The Virtual Boy Is Back: Nintendo Adds It to Switch Online

Nintendo just announced that the Virtual Boy is coming to Nintendo Switch Online, and surprisingly, it’s bringing along two previously unreleased games. What started over six years ago as a simple online membership has slowly turned into a full-on retro gaming hub, now featuring everything from NES and SNES to N64, Game Boy, GBA, Sega Genesis, and even GameCube titles.

Originally marketed as Nintendo’s first step into VR, the Virtual Boy was more of a 3D tabletop experience, complete with its infamous red visuals and awkward headset design. It didn’t exactly take off—selling under 800,000 units and earning a reputation as Nintendo’s biggest hardware misstep—but it still had some standout games like Mario’s Tennis and Wario Land. With Nintendo continuing to revive its classic consoles through Switch Online, it only feels right that the Virtual Boy is finally getting a second chance.