Nintendo has announced that its short-lived 1995 console, the Virtual Boy, will be added to the Classics Catalog that is accessible through Nintendo Switch Online. The system, a very early attempt at making a virtual reality headset, something commonplace now, will allow for all of its games to be played the way they were intended in VR on both the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 hardware.
The twist here is that Nintendo will be selling Virtual Boy peripherals that are required for players actually to play these games. In fairness, this is not the first time that Nintendo has sold accessories for its classic catalogues, with a set of Joy-Cons having been sold that looked like classic NES controllers, as well as a GameCube controller that released alongside the Switch 2 release for the Switch 2 exclusive GameCube Catalog. Here, though, it appears the peripheral is required to play them rather than just to enhance the experience.
Two versions of the Virtual Boy accessory will be sold. One, at $99.99, is designed to look and feel like the Virtual Boy, complete with a stand that allows you to slot your Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 platforms into it and then look through the viewfinder to play the titles. A cardboard version, appearing similar to the Nintendo Labo Switch add-on that also allowed for a few VR games, will be available for a much cheaper $24.99, though it is unclear if this will have a similar function for slotting your console in.
A total of 14 games will be added to the Classics Catalog for the Virtual Boy, with them beginning to get added on February 17, 2026, and then continuing to get added over time. Games that will be included are Mario Tennis, the first title in the long-running series, and Tetris, to name a few. The classic Atlus Title Jack Bros., which uses the mascot of the Shin Megami Tensei series, will also be added.
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