Virtual Boy, Nintendo’s much maligned and short-lived early foray into virtual reality will be heading to the Nintendo Classics collection for subscribers to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack on both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, as revealed during today’s Nintendo Direct presentation.
Originally released in 1995, and boasting a monochrome red 3D stereoscopic display, Virtual Boy was not a commercial success, and it was discontinued the same year it was released in Japan, soldiering on until 1996 in North America. The console did not receive a release in other territories.
there were a total of 22 titles originally released for the console, and the Nintendo Direct presentation promised that 14 titles will be released over time, including Wario Land, Galactic Pinball, Red Alarm, Teleroboxer, Golf, Mario Clash, Mario’s Tennis, Jack Bros., Vertical Force, Space Invaders Virtual Collection, V-Tetris, and the previously unreleased 3D Tetris.
And now, over 30 years after its original release, the Virtual Boy is set to get a second lease of life via Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics, but there’s a catch. To play the Virtual Boy titles, players will also have to purchase a dedicated headset peripheral, into which the Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 console is inserted.
Virtual Boy is set to launch on Nintendo Classics on February 17th, 2026.
