- Nintendo brings back the virtual boy, its worst console for some reason
- Virtual boy games come to Nintendo Switch online and require a dedicated accessory
- It looks like a recreation of the virtual boy with a slot to Nintendo Switch 2
The latest Nintendo Direct is officially completed and I can only assume that the Japanese gaming giant has lost the plot.
Sure it was absolutely full of incredible revelations that render completely from a Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 collection to a brand new Four emblem Play, but a message has left me to scratch my head.
The company officially brings back the virtual boy – an old strangeness that is largely considered one of the worst consoles ever released.
An early attempt at virtual reality, it came out in 1995 and was a gigantic critical and commercial failure. Looks like a strange lobster red pair of goggles, the headset was awkward to use, massively expensive and could notorious only play titles in red and black.
It sold less than 800,000 units and was interrupted in less than a year, so I can’t imagine what had Nintendo to bring it back from the dead.
As confirmed in the presentation, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers will be able to play Select Virtual Boy game from February 17, 2026.
Playing them requires a dedicated accessory designed according to the notorious system. It looks like an almost accurate recreation, but has a new slot where you can insert the Nintendo Switch 2, where it will apparently act as the console’s screen.
A separate cardboard version of the accessories is also offered. Although there are no official words about pricing yet, it seems to be safe to assume that the paper variant will be much cheaper.
There will be a total of 14 games offered, which is a massive part of its library when you consider that the system only got a total of 22 games around the world.
