Nintendo’s Virtual Boy revival has mandatory hardware – and it’s not all cheap

by

Nintendo has announced how much its new Virtual Boy accessories will cost and when they’ll be available, but some of the details haven’t been well-received.

Released in the U.S. in 1996, the Virtual Boy wasn’t a success like the Game Boy. Nintendo quickly stopped making games for it, with only a few titles ever being released.

According to the company website, a full-sized replica of the console will cost $99.99. A more affordable version, made of cardboard and foam, will be available for $24.99. Both versions will launch on February 17, 2026, and work with both the original Switch and the Switch 2.

Games not included

Nintendo has announced that to play the Virtual Boy Classics games – available through the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack – you’ll need to purchase one of two accessories, priced at either $99.99 or $24.99.

The official product description reads:

You’ll need a current Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership to play games on the Virtual Boy – Nintendo Classics.

To play “Virtual Boy – Nintendo Classics”, you’ll need either this accessory or the Virtual Boy (Cardboard Model) for Nintendo Switch 2/Nintendo Switch, which is sold separately.

The need for either Virtual Boy accessory likely stems from the console’s use of stereoscopic 3D technology.

If the new Virtual Boy replica doesn’t have a way to stop games from working unless it’s docked, I’m curious if a cheap pair of 3D glasses – around $5 – could provide the stereoscopic 3D effect instead. We’ll know for sure when the system is released.

Read More

2025-09-14 15:48