Virtual Boy headset replica announced for Switch as Nintendo’s most famous failure makes a comeback
In one of the most surprising announcements of the year, Nintendo has revealed that it is adding games from its most infamous console, the Virtual Boy, to the Nintendo Switch Online service.
The reveal was made during a Nintendo Direct presentation held on the 12th of September.
The Virtual Boy was a video game console released by Nintendo in 1995.
It was a unique piece of hardware that used a special headset to display games in a stereoscopic, three-dimensional red-and-black display.
However, the console was a massive commercial failure and was discontinued in less than a year, and has since become a legendary cult classic among retro gaming fans.
Now, after nearly thirty years, the console is being officially revived.
A new “Virtual Boy” category will be added to the “Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack” subscription service.
To play the games, users will need to purchase a new, dedicated “Virtual Boy” hardware peripheral, which is a faithful recreation of the original 1995 headset that can be combined with a Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 console.
A total of fifteen titles from the original console’s library will be available at the launch of the new service.
The launch lineup includes classic titles such as Mario’s Tennis and Galactic Pinball.
This surprising announcement brings one of the most requested and joked-about parts of Nintendo’s history to its modern platform.
Pre-orders for the new “Virtual Boy” hardware peripheral began today, Friday, the 12th of September.
The “Virtual Boy” games are scheduled to be added to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service on Tuesday, the 17th of February, 2026.
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