Nintendo surprised fans during its September 12, 2025 Direct presentation by announcing the return of its failed 1990s Virtual Boy console as an accessory for Switch and Switch 2 systems. The revival comes with two purchase options and several requirements that might raise eyebrows among Nintendo fans.
The Virtual Boy accessory will be available in two versions starting February 17, 2026: a $99.99 plastic replica that mirrors the original 1995 tabletop unit, and a cheaper $24.99 cardboard model. Both accessories will be required to play the newly announced “Virtual Boy – Nintendo Classics” game collection, which will be accessible only through Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership.
Nintendo’s US store listing shows these accessories can only be purchased by paid Nintendo Switch Online members, creating multiple barriers to accessing the content. The devices are designed for Switch and Switch 2 systems, with the official product page specifically stating the Switch Lite is not compatible.
The company plans to release 14 stereoscopic 3D games “over time” through the service, representing most of the original Virtual Boy’s small library, which totaled just 22 games during its short lifespan. The console sold 770,000 units before Nintendo discontinued it in 1996, just one year after its release.
Games confirmed for the service include Mario’s Tennis (an original pack-in game), Galactic Pinball, Teleroboxer, various Tetris versions, Red Alarm, Wario Land, Jack Bros., V-Tetris, Virtual Bowling, Golf, Space Invaders: Virtual Collection, and Innsmouth no Yakata (also known as Innsmouth). Several of these titles were never released outside Japan in the 1990s, making this revival noteworthy for game preservation.
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The store listings include an age guidance of “for use by children 7+ only” with parental supervision recommended, along with a Proposition 65 warning about potential cancer and reproductive harm. These warnings reflect concerns about the original Virtual Boy, which gained notoriety for causing eye strain and headaches due to its red-and-black 3D display technology.
This isn’t Nintendo’s first recent experiment with 3D visuals or VR-adjacent technology. The company previously released Nintendo Labo VR in 2019, which also used cardboard constructions for the Switch. The 3DS handheld featured autostereoscopic 3D without requiring glasses, and various AR features appear in Nintendo theme park attractions and games.
The Virtual Boy announcement was part of a larger Nintendo Direct focused on Mario’s 40th anniversary celebrations, which included remasters of Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 among other announcements.
For Nintendo fans interested in experiencing these long-lost games, the requirements are clear: purchase either the plastic or cardboard accessory, maintain an active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription, and own a compatible Switch or Switch 2 system. The US store currently lists availability for the US and Canada, with no confirmation yet for other regions.
Initial reactions from gaming media have been mixed, with outlets noting the surprise factor while questioning the multiple paywalls needed to access this piece of gaming history.
