Nintendo’s Virtual Boy Is a Silly but Fun Blast From the Past

Nintendo’s Virtual Boy is arguably one of the strangest-looking gaming contraptions I’ve laid eyes on. It sits on a desk like a little portable grill, but you look into it like a microscope. Your eyes are enveloped in a ruby-red interface, where you can play retro 3D games with the paired controller.

Last week, I got a chance to spend some time with some upcoming video game releases for the Nintendo Switch 2—like Mario Tennis Fever and Resident Evil Requiem—along with new hardware like the fairly faithful reimagining of the 1995 Virtual Boy. The latter stuck with me the most because there’s just nothing else like it. This remake is not a stand-alone console but an accessory for the Switch 2 and original Switch (there’s no tech or power in the new Virtual Boy; it’s just 3D stereoscopic lenses).

Nintendo is known for its weird gambles, but the Switch 2 is a fairly no-nonsense console compared to the original, which was considered quirky at the time. The Virtual Boy has plenty of that weirdness for the Switch 2, even if its appeal will be more niche than the cardboard Labo accessories the company drummed up for the original Switch.

Acquiring one will be tough. On top of the $100 you’ll pay for the Virtual Boy, you need a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription to access the games. That’s pretty limiting, but Nintendo is offering a cardboard model of the Virtual Boy for just $25, making it far more accessible. Unfortunately, the prepurchase period for both is over already, and they’re sold out. Nintendo says you can check back on February 16, though supply is limited. The Virtual Boy officially launches on February 17.

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

Red Alert

The Virtual Boy is sturdy, even if the stand looks a bit feeble; it doesn’t really slide around and can be angled for maximum comfort. You’ll want to make sure you have a height-adjustable desk or chair because that’s the one thing you can’t change on the Virtual Boy. You’ll notice some buttons and dials at the top—for adjusting your inter-pupillary distance (IPD) or focus—but they’re just cosmetic; you can tweak your IPD via the software.

Pop open the plasticky top to insert your Switch 2 (or Switch/Switch OLED!) in front of the lenses. Look into the rectangular eye holes, and everything will be red, matching the original Virtual Boy’s interface. (Nintendo says you’ll be able to change the color in the settings.) The main game library resembles the other libraries for past consoles, like GameCube and SNES. There are seven Virtual Boy launch titles, though an additional nine will arrive throughout the year. Many of these titles were available on the original short-lived console, which was discontinued in less than a year, though a few are unreleased games.