Tried out: Nintendo's new Virtual Boy shows why the original flopped
Our author bought Nintendo's latest Switch accessory, the "Virtual Boy," and tested how the pseudo-VR headset from the 90s holds up today.
The replica of Nintendo's biggest flop still causes a stiff neck in 2026.
(Image: Josef Erl)
The Virtual Boy went down as one of the biggest flops in gaming history and stayed on the market for a whopping twelve months after its release in July 1995. In Japan, production was even stopped after just six months, while North Americans were supplied until December 1996. It was never officially released in Europe. A total of around 770,000 units are said to have been sold worldwide. The fact that anyone bought this absurd piece of technology was probably due to the trust in the Nintendo brand, which at the time had established itself as the global market leader in gaming with the NES (1983), Game Boy (1989), and Super Nintendo (1990).
After a falling out with Sony over a CD drive for the SNES and Sony's entry into the console market in December 1994, Nintendo saw its leading position in danger – rightly so. The PlayStation was a huge success, while work on the SNES successor, the Nintendo 64, stalled. To avoid falling behind Sony and old rival Sega, the time until the N64 had to be bridged somehow. So Nintendo decided to finally kill the VR hype of the nineties, which had long since faded. The result: a strange hybrid of VR headset and stereoscope, which exclusively displayed red tones on a black background and had to be placed on an awkward stand on the table. What could possibly go wrong?
Meanwhile, the Virtual Boy has become a cult object, not just among Nintendo fans. Collectors have to expect prices of several hundred euros – including for the games. Last September, Nintendo finally decided to breathe new life into its unloved child and release the Virtual Boy as an official Switch accessory.
Nintendo Virtual Boy 2026 (6 Bilder)
Lieferumfang Virtual Boy
Josef Erl
)Uncomfortable and impractical – just like its parent
Visually, the Switch accessory is very close to the slightly smaller original. Only on the underside is the lack of a cartridge slot noticeable, which is no longer needed in the Switch version. This is hinged and swallows an entire console instead of a game cartridge. A Switch or Switch 2 serves as the processing unit and image generator, reducing the new Virtual Boy to a plastic housing with lenses. The IPD, focus, and volume controls, as well as the controller and Playlink slots on the housing, are merely design elements without function, although Nintendo has made great efforts to create a replica that is as detailed as possible. The stand also resembles the original, and overall the plastic bomber feels quite high-quality.
However, close to the original also means that Nintendo has made no improvements whatsoever compared to its impractical and uncomfortable predecessor. The stand is still just as small as it used to be and can only be tilted. So there is still no comfortable way to play with the Virtual Boy. Since there are no more haptic IPD and focus controls, image optimization is done via button press through a menu on the Switch before playing.
Nintendo does not provide IPD values, but changes the image size on the display in steps from -20 to +20. Once your own sweet spot is found, the Virtual Boy delivers a surprisingly sharp and stable image without distracting overlays. To make the side-by-side 3D displayed on the Switch appear truly "spatial," Fresnel lenses are used. The red filter is removable, making the Virtual Boy also suitable for Labo content.
The Virtual Boy controller with its unique button layout and two D-pads has not made it into the scope of delivery, by the way. You play with the Joy-Cons. It is quite possible that Nintendo, similar to the NES, SNES, and N64, will later release an adapted version for the Switch. We would have expected a Joy-Con holder in the Virtual Boy design.
Small software selection at a high price
The original Virtual Boy offered only 22 games. Nintendo has already announced that only a total of 14 titles will make their way into the Nintendo Classics offering for the Switch. At the launch of the new Virtual Boy, only "Virtual Boy Wario Land," "Teleroboxer," "3-D Tetris," "Galactic Pinball," "GOLF," "Red Alarm," and "The Mansion of Innsmouth" are in the library. Nine more titles, including "Mario's Tennis," "Space Invaders Virtual Collection," and "Mario Clash," are to follow.
You can't buy the games, by the way. To enjoy the monochrome classics, you need at least a single membership for Nintendo's online service, including the expansion pack. This combination is exclusively available as a 12-month subscription and costs almost 40 euros. It is doubtful whether all Virtual Boy games will be released within the next 12 months. This makes the complete experience cost at least 120 euros, without even owning a single game.
It is somewhat disappointing that Nintendo did not convert all titles given the already thin game catalog. However, catching up on the black-and-red classics is not much fun anyway. While the gaming experience on the Switch works excellently – all games are displayed true to the original, perhaps even a bit better than the original. It also means that your neck and eyes will want a break after 20 minutes at the latest. The design of the Virtual Boy is and remains a nightmare, and there is almost no way to play comfortably. Nintendo could at least have made a small adjustment to the stand.
Most games offer a decent depth effect, but quickly become confusing due to the monochrome display. At least: Those who are willing to endure the awkward posture and the permanent red tint now have the official chance in Europe to relive a piece of gaming history – even if it's not exactly the most glorious.
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Conclusion: Successful, but far too expensive replica
The new Virtual Boy is a beautiful, high-quality, and detailed replica of the iconic console flop from 1995 – nothing more and nothing less. Interested parties should definitely note that this is merely a plastic housing for the Switch and not a full-fledged console. The absence of the Virtual Boy controller, the high purchase price, and the necessary 40-euro annual subscription for playing significantly tarnish the overall picture.
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Therefore, the purchase should be well considered, because the original Virtual Boy was justifiably a flop, and playing the 2026 Switch version is also not fun in the long run. A port of the red classics to existing VR headsets would have been a better choice, as some titles are certainly playable. However, bringing its own brands to third-party hardware is not Nintendo's way at all.
Those who still want to experience the monochrome classics and can do without the expensive plastic replica can opt for the much cheaper cardboard version in the Labo style. However, you then have to hold it in front of your face to play.
The Nintendo Switch accessory "Virtual Boy" has been available in the Nintendo online shop since February 17, 2026, and costs 79.99 euros. Nintendo recommends use from age 6. A cardboard version for 19.99 euros is also available. A Nintendo Switch Online subscription is required to play (at least 39.99 euros and a 12-month term).
(joe)
