At the September 2025 Nintendo Direct, one announcement stood out above all: the Virtual Boy is back. Once considered Nintendo’s greatest failure, the infamous red-and-black console from 1995 is being reimagined as a brand-new accessory for Switch and Switch 2, set to launch in February 2026.
Rather than relaunching the original hardware, Nintendo has created a headset accessory that allows players to insert their Switch console and experience stereoscopic 3D visuals inspired by the Virtual Boy. The twist? Nintendo is leaning all the way into the nostalgia, with those iconic monochrome red-and-black graphics intentionally preserved.
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Released in 1995, the Virtual Boy was marketed as the future of 3D gaming, years before VR was mainstream. Instead, it flopped. With fewer than one million units sold, limited software, and uncomfortable hardware, Nintendo discontinued it by 1996.
But over time, the Virtual Boy gained a cult following. It became less of a misstep and more of a symbol of Nintendo’s willingness to experiment, even if it meant failure. Now, nearly 30 years later, that spirit of risk-taking is being celebrated, not forgotten.
The new accessory won’t just be a gimmick. Nintendo confirmed that 14 classic Virtual Boy games will be playable via Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. Launch titles include Mario’s Tennis, Galactic Pinball, Teleroboxer, Mario Clash, Virtual Boxing, V-Tetris, Space Invaders, and Wario Land.
Several Japan-only releases are also expected to make their Western debut, with the library set to expand over time.
The headset will come in two models:
- A rigid plastic version ($99.99 / €84.99), modeled after the original design
- A DIY cardboard version ($24.99 / €21.24), in true Nintendo Labo style
Both options will be available from Nintendo’s official store starting February 17, 2026.
Nintendo isn’t positioning this as a rival to modern VR headsets. Instead, it’s a playful, self-aware celebration of its own history, part product strategy, part cultural wink. After the successful relaunch of the Nintendo 64 with a 4K upgrade, the Virtual Boy revival underscores how Nintendo continues to mine its heritage in unexpected ways, transforming even its most notorious missteps into moments of joy and curiosity for a new generation of players.
