The accessory features a striking red and black design, complete with a tripod stand and large eye lenses. While visually resembling a piece of futuristic optical equipment, its function is to provide a nostalgic bridge for modern users to revisit one of Nintendo’s most daring – and short-lived – experiments in gaming history. The revival speaks to a growing trend of retro gaming and the appeal of revisiting classic consoles with modern technology.
A Brief History of the Virtual Boy: Nintendo’s Odd Experiment
The original Virtual Boy, launched in 1995, is remembered as one of the most unusual and shortest-lived consoles ever created by Nintendo. It was discontinued after just one year on the market, in 1996. Despite its name suggesting “Virtual Reality,” the device wasn’t a true VR system, but rather a 3D gaming console displaying monochromatic red and black graphics.
Designed to be played on a tabletop, the Virtual Boy was Nintendo’s early attempt to explore 3D technology in gaming. While the concept appealed to Game Boy fans and those interested in the idea of VR at the time, technological limitations and its unconventional design hindered its market acceptance.
Design and Functionality of the Virtual Boy Accessory for Switch
The new Virtual Boy accessory aims to replicate the look and feel of the original device. Users simply open the top of the accessory, slide a Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 console inside, and close it. The device functions as a passive VR headset with red filters on the lenses, converting the Switch’s display into an authentic red-and-black 3D visual experience.
While it includes details like headphone jacks and controller ports mirroring the original Virtual Boy, these elements are purely cosmetic. Game control is handled using detached Joy-Con controllers or other Switch-compatible controllers. The Virtual Boy application, available for free on the eShop but requiring a Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription ($50 per year or $80 for a family membership), splits the Switch screen into two distorted views, which then appear as 3D images through the Virtual Boy’s lenses.
User Experience and Comfort
Playing with the Virtual Boy accessory is described as a unique, though potentially less ergonomic, experience for extended gaming sessions. The foam-padded eye lenses are wide enough to accommodate users who wear glasses. However, finding a comfortable viewing angle for prolonged leverage can be challenging. The included tripod stand allows for angle adjustments, but its range is limited, often requiring users to lean forward.
Nintendo has also confirmed that future software updates will enable Virtual Boy games to be played with color variations beyond red and black. The accessory is compatible with both the Switch and Switch 2, with interchangeable internal brackets. However, the Switch Lite is not supported.
Retro Game Collection Offered
Currently, the Virtual Boy accessory offers seven of the 16 games Nintendo has promised to release. It’s worth noting that only 22 games were ever released for the original Virtual Boy system, meaning this collection encompasses a significant portion of its original catalog. Two of the 16 upcoming games have never been released before, adding to the appeal for collectors.
- Wario Land: A side-scrolling Wario game with some depth, reminiscent of Mario games on the Game Boy.
- Golf: Offers several holes and a relaxed aiming system.
- 3D Tetris: A puzzle game with a Tron-like aesthetic.
- Red Alert: A wireframe 3D shooter design similar to Star Fox, but simpler.
- Galactic Pinball: Several classic Nintendo 3D pinball tables.
- Teleroboxer: Similar to Punch-Out but with robots.
- The Mansion of Innsmouth: A spooky 3D dungeon-crawling game (in Japanese).
Upcoming games include Mario Tennis, another Tetris game, a 3D wireframe racer, a 3D version of the original Mario Bros. game called Mario Clash, and 3D Space Invaders. Playing these retro games, with their NES and Game Boy-style pixelated aesthetics in red and black, feels relevant to the current popularity of indie retro aesthetic trends, according to AcehGround.
Collectibility and Future Implications
This Virtual Boy accessory is best suited as a museum piece for retro enthusiasts and those interested in Nintendo’s “lost” 3D gaming experiments, rather than a cutting-edge gaming device. More affordable alternatives exist, such as a $25 cardboard headset for the Switch or Nintendo’s older Labo VR goggles. Unofficial emulators for Virtual Boy games are also available on platforms like Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro.
The return of the Virtual Boy also serves as a reminder of Nintendo’s enduring interest in experimenting with cutting-edge gaming technology. From VR, glasses-free 3D, AR, to modular consoles, Nintendo continues to explore the boundaries of innovation. This accessory may hint at the possibility of Nintendo revisiting a dedicated VR or AR gaming system in the future, or as an extension of the Switch 2, whereas Nintendo’s exact direction remains unpredictable.
