The Virtual Boy returns next week, but there are three things I need you know about the Switch Online remake

Yoshiaki Koizumi holding Switch Virtual Boy with Wario Land in backdrop. — (Image credit: Nintendo / Future)

Whether you consider it one of the best retro consoles or a cursed flop, Nintendo is bringing the Virtual Boy back. You'll be able to get your hands on the latest Switch accessory remake on February 17, and pre-orders are already live, but there are three important things I need you to know about the goggles before you rush to grab one.

Originally making its debut way back on July 21, 1995, the Nintendo Virtual Boy is best described as a "tabletop" console. That's largely thanks to the fact that, despite resembling a big red VR headset, it's designed to be used attached to a stand like a pair of tourist trap coin-op binoculars. However, instead of paying a buck to look at something in the real world, you'd blast your eyes with red stereoscopic 3D sights of Mario playing Tennis and Wario being Wario.

The fact that many of the best retro handhelds out there are Game Boys, and the fact that Ninty's VR green pipe dreams ended with the Virtual Boy, tells you everything you need to know about the system. Only 22 games were released for the goggles, which is probably thanks to complaints of migraines and having to hunch next to the thing with a specific controller harming its commercial chances. Yet, here I am, about to fill you in on a remake designed to satiate the curiosity of Switch players, one that takes a different approach than you might expect.

1. The Switch Virtual Boy has no console innards

Hand inserting Switch 2 into Virtual Boy. — (Image credit: Nintendo)

Okay, the fact that the new Virtual Boy isn't actually a console might not be a shocker, but it actually hasn't got any electronic innards. Instead, it serves as a fancy stand for your Switch or Switch 2 with two lenses at the front. The idea is that upon shoving your eyeballs into the googles, you'll experience a stereoscopic 3D effect that's achieved by feeding your peepers two images from Ninty's handheld screen.

Yes, the Switch Virtual Boy is a bit like those cheap pseudo VR headsets made for phones and tablets, and there will no doubt be alternatives already out there that will hold the handheld in a similar manner. Nintendo even has its own cardboard version releasing alongside the plastic accessory for $22.99 (or £16.99 in the UK), so you're pretty much paying for a physical exterior remake rather than one that can act like the original hardware by itself.

2. The new Virtual Boy doesn't come with a controller

Virtual Boy controller with red cross in centre. — (Image credit: Future)

I'm not going to lie, the fact that the Switch Online Virtual Boy doesn't come with a remake of the console's controller is putting me in a bad mood. Nintendo has been re-releasing new wireless versions of its iconic gamepads for years now, and this could have been a chance to place a pretty obscure Ninty pad in the hands of fans who'd have probably never held one otherwise.

Rather than using a specific Virtual Boy controller, you'll instead have to use a Switch pad to play the Expansion Pack collection. The cardboard version has been frequently shown off with a set of Joy-Con still attached to the handheld, since you're meant to hold it up to your face if you go for the cheap version. But, if you've got the full-fat model's stand, you'll be able to take your pick of the best Switch controllers, and I'm personally holding out for a third-party to make a proper matching pad.

I guess the reason Nintendo potentially skipped on a Virtual Boy pad is simply due to the weirdo design. It's rocking two d-pads and a really long pair of grips, and it's something Ninty like isn't ergonomically proud of. Nevertheless, preserving the design of these iconic accessories and making them accessible to players today through recreations and remakes should be the whole point of projects like this, and for $100, it's weird that the goggles don't come with the unique controller.

3. You'll need a paid Switch Online membership, and only seven Virtual Boy games will be available at launch

Screenshot of 9 Virtual Boy games coming to Switch Online in 2026, including Mario Clash, Mario's Tennis, Jack Bros, Space Invaders, Virtual Bowling, Vertical Force, Virtual Tetris, Zero Wars, and D-Hopper. — Nine Virtual Boy games coming to Switch Online in 2026, including Mario Clash, Mario's Tennis, Jack Bros, Space Invaders, Virtual Bowling, Vertical Force, Virtual Tetris, Zero Wars, and D-Hopper. (Image credit: Nintendo)

Trust me when I say I'm mourning the loss of the Virtual Console, as everything Nintendo retro-related is now tied to a Switch Online subscription. That includes the new Virtual Boy library, and the Expansion Pack won't even grant you access to the system's original full library.

Initially, Switch Online subscribers will get seven Virtual Boy games, and Nintendo says 14 will be released over time. Since the original roster consisted of 22 outings, that means eight third-party releases are MIA, and here's a shortlist so you know what you're missing out on:

Nester's Funky Bowling (Saffire)
Panic Bomber (Hudson Soft)
SD Gundam Dimension Wars (Locomotive)
Virtual Fishing (Locomotive)
Virtual Lab (Nacoty)
Virtual League Baseball (Kemco)
Space Squash (Tom Cat Systems)
Water World (Ocean of America)

Sure, that third-party list doesn't contain any coveted Mario adventures, but it's still weird that the whole Virtual Boy collection isn't coming to Switch, given its size. The fact that Ninty will be drip-feeding subscribers releases over time means that, if you do end up splashing out on the headset, you might run out of games to play on it fairly quickly.

Who is the Switch Online Virtual Boy even for?

holding Virtual Boy for Switch 2 with red backdrop — (Image credit: Nintendo)

I'll be sharing my full thoughts on the Switch Virtual Boy once I can shove my mug into the plastic goggles. However, I can already tell you that this specific Online accessory is more for collectors and players seeking novelty thrills than anyone looking for hours of gameplay or entertainment.

Yes, there's a lot to gain from playing Virtual Boy classics in almost the exact same way players would have back in 1995. It's certainly the kind of physical, preservational experience I can get on board with, but ultimately, this add-on is designed to appeal to people who'd pick up the real deal for their shelf if it didn't cost well over $400 at the likes of eBay.

Nintendo's approach to re-releasing the Virtual Boy is questionable, but that doesn't mean it won't be worth buying. It's set to include some meaningful perks, like the ability to switch the nasty red visuals out for something less aggressive, like white or green, and Ninty has a good build-quality track record when it comes to accessory remakes. That said, I'd still consider the above three main points before splashing out on one, especially if you were expecting a fully-fledged recreation.

More Switch Online controllers at Nintendo
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