The Switch 2's Virtual Boy Is A Tribute To Nintendo's Wackiest Console

Even successful 2026, VR still feels for illustration tech that isn't rather fresh for premier time. When Nintendo released nan original Virtual Boy measurement backmost successful 1995, it was difficult for my 10-year-old encephalon to comprehend a 3D console pinch a bipod, a facemask and a monochrome reddish display. Then, erstwhile you facet successful anemic income that led to nan strategy being discontinued aft only a year, you extremity up pinch a gadget that felt much for illustration a mythical animal than thing you could really buy. But that's changing later this period erstwhile nan Virtual Boy returns arsenic an add-on for nan Switch 2. After getting an early demo of Nintendo's caller accessory, I tin corroborate that this point feels conscionable arsenic weird and quirky arsenic it did erstwhile it first came retired much than 30 years ago.

The astir awesome point astir nan revamped Virtual Boy is really overmuch it looks and feels for illustration nan original. It still features that classical reddish and achromatic colour strategy on pinch a guidelines for propping it up. The biggest quality is that alternatively of having a built-in display, there's a slot wherever you tin descent successful a Switch 2 (with its Joy-Con detached). This brings respective advantages: Since nan Switch 2 has its ain battery, there's nary request for cords anymore. It besides intends you don't person to interest astir swapping successful individual crippled carts, arsenic package tin beryllium downloaded straight from Nintendo's online store. Graphics besides look overmuch sharper than I remember, though I admit that could conscionable beryllium maine getting old. Finally, alternatively of reviving nan Virtual Boy's archaic gamepad, Nintendo smartly opted to fto america usage nan Switch 2's existent lineup of controllers. The extremity consequence is simply a creation that's religious to nan original but doesn't suffer from galore of nan pitfalls that plagued truthful galore 90s gadgets — for illustration tangled wires, awkward controls and fuzzy displays.

However, moreover pinch a adjacent spot of modernization, it's difficult to hole your mind for nan travel backmost successful clip that happens erstwhile you really usage it. Unlike each different modern VR headset, you still don't strap nan caller Virtual Boy onto your face. Instead, you person to set its bipod truthful that its facemask is level pinch your look and past you benignant of conscionable thin successful to immerse yourself successful a world wherever reddish is nan only color. It's decidedly a spot awkward, but it works. Nintendo moreover included a measurement to set IPD, truthful visuals look conscionable arsenic crisp (if not moreso) arsenic they did connected nan original.

That said, nan clunkiest point astir nan Virtual Boy is its games. While Nintendo updated its exterior and internals, nan institution didn't really messiness pinch its package — for amended and worse. This intends you get a comparatively unadulterated look astatine wherever group thought VR was headed 30 years ago, which becomes instantly evident arsenic soon arsenic you footwear into 1 of nan console's first 7 games. Galactic Pinball is slow and trying to clip erstwhile to deed nan flippers to forestall nan shot from getting past you is an workout successful frustration. Meanwhile, Red Alarm feels for illustration a inexpensive larboard of Battlezone, conscionable pinch a vaguely Arwing-shaped level alternatively of a tank. And erstwhile again, nan pacing connected this aerial shooter is glacial. Then there's 3D Tetris, which conscionable benignant of hurts your caput arsenic you effort to driblet pieces from a top-down position while nan full shape pivots astir and ne'er stops moving. The only title that really stands retired is Virtual Boy Wario Land, which was and still is nan champion crippled connected nan full platform.

After playing pinch nan revamped Virtual Boy for conscionable nether half an hour, it's conscionable arsenic eccentric and ungainly arsenic nan original was 3 decades ago. But you cognize what, I wouldn't person it immoderate different measurement because this point is conscionable arsenic overmuch of a clip capsule arsenic it is simply a nostalgic revival of a forgotten system. And if you want to acquisition a hazy conception of what group thought nan early was going to be, location still isn't thing for illustration nan Virtual Boy.

The Virtual Boy add-on for nan Switch 2 officially goes connected waste connected February 17 for $100, pinch nan caveat that buyers will request an progressive Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion battalion membership. Also, successful summation to nan 7 games disposable astatine launch, Nintendo is readying to adhd 9 much passim nan twelvemonth including Mario's Tennis and antecedently unreleased titles specified arsenic Zero Racers and D-Hopper.