Key Highlights:
- Nintendo is bringing back the Virtual Boy to its Nintendo Switch Online service.
- This includes select games with modernized layouts and controls.
- The Virtual Boy was limited by the technology of its time, and never managed to break into the mainstream,
The long dormant Virtual Boy is all set to make its return to the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, via the Nintendo Switch Online program. The Virtual Boy was one of the worst Nintendo consoles ever made, but regardless it is nice to see Nintendo have a change of heart and preserve decades of gaming history, for once.
There is a catch however, and certain existing accessories won’t really work with the NSO service, which is a bit of a disappointment. More on the same below.
Nintendo to Bring Virtual Boy Classics to the NSO Service
The Virtual Boy Nintendo Classics are expected to be making their way to the Nintendo Switch Online service soon. Nintendo officially unveiled the details wherein the small (but significant) number of games were revealed:
- Galactic Pinball
- Teleroboxer
- RED ALARM
- Virtual Boy Wario Land
- 3-D Tetris
- GOLF
- The Mansion of Innsmouth
Of course, you’ll be required to have an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription in order to gain access to these classic titles. The games include a Rewind function, along with the ability to view and remap controls (for modern control layouts and usability).
That’s not all though, and the Virtual Boy collection is also expected to grow over time, bringing more classics to the NSO service. Unfortunately, the Nintendo Labo VR Kits will not be compatible with the Virtual Boy NSO games, which is quite a disappointment and seems like a serious missed opportunity.
Instead, you will have to purchase the Virtual Boy Cardboard pack, which we assume provides a similar VR experience. Still, it’s a shame that the Labo VR kit is not compatible, given how similar the entire concept design is.
A Brief History of the Virtual Boy
Released back in 1995, the Nintendo Virtual Boy was an ill fated experiment in Nintendo’s lineup of game consoles. It was marketed as being one of the first portable consoles (which it very clearly wasn’t), and came with an obscene price tag that promised real, 3D, stereoscopic graphics that seemed like the future of gaming.
The result was far from what Nintendo marketed it as though, and the Virtual Boy was essentially a headset accessory that resembled a very bulky version of modern VR headsets.
This made it almost impossible to lug around, making it far from whatever Nintendo’s claims of a portable headset were. The hardware was also a bit problematic to say the least.
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The Virtual Boy came equipped with a single, monochromatic red display that could not display any additional colors, making it a real headache to actually use. The 3D effect was brought about by oscillating mirrors within the headset, which also quite literally gave you nausea.
Despite technical limitations though, the Virtual Boy was an impressive piece of tech at the time, and enjoyed a surprisingly capable selection of exclusives. Virtual Boy Wario Land and Mario’s Tennis were considered to be the ‘killer apps’ of the system, as was Red Alarm, a Star Fox esque 3D shooter.
Ultimately, at $180, the Virtual Boy was considered to be too expensive and gimmicky to justify buying a unit, and was deemed a failure. The system was discontinued quickly and Nintendo went on to focus on the N64 console instead.
