Switch 2's Virtual Boy Revival: A Surprisingly Accurate History Lesson (2026)

Here’s a bold statement: Nintendo’s Virtual Boy, often dismissed as a bizarre failure, holds a treasure trove of lessons and surprises that are now being unearthed in the most unexpected way—through the Nintendo Switch 2’s NSO offering. But here’s where it gets controversial: Is this revival a nostalgic gem or a costly gimmick? Let’s dive in.

Less than a year ago, I made a peculiar purchase: a Virtual Boy. My reasons were twofold. First, it filled a quirky gap in my gaming collection. Second, and more importantly, it was for a tongue-in-cheek joke. Nintendo had announced no Switch 2 consoles for media ahead of its launch, so I decided to review another Nintendo portable instead—an expensive gag, but one I don’t regret. As I later detailed in an article, the Virtual Boy is far more than its reputation as a headache-inducing oddity suggests. Even Nintendo’s less successful ventures are fascinating, and the Virtual Boy is no exception, boasting some genuinely great games.

Truthfully, I’ve long anticipated a Virtual Boy revival. I was always puzzled why its titles never made it to the Nintendo 3DS as downloadable games. The Switch, however, seems like a better fit. The real hint came when Nintendo prominently featured the Virtual Boy in its museum, complete with merchandise, signaling no shame in its past. If they weren’t burying it, why not bring its library to Nintendo Switch Online’s classic games suite? And so, it happened.

At a recent event at Nintendo’s European HQ, the Virtual Boy was tucked away—not part of the main showcase, but available for a quick hands-on experience. This makes sense; it’s not a console that demands hours of attention. You glance at the hardware, strap on the goggles, and… that’s about it. But the real question was: could the Switch truly capture the essence of the Virtual Boy experience? Emulating this console has always been tricky. On standard screens, VB games often appear as a flat, overwhelming sea of red. Yet, on the original hardware, there’s depth, shading, and nuance that’s rarely been replicated—until now.

And this is the part most people miss: Nintendo’s Switch implementation nails it. Playing Wario Land or the dizzying 3D Tetris, the layers, shades, and depth are all there, just as I remembered. Chatting with others at the event, I realized only one other person had experienced the original hardware, but I was thoroughly impressed. The sound, channeled through the Switch’s speakers, feels authentic, and the overall experience just works.

The only hiccup? The ‘automatic pause’ feature, which originally activated when you removed the headset, is absent. You’ll need to pause manually, even if you enable it in the settings. But everything else is spot-on.

To play these games, you’ll need a Nintendo Switch Online subscription and a special shell for your Switch, recreating the Virtual Boy’s unique form factor. This makes it the first NSO console requiring an additional investment, but given the original’s quirks, it feels justified. It also allowed Nintendo to fine-tune the emulation for this specific setup, resulting in such accuracy.

I can’t speak to the £17 cardboard version of the add-on, as I didn’t test it, but the £67 ‘full fat’ version is a 1:1 replica, down to the non-functional buttons and sliders. While they serve no purpose here, the end result feels authentic.

This faithfulness means the Virtual Boy’s quirks are intact. It’s still awkward to use—propped on a desk, hunched over like a lab technician peering into a ridiculous microscope. My neck started to ache quickly, and there’s no strap to ease the burden. But in a way, that’s part of its charm. This revival doesn’t shy away from its flaws; it embraces them.

If I have one minor gripe, it’s the absence of the Virtual Boy controller reissue, unlike the NES, SNES, N64, and GameCube. While I understand Nintendo’s hesitation given the £70 price tag, I can’t help but wish for it.

Will this library of crimson classics become your new favorite? Likely not. Will it be a must-have for Switch owners? Probably not. Will anyone under thirty care? Doubtful. But it’s a fascinating history lesson, meticulously accurate, and absolutely deserves to exist.

Now, here’s a thought-provoking question for you: Is Nintendo’s revival of the Virtual Boy a celebration of gaming history or a cash grab for nostalgia? Let me know in the comments—and while you’re at it, what’s next? 64DD and SimCity 64 in the west, perhaps?