Nintendo's strangest Switch 2 accessory has arrived: a remarkably faithful recreation of the Virtual Boy.
Toward the end of last year, Nintendo dropped the surprise announcement that Virtual Boy games would soon be playable on Switch and Switch 2 via the company's subscription-based membership service, Nintendo Online + Expansion Pack. For the first time in 30 years, Nintendo fans would be able to play Virtual Boy games like Red Alarm, Wario Land, and Mario's Tennis on a current-gen Nintendo console.
Perhaps even more surprising was the announcement that the catalog of Virtual Boy games would be accompanied by two new accessories: an inexpensive cardboard "headset" priced at $24.99, and a full-on replica Virtual Boy for $99.99. In both cases, the Switch and Switch 2 slot into these accessories (like a dock) in order to play the old games.
Editor's Note: What Exactly Was The Virtual Boy?
We're aware that not everyone knows what the Virtual Boy was, so here's a quick rundown.
Released in 1995, Nintendo's Virtual Boy was the first standalone home stereoscopic 3D gaming system, providing a 384×224 red-only image to each eye via its two lenses. While often described as a "VR headset", Virtual Boy lacked any kind of head tracking, not even rotational, and had a tiny field of view of around 20 degrees. That's not to say it wasn't an interesting 3D device - it just wasn't really VR.
Virtual Boy was a market failure, selling very few units, and was discontinued after just one year. But it had a lasting cultural impact in the gaming world, and is looked back on fondly by many in the VR industry.
I've been a Virtual Boy fan since I was 11 years old and found one sitting under the Christmas tree in 1995. I've written about why I think the retro system is worth experiencing (and owning) in 2026, and I've written about alternative ways to play the system's tiny library of games on modern VR headsets like Meta's Quest. So it's quite natural that I'd have bought the new headset the moment it was announced. Which I did.
Well, it's arrived. And it's beautiful.
A couple of items of note: To start, due to the way that Virtual Boy games are displayed, you will need to buy one of Nintendo's official accessory "headsets" to play the Virtual Boy's catalog on Switch and Switch 2.
A Nintendo rep had previously stated that the old Labo cardboard headset would work just fine, but a subsequent statement issued by the company walked back that claim, saying that to play VB games, you'll need to buy the new gear.
Second, I'm using the term "headset" loosely. Virtual Boy was never, in fact, a headset, as Nintendo opted to sell it on a stand, rather than in a configuration that allowed mounting the unit to your head. This was the right call, since the original Virtual Boy was ridiculously heavy, and though the new replica "headset" is lighter, it's indeed a replica. The new model is not a headset, either.
Hardware First
What most surprised me when the headset arrived was just how faithful its design is to the original system. Owning my launch edition Virtual Boy from 1995 gave me a great opportunity to put the two pieces of hardware side by side, to compare the units and take some photos.
It's so identical that my ten-year-old daughter (who I taught to solder on my original Virtual Boy when its ribbon cables detached) saw the new unit and asked, "You bought another Virtual Boy?"
It's true that the new Virtual Boy is slightly larger than the original, but then again, we need to slot a Switch or Switch 2 inside it. That naturally requires some extra space. That said, the small details are incredibly accurate. The rubber bumpers on the side of the unit, the rubber nubs at the end of the stand's legs, the focus and IPD controls, the (fake) volume control and headphone jack and EXT. port, they're all here and replicated perfectly. Even the stand's adjustment mechanism utilizes a virtually identical acorn nut as the original.
The next thing you'll notice is that it's remarkably well made. The stand feels good, deploys tightly, and holds the unit well. The adjustment point on the stand also cinches tightly. The plastic feels dense and solid, the spring-loaded docking cradles work beautifully and hold the Switch in place nicely, and the satin foam of the eye-shroud feels more comfortable than the original.
In short, Nintendo did a great job making an almost perfect replica of their least successful gaming system.
It should also be noted that the new Virtual Boy arrives configured to work with Switch 2. To use the original Switch, we are required to install an adapter plate, which involves unscrewing four screws, swapping the plate, and reattaching the screws. The adapter plate comes packaged with the unit.
James Tocchio
Do You Need One?
Do you need to spend $99.99 on a replica Virtual Boy headset? Probably not. Despite it being well made and effective at its one and only job, unless you're a big fan of weird tech and oddball experimental products, you'll almost certainly regret buying this thing.
Additional strikes against it would come down to the fact that these games are only accessible on Switch or Switch 2 via Nintendo's subscription service. You won't really own these games on Switch unless Nintendo releases some sort of purchasable collection. As of now, you're buying a headset to play games that you're essentially renting.
And if you've never played Virtual Boy and simply want to try out some old, weird games, there are cheaper and easier ways to experience Virtual Boy's compact library.
But if you're like me and love the Virtual Boy, well, you've probably already spent the money.
If you'd like your own Virtual Boy for Switch and Switch 2, you'll have to be a member of Nintendo Online, and then grab one via the company's website. We'll have an overview of all the Virtual Boy games playable on Switch and Switch 2 soon.
