo’s long, illustrious history, the Japanese video game company has a wealth of classics to draw upon and revive for a modern-day audience. So it likely came as a shock to most that the Virtual Boy – arguably Nintendo’s biggest hardware failure – appeared in the most recent Nintendo Direct presentation. Not only are Nintendo Online members going to be able to access the Virtual Boy’s content library, but they’ll also need an accessory to do it.
We’re all for video game preservation here at XRSource, but this has the air of cashing in, rather than bringing a piece of gaming history back to life.
The Virtual Boy Returns
For those who are unaware, the Nintendo Virtual Boy was released in 1996, offering the chance to play unique stereoscopic 3D games. Known for its iconic red and black graphics and the fact that the console needs to be on a table for players to lean into it, the whole premise turned into a massive failure.
Only 14 games were ever made for the Virtual Boy, with titles like Jack Bros going for significant sums of money in the retro scene nowadays. And it’s those games that Nintendo Online members will be able to play early next year. Starting from 17th February 2026, Virtual Boy titles will be steadily released under the Nintendo Classics banner.
However, it isn’t as simple as having a subscription to play these titles. And this is where Nintendo is banking on the Virtual Boy’s cult status and physical rarity.
How to buy a Virtual Boy
So you’ve never played a Virtual Boy game; they look kinda cool in a retro way, and now you’ve got FOMO. Well, to do so, first you’ll need a Nintendo Switch or a Switch 2, easy. Then you’ll need a Nintendo Switch Online membership, not the basic one, either, but the premium Expansion Pack version. The membership is required for two reasons: the first to access the games (which are free), and secondly, the vital accessory is only available to members (one per Nintendo Account).
So you’ve got your Switch/Switch 2, and a premium online account, now you need the Virtual Boy. These are available to pre-order now in two varieties: the classic reproduction of the original Nintendo Virtual Boy hardware (sans controller) for $100 USD/£67 GBP or a cardboard version for $25/£17.
First and foremost, let’s just say if you’re even remotely interested in playing Virtual Boy games, don’t bother with the cardboard version. You are literally paying $25 to wrap cardboard around your Switch – it doesn’t even look that good. And while $100 isn’t cheap for a plastic Virtual Boy stand, at least it looks the part.
After spending all of that, is it going to be worth it? We’re not so sure. One of the reasons Virtual Boy failed was its usability, which hasn’t changed. Plus back in the ’90s, people complained that it was uncomfortable to play and even gave them headaches.
To VR or not VR?
In 1996, the Nintendo Virtual Boy was trying to be an early VR pioneer, however, as we now know, this signalled the end of consumer interest in VR for decades. Of course, nowadays we have excellent virtual reality gaming machines like Meta Quest and PSVR 2. But it’s worth noting that Virtual Boy wasn’t (and isn’t) technically VR.
Nintendo were very careful to avoid the distinction in its announcement, calling it stereoscopic 3D gaming. While it has dabbled in VR, releasing Labo VR in 2019, Virtual Boy can’t be compared to modern VR; it is just a stereoscopic screen at the end of the day.
One for the diehard fans?
So the question is, should you buy one? The team here at XRSource are split, 50% say yes and 50% say no. Practically, if you want to play Virtual Boy games, this is a far easier (and cheaper) solution than buying the original hardware and trying to source all fourteen games. Plus, at least Nintendo is making an attempt to keep these games alive and publicly available.
The extremely litigious company doesn’t like anyone trying to preserve or maintain a library of its games in any form. Open-source apps like Virtual Boy Go on Sidequest do offer an alternative, albeit with the questionable legality of using emulators. You do need a game ROM from somewhere, and if you don’t own the game, well, that’s where it gets murky and Nintendo gets angry.
If you’re a lifelong Nintendo fan, then go for it – you’ve probably already made your pre-order. But for those who just love a bit of Mario Kart or The Legend of Zelda, this new accessory seems a bit too much.
