Nintendo's Virtual Boy is arguably one of the strangest-looking gaming contraptions I've laid eyes on. It sits on a desk like a little portable grill, but you look into it like a microscope. Your eyes are enveloped in a ruby-red interface, where you can play retro 3D games with the paired controller.
Last week, I got a chance to spend some time with some upcoming video game releases for the Nintendo Switch 2—like Mario Tennis Fever and Resident Evil Requiem—along with new hardware like the fairly faithful reimagining of the 1995 Virtual Boy. The latter stuck with me the most because there's just nothing else like it. This remake is not a stand-alone console but an accessory for the Switch 2 and original Switch (there's no tech or power in the new Virtual Boy; it's just 3D stereoscopic lenses).
Nintendo is known for its weird gambles, but the Switch 2 is a fairly no-nonsense console compared to the original, which was considered quirky at the time. The Virtual Boy has plenty of that weirdness for the Switch 2, even if its appeal will be more niche than the cardboard Labo accessories the company drummed up for the original Switch.
Acquiring one will be tough. On top of the $100 you'll pay for the Virtual Boy, you need a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription to access the games. That's pretty limiting, but Nintendo is offering a cardboard model of the Virtual Boy for just $25, making it far more accessible. Unfortunately, the prepurchase period for both is over already, and they're sold out. Nintendo says you can check back on February 16, though supply is limited. The Virtual Boy officially launches on February 17.
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Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Red Alert
The Virtual Boy is sturdy, even if the stand looks a bit feeble; it doesn't really slide around and can be angled for maximum comfort. You'll want to make sure you have a height-adjustable desk or chair because that's the one thing you can't change on the Virtual Boy. You'll notice some buttons and dials at the top—for adjusting your inter-pupillary distance (IPD) or focus—but they're just cosmetic; you can tweak your IPD via the software.
Pop open the plasticky top to insert your Switch 2 (or Switch/Switch OLED!) in front of the lenses. Look into the rectangular eye holes, and everything will be red, matching the original Virtual Boy's interface. (Nintendo says you'll be able to change the color in the settings.) The main game library resembles the other libraries for past consoles, like GameCube and SNES. There are seven Virtual Boy launch titles, though an additional nine will arrive throughout the year. Many of these titles were available on the original short-lived console, which was discontinued in less than a year, though a few are unreleased games.
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
I never played the original, but I had a surprising amount of fun in a few of these titles. The red wire-frame styling is unique, and the titles make the most of the 3D experience. I jumped back and forth from the background to the foreground as I navigated through Virtual Boy Wario Land, and I avoided missiles as I commandeered a space fighter in the shoot-em-up Red Alarm. 3-D Tetris bested me—to be fair, the controls take a little getting used to—and I got absolutely pummeled in Teleroboxer.
I played these games with a paired Switch 2 Pro Controller, though you can use the Switch 2's Joy-Cons. The games looked bright and sharp—Nintendo says the improved lens clarity, plus the Switch 2's high-res screen, should make the titles look better than on the original Virtual Boy, but there isn't a graphical upgrade. I didn't have trouble with my glasses, either; there's plenty of room for them to fit within the padded face cover.
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
While I didn't have any comfort issues looking into the lenses, I can't imagine myself setting the Virtual Boy up on a table on the regular to play these games, which is why I think the accessory's appeal is limited to die-hard fans and collectors. The cardboard version makes it more accessible for kids, though it's a shame that it's also limited in availability. (Nintendo didn't have the cardboard version on hand for us to try.) It's a fun, weird contraption, and I'm grateful I could get a history lesson on what it must have been like to play the original.
Talking Flower
After my stint in the Virtual Boy, I beat a few players in the upcoming Mario Tennis Fever (launching February 12), immediately put the controller down after 10 minutes in Resident Evil Requiem (February 27), and even got another bout with the Switch 2's mouse mode in Super Mario Bros. Wonder - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park (March 26). Speaking of, the only other piece of hardware at this preview event was the Talking Flower, a character from the aforementioned Wonder.
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Where the Nintendo Alarmo had some utility, the Talking Flower lives up to its name in that it literally just talks when you push the button. “Sometimes it's nice to space out!” “Is it weird for flowers to talk?” There's also a moment where it will shout “WONDER,” and then play background music from the game. It'll talk out loud twice a day, and can be configured to announce the hour, or speak at bedtime and wake-up time. (You can press and hold the button to politely make it shut up.) It can even comment on your room's climate thanks to a built-in temperature sensor.
It's powered by two AA batteries and supports 11 languages. I'll admit I didn't find it anywhere near as interesting, but it's a cute little desk toy, and that's fine! It costs $35 and goes on sale on March 12.
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