ICYMI: If You Want To Play Virtual Boy Classics, You'll Need To Buy One Of Nintendo's Accessories

Aren't the Virtual Boy games meant to be universally awful? Never played it and know little about it

That is a strange decision, I immediately thought we could at least play these games in 2d since who will buy a virtual boy? I got these virtual boy games working on my 3ds and they are passable at best by a country mile. This is so so weird.

@Warioware no, the games were actually fairly solid. The problem was the hardware.

@N00BiSH thanks for the reply, in what way was it the hardware?

The VB won't have the original controller attached, which seems crazy considering they resurrected the shell of the system.

So I need to buy physical “hardware” and also keep subscribing to the most expensive subscription tier for that plastic to even have any value.

Hahaha. No.

This is beyond dumb. Would've loved to check out the Wario land game and Jack Bros but I'm not buying that s*** for just that when I'm already paying for NSO.

ESPECIALLY not at the price they're asking. It's a bloody plastic stand!!

@Warioware Wario land and jack bros are the only ones I know are pretty good. Most of the others are low effort as hell, apparently

@X68000

Well, the original controller was wired to the unit so using, say, a Switch Pro 2 Controller would be a major upgrade.

@Warioware
The hardware was very restrictive and wasn't recommended for very young players due to their developing eyes. Yes, it was a 32-bit console, but being limited to one color, the restricted view, and limited library ultimately killed adoption. Nintendo really came out of left field with a product that few wanted.

@Dom_31

I'd disagree about that. Red Alarm was a lot of fun. Virtual Tennis wasn't bad. It's just that for a 32-bit system, with limited colors and mostly low-res, sprite-based games it didn't really show. Nester's Funky Bowling was pretty good and Golf was solid. The games weren't "terrible" but nobody really wanted the console and 3rd party support wasn't there at all.

Personally, I think this is so weird and wacky, and I absolutely love it. Yeah, it's expensive, but who cares. It's incredibly niche that most people won't buy it. I think Nintendo knows most people aren't interested, and I love that they're making it anyway.

@Alienfanatic
Wario Land VB is the system seller. The opening S3D Cutscene and Boss battles are still pretty amazing to see even to this day, aside from being one the best WL titles in the series. Then you've got Telero Boxer, Mario Clash etc

I had a mint CIB copy of Jack Bros that i won in an eBay auction from 2009. Foolishly sold it for Around $150 bucks about a year later. These days the manual alone goes for a grand. LOL

Anyways, this NSO Virtual Boy clone is a day one for me. I just hate the fact that i have to sign up to NSO to gain access to the library of you guessed it, emulated VB titles. And they're not even bundeling the VB controller with the VB, so we'll have to settle with the Pro 2 controller.

@Warioware Most Virtual Boy games are good. The main criticism you can make is that they don't really justify the Virtual Boy's gimmick, but otherwise they're not terrible games in general.
If you were alone on an island and all you had was the Virtual Boy and all its games, you'd be likely be enjoying a bunch of them.

Wario Land is not the only good game on it, there's a bunch more.
The system itself is what got the bad reactions in general, for understandable reasons, but I've seen people who got headaches, I've seen people who could just play for hours, I've seen people who insists that it improved their eyesight as well.

A lot of it was exaggerated because of all the warnings Nintendo was required to have to avoid lawsuits.

PS & Xbox: “Next gen is here.”
Nintendo: “STFU losers, we’re rereleasing our worst console ever made, that’ll be $100.”

It’s just so Nintendo. There was everyone wanting more Game Cube games or even Dreamcast adding to the service and among come Nintendo with the dumbest addition they could possibly think of that no one wanted.

Collectors will love it though.

Nintendo really jumping the shark now.

@BaldB3lper78 You'll still be getting GameCube games it's not like it replaced your games it's just one more console on top of the rest

maybe im dumb for asking, but why isnt there an option to play these games in 2d so its accessible in handheld and tv mode?

but this does give me "hope" that DS games will eventually be added to NSO with a physical attachment, flip grip style. now that we know they arent above doing that

There's only one thing that people are going to buy this for and that is for the meme. And personally, I'm going to laugh at them when they realize that getting a bulky piece of plastic to collect dust at 100-200 bucks simply wasn't worth it.
Then again a lot of people brought the Switch 2 at 500 bucks to collect dust...

As there is a cardboard alternative, I'm not sure how they are going to enforce the requirement for the physical viewer

@Alienfanatic you're missing the point. Most emulated systems have had an optional, authentic controller available to purchase.

Why go to the trouble of making the system case but not adding the wired controller? For $100 it should be included.

the fact that you have to pay for a peripheral to access at most 14 games that you only have access to via subscription is absurd. the fact that the cheaper CARDBOARD option is still $25 is preposterous.
Install Red Viper on your 3DS- you'll have free access to the whole VB library instantly in full 3D, and you can change the color from that harsh red hue. Don't reward Nintendo's greed.

I wonder if there is any chance there will be an option to play the games in full color?

This should have been a headset and a game cartridge like it was a Mini Classic, but using the Switch 2 as the hardware. If they put it out like that I would have bought it. I'm not paying 100 bucks for the right to pay them a monthly fee.

I still have my virtual boy and all I am hoping is this will give me the ability to get a replacement stand as that broke on my system.

I can already play the Virtual Boy library in stereoscopic 3D on my modded 3DS without needing to buy a $100 accessory and awkwardly stick my face into it. A cool option for enthusiasts, but I am already set.

I think asking people to buy extra hardware after already forking out for a more expensive Switch AND being subscribed to the most expensive reoccurring subscription is a bit much. I like that they made this replica, but making it mandatory to play the extremely limited VB library that will never get new content is taking things too far.

They really dropped the ball on this one. I love Nintendo but this was short-sighted.

If you had taken a poll of which platform gamers wanted on NSO, I imagine the virtual boy would have been at the bottom of the list. To then add a hardware requirement is just insulting. Played few titles on my 3DS XL and they were a novelty at best. This is an easy pass.

@boxyguy Honestly the games don't really work in 2d. It really was a good experience playing them in true 3d. There were a couple of games that, while not amazing, were very unique due to the true 3d effect.

@BaldB3lper78 Technically not a console, and for my money it still was better than the Wii U. I put more hours on it than the U.

@Misima surely the 3DS far surpassed the VB in the novelty of stereoscopic gaming. Would rather have seen 3DS titles announced. What are the chances they will release those to work with the hardware viewer?

@splinters the effect is different if it's done with two screens as it is more consistent. Personally I didn't like the 3ds 3d but the VB was okay, it was the system. Not being a headset that was the deal breaker. And they are releasing this even though they could have made it a true headset now. Idk wtf they're thinking.

I'm hoping this opens the door for 3DS eventually. Plus, if they were worried about making the unique input methods work for Nintendo Classics, I think this shows that they are willing to get creative. Though judging from some responses on here, engagement may be stunted.

@splinters I suspect someone is going to be smart enough to sell a headset to wear for 30-40 bucks, or people will 3d print them and sell them online.

Doesn't matter because you're not owning the game.

I own a VB, I cannot play more than 10 min. It gives me headaches. playing position doesn't help: You also have to place the VB in a table, sitting on a char in a fixed position, lean forward and use the controller below the table.
Weird that nintendo chose to replicate the exact same thing.

The controller is awesome, though. Very comfortable.

@Warioware if you compare the games to the options we have today you won't be impressed. But at the time the games were very good. The 3D was very good, especially in the Tennis game and Telero boxer. Red Alarm was the second best Star Fox game ever made, and the other games were the best versions of those games in existence outside of an Arcade. At the time. The problem was no one wanted to sti at a table and strain their necks, and the warnings scared people into thinking their eyes would fall out. Seriously, they made it sound like you were shooting X-rays into your eyes with a hard 30 minute limit to game play. I used to lay down on the couch with the system stuck in the cushions and used pillows to cradle my head. That's how awkward the system was. And Nintendo didn't think to fix that for this release by making a true headset.

This is beyond stupid. This is doing a worse version of the same product and expecting a different result. All the sales will be to content makers and the criminally rich.

Once the service is unavailable, this is basically e-waste. I am surprised that nobody is thinking about this.

I also wonder if the Nintendo Labo VR Kit would be compatible with the Virtual Boy... 🤔

@therube I think $100 for the plastic replica is preposterous, but the $25 “cardboard” option isn’t just cardboard. Looks like it contains a set of lenses in a plastic frame, and then the cardboard holds the frame a set distance from the Switch. In other words, it’s a Nintendo Labo VR headset that can accommodate a Switch or a Switch 2 (or—presumably—a Switch OLED).

Anyone complaining about the price has obviously never tried to play these games on the original hardware. This is an absolute bargain in comparison, and there's little reason for Nintendo to release this, there can't possibly enough demand for it to make a profit.

It's a nice and accessible way to have a Virtual Boy-shaped decoration without having to hunt down the pricy and old original hardware. I wonder if the accessory will sell better than the Virtual Boy itself lol.

I'd get it if I could buy the games individually. But not gonna since it's just the expansion pack.

Surely these can be played without buying the official accessories. Given the way the cardboard version works, you likely can play using the LABO headset, a homemade version or even just a 3D TV. I'll likely try the latter when they become available.

Look I am fine with them locking the system to the most expensive version. I would also be fine if you have to get the peripheral to take advantage of the VB gimmick.

But locking it so you have to have either of the peripherals to play them is a bad idea. Since the system was a flop and only had less then 20 games. If the system was a success and had released over 100 games. It would still be a bad idea to do this but atleast there would be some justification to get the peripheral on a very thin line.

Nintendo should really just really modify the games (or emulator) so that they are playable in 2D and have the peripheral to play it in 3D

@boxyguy A lot of the games rely on the player's depth perception to be playable at all. On the 3DS the 3D was often a gimmick because every game had to be designed to be playable with the 3D slider off. The games couldn't actually be designed around 3D. Virtual Boy games are designed for 3D.

I think you can play it normal if you just focus on one of the 2 images that show up on the screen. I'm assuming it displays 2 images (one for each eye) on the Switch's screen.

I would have payed the $100, but not if I also have to rent the games to play on it.

I pre-ordered the cardboard option. I tried an actual VB at one of those NL Cambridge Computer Museum events and couldn't see anything without my glasses. I just hope the cardboard option works sufficiently enough.

Will the “old” Labo VR headset work just as well though?

@Lewiiugamepad I wondered that about the Labo VR Kit, which I own, and seems very similar to the cardboard version. If not, I probably would buy the cardboard version for this as I don't think I'd spend much time playing any of these, but am interested to give them a go, especially Wario Land!

Although it's still wild that they never added these to the 3DS's Virtual Console seeing as it could do glasses free 3D!

I might consider getting the cardboard option just to give it a try.... The Virtual Boy never saw the light of day in the UK unless you were rich enough to import one, so I've never had to opportunity to play it.

I already subscribe to NSO expansion pass and £16.99 is hardly going to break the bank

No doubt it will be terrible but it's still part of Nintendos history

Thanks Nintendo Life for the amazing article. Respect your work on these.

The state of idiot commentors do your research it was 1995 3D, years after Famcom alka NES 3D that wasn't paper glasses but like PS3, 360 3D TV stereoscopic.

I wasn't even born yet so you bet I do my research because I have frwe time and a brain to use the internfor what it was made for on any subject.

So I would look up thr Xavix Port before Wii Spdots console vy Ex Nintendo employees or on every niche or failed console/handheld, computer tech, controller, gimmicks, peripherals and so on over the course of a few weeks ro months because its piss easy to use Wikipedia, a youtuber or articles, console PC cars slot in (PC RX, 3DO) all 20+ or worse many because I use my brain to use the internet. Unlike the rest of the world.

Irs why game design is so easy for me to understand and hardware gimmicks not I want performance, next IP of.this ans rhat and nostalgia in a bubble. I don't eat up boring game consoles or.gaming. I refuse to fund garbage.

So you bet a console like Switch 1, 2, Wii U doesn't have it. 3DS fan emulation does a fair job of VB. Nintendo never did till now for their own reasons of audience, hardware flexibility and so on small library I guess.

I mean your not paying $1000s or digging up prototypes of VB games are you hardcore audience? So be happy Jack Bros or others are there its expensive.

I don't like NSO either but the peripheral NEEDS TO BE THERE. It's 3D, Switch 2 doesn't have 3D screens, it doesn't have the screen flipping mirrors how the original worked.

How else do you expect it to work? Magic?

It wasn't just red/black pixels or wire frame it was 3D like glasses but not the cheap ones.

It was like having the TV in the headset. But both thr glases/TV inside.

Complain all you want but do research, 100s of youtubers have and point out the games and their good/bad/no 3D or 3D benefits.

They spent their own money doing this for an audience interested in the niche things over the years of.gaming. I respect them for it.

If you want a VB Wario land you got that with Mutant Mudds or Yoshis Crafted World already of back and forth jumping..

But don't treat it likr a theme park ride because your lazy and eat up fads.

I swear it's not hard being into failed consoles and doing a Google search that takes 2 seconds, collectors and historian youtubers DO ALL THIS WORK FOR YOU AND WITH HOW EXPENSIVE OR RARE THEY ARE, something 99% of the world is too.dumb to do it seems in 2 seconds, and are too busy with their lives (understandable) or watching cat videos or other crap, read a wiki or watch 20 minute videos on them.

Because people go oh 3D or oh its dumb and have the intelligence of a 5 year old when it's out of their comfort zone of a TV remote aka a regular controller.

How are hardcore somehow as childish as casuals.

This is why I respect good collectors (not resellers or hold onto things themselves types) and historians and ignore idiots with their heads buried in the sand.

Pretty sure the labo VR goggles will work too

Dancing to the beat of their own drum. Every other company just does safe first person shooters, and sequels, and Nintendo’s like hold my beer. I couldn’t love a games company more.

@Misima i have NSO+ so would be ‘owning’ the game, just not that interested in this platform to be honest.

@Shinnos with red viper on a modded 3ds, you can play them all in glasses free 3D

@splinters Until they decide the cost of hosting the game isn't worth it.

@Warioware Red Alert, Wario, Tennis, and Teleroboxer were fun, but I'm not sure they hold up well enough to justify a $100 accessory. Besides Wario. I'd recommend playing on an emulator though. You can at least make the palette more bearable there.

Do you think it also works with the Nintendo Labo VR? ;

I am going to keep asking until someone can answer this. Will this fake VB have the exact same stand as the original? I need a replacement for the stand because the plastic clip broke 30 years ago and I haven't been able to replace it.

Nintendo, please let that mean I can buy a replacement part finally to restore my virtual boy to insane value.

Im going to get the cardboard one. Like Labo it will wear off quickly, but I love gimmicks.

Love that they’re doing it, hate how expensive it all is and how it’s locked behind expansion pass/can’t be played in 2D. For nearly £70 they should have at least included a cart full of VB games for when the service inevitably shuts down and renders the replica useless beyond decoration.

I love Nintendo, but man... they sure make decisions that only makes sense to them.

Don't see the problem myself. It would cost a forune to buy the hardware and game catalogue these days.

They've given two options to play the games the more expensive plastic and cheaper cardboard version, the latter akin to the Labo stuff for Switch. There are options available for what is really an awkward system to have to emulate. Perhaps there will also be a non stereoscopic option at launch which would save on the extra outlay.

@Shinnos Totally agree with you.
During the 3DS era I was expecting VB games on the 3DS officially but Nintendo didn't.
I would have been awesome to use its 3D functionality in that way.

Even after I get bored of the novelty the unit itself will be a cool part of my collection and as the original unit never launched in the UK and is going for around £500 complete, this seems like a nice way to have it in my collection at a much lower price point.

I'm glad at least one of the three companies in this industry still has a sense of fun.

@Misima @LuigiBlood @Alienfanatic @Dom_31 thanks for clearing that up with your answers

Are we to assume this won't cause the splitting headaches? I thought that was one of the major downfalls on this console?

Still, not for me I think. Bit of an ask at that price.

Maybe this is Nintendo re-acknowledging VR though. Could lead to VR games or 3DS down the line.

So far I don’t see that they are available in Australia. I do want to buy one for historical purposes more than playing the worst of their consoles 🤣

@Azileron nerdy burn. Love it

I'll pass. Needing this thing to play those games is absolutely ridiculous.

See, I’m all for this. It would be perfect those who want to play the VB without the original hardware issues and prohibitive cost etc.

What I’m saddened about is that you can’t play in TV mode in 2D. I’m sure this wouldn’t be a stretch to implement. Hell, they show it in their own Direct video. Even a toggle on/off for 2D/3D would be preferred.

As it is, I won’t be trying this one, sadly.

I think this is brilliant, but living in Scandinavia, I'll have to go through hoops to actually get it, and probably at twice the price.

Lol wow. They really hate you and don't even hide it because they know you love plastic (or...cardboard in this case lmao) and the median IQ is low enough to make their FOMO kick in so theyll make bank.

I’m looking forward to trying this, may be one for shorter play sessions like Labo VR but appreciate the chance to try something quite new (as in not experienced before). Not much else in the Direct was exciting for me (maybe if I had a Switch 2) but this was cool and unexpected.

@WaveBoy
Meanwhile, I'm reminded of my big VB oopsie...
Passing one up for $19....

@Warioware yeah the games are terrible. Novelty at best. For the die hards only

@itsapossum I feel there’s a bit of space between “Nintendo is trying to make money by selling you somewhat unnecessary plastic/cardboard accessories” and “Nintendo hates you”.

Admittedly, my IQ is too low to really make sense of what the statement “Nintendo hates you” means. I haven’t met Nintendo, and can’t work out how or why he/she/it would posses any enmity, or indeed any love or compassion, towards me or anyone else.

I’ll admit it sounds good though: “Nintendo hates you!” I might start saying it myself. “Hey you, man in the street! Did you know that Nintendo hates you!? So much so that it wants to sell you accessories to recreate the experience of playing its least successful games console ever. Yes, really — the one that sold even less than the Wii U! THAT’S how much Nintendo absolutely detests you!”

Yesterday I was hyped about this, now a more sober view:
Considering that there's only a handful of games that you need to keep the subscription for and which will eventually be taken away from you, AND the high price for the accessory - no, probably not. I do wanna try the games though, I'll wait for reports about the cardboard version. No idea how that's supposed to work yet, with no stand.

I'm not angry though, because it's better than nothing, and I was dead certain Nintendo would do absolutely nothing ever again with Virtual Boy.

Would it be vaguely possible to use the VB accessory to play 3DS games in 3D should Nintendo add the 3DS to NSO? Maybe find a way to wear it like a headset and not require it to always be propped on a table like surface? Then again, weight might an issue?

LMAO, they could have done this with LABO.
So crazy that they haven't changed a single thing that led to its failure. The games are fine, but everybody is going to learn just how awful this thing was to play.

I played the Virtual.Boy for 10 mins at the Nintendo Museum. It was a horrific experience that left me sick and with a headache. Unless they have fixed the side effects I will not be buying into this. These games would hace been a fir for the 3DS

I would buy this in a heartbeat if you could actually purchase the games, but making the games part of a subscription service means investing in the peripherals now will only guarantee their use for the next few years at best. I still have large libraries of games from the SNES, GameCube, Wii that make me happy just knowing I can go play them anytime. The way this deal is structured means any money you put in now will absolutely be wasted in the future as you won’t be able to use It when the online service is no longer available. Perhaps Nintendo should consider if you are a subscriber to their services for the entire time you own their console (when the console gets first activated from the store) then when the online service to that console is no longer available in the future the online service games switch to games that no longer require online access to run them. The games become digital games that you “own.” This would mean Nintendo gains loyalty to their digital services (don’t want to let the service expire and lose out on games!) and people can play the games for the life of the console. I don’t think Nintendo would honestly even consider this as it would threaten future profits because then some people wouldn’t subscribe to their next online service since they own the games, but it seems like the right thing to do for their customers. As it is, it just doesn’t seem worth the money even though I’d love to try the games out.

Just saying you can get a free emulator on meta quest and 3DS both play great, they do the 3D effect even better and you can play it in 2D and lastly you can change the red to any other colour to make it easier on the eyes.

Just get the Red Viper emulator for the 3DS, or the VB emulator on Quest. WAY better experience, compared to the original hardware.
The library is small, but there are some genuine classics among them.

I’m pretty excited… even though I already have a VB and several of the games. Red Viper is pretty great and super convenient, but the 3DS glasses-free 3D doesn’t match the sharpness and the blacking out of your surrounds that the original hardware had.

I hope some people try it and discover a game they enjoy that they wouldn’t have otherwise.

This will probably be a case where the OLED Switch is significantly better than the Switch 2. I’m the original Virtual Boy hardware there are mirrors- not a screen- and the black of the background is very black. The OLED will do a good job of replicating this. The original Switch and Switch 2 may not get such a good effect…. We’ll soon find out, I guess.

I don't have a premium membership, but even if I did, I would use makeshift cardboard to play these games.

If the games came with the purchase of the giant plastic device, this would've been a decent product, if a bit expensive even then. When it requires a perpetual subscription that renders the plastic peripheral useless once you stop paying? Insane.

Oh I didn’t realise you HAD to buy these to play the games? Why aren’t they just in regular 2D for those that don’t want to buy them? I get you might not be able to get the most out of the games if they’re not in 3D.

That is dumb. I guess that’s why they’ve released the cheaper cardboard one.

@Azileron ahhh thank you at first I was under the impression it was NA only for now. Rather myopic of me 😜

I guess they couldn’t get the rights to Space Squash? That was a good one

I have no need for this. After sailing the high seas I discovered the legendary Red Viper for my treasured 3DS. It works an absolute treat.

@B_Lindz Couldn't agree more and it really seemed like such a Nintendo thing to do, which I love.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think Virtual Boy would be available again in some form. I had one way back when, and I only paid $30 for it in a Toys R Us bargain bin.

There's no way I'll pay for the replica (if I had a dedicated gaming room, it would be a cool display piece though), so the cardboard version or a DIY version is likely in order.

Let's be real though, playing these games will be a one and done affair, maybe with the exception of Wario Land. I do have a soft spot for galactic pinball too.

@Warioware The problem was the hardware, like almost every "first generation" stereoscopic screens you'll feel bad after a few minutes of use; mostly you get headache, nausea and eye's pain.

Nintendo decision on the price of that accessory is quite something you will expect of Apple.
For 100$/80€/67£ they could have easily made a perfectly functioning virtual boy that supported the joycon (so you needed to have a switch to buy it).

@Maxz Your response had me laughing so much. 👏

This was easily the most exciting reveal during the direct for me. If you don't like it then just don't buy it. It's fun that Nintendo is finally showing some love for the Virtual Boy and the eventual complete line of Nintendo Classic apps will actually now be complete (they will get to the DS and Wii eras).

@Alienfanatic plus there’s the issue of the fact that it wasn’t meant to be released in the state it was and led to the creator of the game boy leaving Nintendo.

It's such a cash grab, lol. Nintendo no longer have any limits, I see.

This is so dumb. When they said the accessory will be “required” I thought they must mean just for the 3D effect or something. But to lock it behind a subscription AND an accessory is basically mean no one except a few masochistic enthusiasts will ever bother with it.

This was such a great surprise, can’t wait to give it a go. It’s probably been over 20 years since I’ve last tried the virtual boy but I do remember Warioland being fun. Great to see Nintendo still finding ways to be unique and creative after all these years. It was an awesome direct overall too.

Making a space for this in my den.

I don't get it, why can't we just play it handheld mode or dock mode instead? Shouldn't the Virtual Boy attachment just be optional like a controller for the other NSO system. If other player want the authentic Virtual Boy experience then they could buy it but most of us just want to run the emulation on a handheld and play it like every other system. We don't want to damage our eyes.

@B_Lindz yeah, now that it requires an arbitrary hunk of plastic is something niche that not everybody is going to experience.

Games should have been included with the $100 plastic accessory. Charging $100 to be able to access games on a premium subscription service is bonkers.

I love that they are being completist and bringing back even less successful parts of their history, but I can’t fathom $100 for a hunk of plastic without electronics

There was a point during switch 1 where I was a 100% collector of everything Nintendo put out, but based on some of these prices I am really pulling back. I imagine I’m not alone, and based on peoples’ economic sentiment I think they’ll have an uphill battle matching the sales numbers they had from 2017-2024

Yeah, I can’t rly think of an excuse for this being priced as stupidly as it is

I do have the expansion pack subscription, but Wario is probably the only game I'd bother playing even if it worked with the original Labo VR headset (which I already have), or had a 2D option, but if they've locked it behind DRM to only work with these special dongles I'll just skip it, thanks.

@Warioware Thery're actually pretty impressive. Best played on a meta Quest headset. This allows you to alter the colour and see the true vision of the system.

At this price it should also come with a replica controller. Those pads were very cool.

As someone who's played most of them, there are definitely some good ones in the bunch: VB Wario Land is fantastic, and I would ssay that Galactic Pinball, Mario Clash, and Mario's Tennis are pretty solid. You can definitely have some fun with Red Alarm, 3-D Tetris, and Teleroboxer. I have limited experience with Jack Bros. but it is good, and related to Shin Megami Tensei for thos who dig SMT.

Anyway, if you want to check them out, I'd recommend just getting the cardboard version. It's not so expensive and would actually probably be a better way to play.

@N00BiSH Some of the games were really bad, like Water World.

@BTB20 that's the only true dud imo. The other games are still relatively solid.

This is surreal and an abuse.

@LexKitteh I was going to mention this too. The stereoscopic 3D effect is incredibly impressive for emulating this system.

The Direct made it seem like it would be included in the base version of Online

@Misima
You would have to pay the monthly fee BEFORE buying either of the headsets.

@Misima
You can use the original Switch as well.

Beyond excited for this. The VB games I’ve played are good fun. It’s a shame the system has such negativity around it, because so many people overlook what it has to offer.

I wondering though…could you use the headset from the VR Labo set here? Or even just make your holder? It really just will split the screen into 2 so each eye is looking at a slightly different image. Also, couldn’t you just look at 1 of the 2 images and forgo the 3D effect? Not the best way to play, for sure, but you could at least test it out to see if you want to buy/build a headset.

I wish they’d release the games on a physical cart too…so in 20 years when the service if off line I could still play. That’s my only gripe.

@gaga64 That was my first thought

This is so dumb! Having to pay for the most expensive tier of NSO is one thing, but I shouldn't have to buy an additional accessory just to play these games.

Nobody is going to pay a hundred bucks just to indulge in a novelty or curiosity footnote from Nintendo's past.

Super scope would've been a better addition, in my opinion.

Ridiculous. More expensive cardboard. The replica is also too expensive. Both are too expensive and can only bee used as long as you have an active subscription. As a VB fan (I own the original hardware and 8 games), I will only buy the replica if the games can be purchased separately. If the games are locked in an expensive paywall and the acessóries are worhless wothout It, a big no from me and another huge misstep from Nintendo.

After that "Nintendo Pay-to-Play Direct" yesterday full of paid upgrades, paid dlc, amiibo, plastic flower, VB plastic, I realize now that Nintendo is the Jakks Pacific of video game companies. This is all so crazy. It wasn't THAT long ago when Nintendo was proclaiming "We don't do dlc we do complete games." And look at them now.🤑

I own Labo VR, this is that but in red. If Labo doesn't work with it then that means Nintendo has to go out if their way to make it not work, to break their own stuff. Though Switch 2 will not fit in there, but VB is on Switch. It's crazy they haven't addressed it yes or no.

The other thing I realized last night while contemplating giving this a try if Labo worked, NSO+EP is only available for $50 for a full year. There is no option to pay say $9.99 per month or $19.99 per 3 months to try stuff like this out. You have to pay $50, that's your only choice. We'll also $90 for the Family plan, but 1 year only.

I'm OK w/ $20/yr for NO, hard to really break that up any smaller, you have $20 or you don't. But $50 can be carved up, I just gave 2 examples. I can't think of any other gaming service that has 1yr paid in full up front as you only option. Yes the others are more expensive but $50 isn't $20. I've never had +EP b/c we always get NO Family for $35 and I'm not paying the extra $45, that's more than the base price, it's backwards. No other service costs more for the add-ons.

Nintendo thy name is greed.🤑

This was the most "Nintendo" announcement by Nintendo. I cannot wait to have the replica next to my actual VB. Some of the VB charm is lost without a controller replica, but I can live without it. Good show, and what an announcment.

The second place, "Most Nintendo" award goes to Samus going full Kaneda. That bike amiibo will be mine.

It will not work with labo vr ?

@dustinprewitt Some million people will ...

@X68000 I am also very surprised that for that price they didn’t include a controller. I get the molding and all is pricey but this is a product that is useless without a subscription and will become useless when the service inevitably ends.

And that’s not even considering the ludicrously small games library and mediocre quality of said games.

Nintendo is really being shameless with the whole “hey remember this product that absolutely failed for good reason but became a meme for the hardcore fans? Let’s capitalize on that for our benefit exclusively”

They’re a business, absolutely, but the anti-consumer practices have been more and more rampant as the years pass. As I tend to say, I hope it works for them because I don’t want Nintendo to go under, but lately I’m seeing more pandering-for-profit stuff like this as well as rehashes of things we already played, and less and less new, “Nintendo magic” games and ideas.

I really think for the price they are charging for these attachments, they can afford to have someone make the games playable on a TV in a “modified experience that may not match the original game’s intended playstyle”

If I can watch a whole YouTube series on some of these games and get the gist of how they played, they can figure out how to let me play them without charging me 30-100 extra on top of my subscription.

Because if this is required to play, then no, this doesn’t feel like it’s “included with my subscription.” It feels like I have to buy something and pay another fee to use it until they decide to stop providing the service.

This is the opposite idea of the optional retro controllers they offer, as I know I don’t have to have them to access my subscription content I pay for. They add to the experience, they don’t allow for it.

In the old days at least the cardboard one would be available to buy with platinum coins.

@X68000 And the price

Want to try Breath of the Wild VR with Switch 2 upgrade on the cardboard one

@premko1 Cardboard one will for sure, other one not sure.

Bro it's Virtual Boy, this is chaos with headaches and weird feeling in your eyes from red/black graphics.

This price of the accessory or Expansion Pak is the least of our human problems. People say whatever but I guess people really never tried the Virtual Boy in real life hahaha.

@dustinprewitt You under estimate the power of the Nintendo fan (boy/girl) greatly.

Like, I understand that you kind of need the accessory to accurately enjoy the games in the way they’re intended…. but Nintendo really should give people an option to play with just one screen, without the accessory. Emulators have been able to do it forever, and the depth effect isn’t that crazy anyway.

As it stands, I am going to have a hard time with either accessory because VR absolutely kills my brain if I play for more than a few minutes. When I beat Wario Land and Jack Bros on my actual Virrual Boy, I had to take a ton of antacids and sleep for a while after because it hurt too much.

The headset is cool. And I’m glad there is a cheaper alternative.

I don’t like that I have to then subscribe to the higher tier to access the games though. It’s cool as an option but I’d love to have another option to just buy the catalogue as a download or on a card. I’d happily take a key card even. I know that’s how GC games and the controller work etc, but this one just feels different somehow?

It’s a shame because I think there was a period where this would have been made akin to the ‘mini’ consoles with the games built into it as a standalone machine. It being tied to the subscription is a sign of the (bad) times we live in I guess.

Also, why in the hell would Nintendo do anything to make people mad about finally getting some Virtual Boy support? This should have been a slam dunk, “Hey, we finally are going to make these games available again” announcement. Instead, people are pissed that they have to buy an accessory to even play the games.

I actually think Nintendo is trying to make people hate the Virtual Boy. I think they are sending the message of “This will fail and we’re right to not talk about it, we’ll show you.” with requiring an expensive accessory to even play the games.

I mean they can't really require the headset; they might make the app not allow you to play in docked mode, but in handheld mode, it's just going to display the two screens on the screen in the spots where the lenses would line up. The console has no way of knowing if it's actually inside a plastic or cardboard enclosure, so if you're in handheld mode, you can just play it with the two screens displayed side by side. You could even play it cross-eyed and get the 3D effect. Still stupid that there's no option to just display one screen, though.

While I believe that all "Nintendo Classic" games should be available separately for purchase, as in the Wii and WiiU days, the Virtual Boy titles 100% be available outside of the NSO classics. While system related controllers are available for purchase, they're not required to play the games on the Switch. So is not the case with the Virtual Boy. Since it's required, why not offer the games separately. I would think Nintendo would sell a lot more of these units if they did. Then again, I think Nintendo is leaving so much money on the table by not allowing any of their NSO classic titles to be purchased individually.

ITS THE MOST EXPENSIVE SUBSCRIPTION TIER!! Guys chill, get on the forums and make a family group with some Nintendo lifers. I’ve had a full family group since the new tier was introduced and I’ve been paying less than the cheap tier for NSO. I thinks it’s less than 8 dollars a month (CND).

I’m buying the virtual boy and I’m gonna love it. It comes out 2 days before my birthday.

@Spider-Kev I know, but honestly it will be should be much better with 120hz screen... Though who knows with the ms problem.

I am so hyped for this lmao

I could maybe forgive the needed accessory IF the entire lineup was out day 1. I couldn't imaging owning this thing for 2 years and still only having like 7 of the available games

@Mariotag
lol. Buying an actual VB would actually have a couple of advantages over the NS2 one. No latency/input lag with actual cartridges, and you don't have to drop monthly payments for an NSO subscription .

Considering the price I thought it would've came with the VB controller, but it does not.

This is a totally bizarre decision by Nintendo, what a head scratcher. A failed console nobody missed that has no part of the Nintendo zeitgeist, requires an annoying, badly designed and expensive peripheral and gives nothing to current expansion pass subscribers like me, whilst taking attention away from developing and adding to more important things. It's a huge no from me.

@B_Lindz couldn't agree more Though I'm one of those silly enough to be buying 😆

(Sorry to some of you for encouraging Nintendo to keep doing these crazy things!)

Nintendo is making it extremely difficult to like them this gen. The steam deck already killed so much of my nintendo hype and they keep shooting themselves in the foot even more. These roms are perfectly playable without the hardware. Offering this piece of plastic as a cool bonus? Sure, why not? But making it required PLUS having to sub to the terrible service? Lol nah

@NinjaWaddleDee I don't see the relevance there other than the deck being portable. I have a top end gaming rig but I play Nintendo for the exclusives. I agree this VB is ridiculous though.

It's insane how they run the company. You need to really educate yourself on Nintendo. Once they stop supporting online in the future like the old eShop,this will be useless. $100 for the virtual boy with games on a cart or permanent download would be welcomed

$99 to play a handful of awful games?

Why???

Even the cardboard is too expensive! Come on Nintendo, stop with the stupid prices!

Why didn’t they release these for 3ds? That would’ve made sense!

That piece of plastic will hunt landfills and YouTubers backdrop for years to come.

First ever console to fail twice!

I hope at the VERY LEAST. They come with option to play in colour other than red

@Misima cant you get someone to 3d print the broken part

@Telcontyr Sorry should have elaborated. I used to buy a lot of 3rd party games on Switch to play them portable, but now I just get them on steam to have my library consolidated.

@NinjaWaddleDee ah that makes perfect sense, I get you now

There aren’t lenses or mirrors, so why not just allow people the download/print and cut their own?

How does the Switch know if you’re using the accessory or not? In particular the cardboard box one?

Can't even play the games in 2d on the tv?

@KITG_GROUP Yes, but then it's not 100% accurate and the value goes down.

@Warioware it was a few things.

*Because it was basically an oversized face mask on a stand you had to use it an an awkward angle cause neck pain.
*the harsh red lines combined with the screens of the time lead to eye strain
*The hardware itself was rather expensive for the time and while 3D itself was novel. You were sacrificing color and resolution in exchange. Pretty much everyone wanted better color and resolution, not 3D effects.

There might be a few other things but those are the big ones I remember hearing about.

@BaldB3lper78 it's not like this requires much effort. It's most just them throwing a bunch of stuff onto the virtual library and selling what's basically a plastic version of the LABO headset.

Most likely some executive that worked on th virtual boy project pushed for it.

So while I certainly don't care, some enthusiasts will love it so ... Meh.

I'm still in shock Nintendo isn't ashamed of this system still and actually pulled off something I've BEEN wanting them to do. What I don't get is they had a chance to make this easier by releasing it on the 3DS VC, but I digress. The VB, failure or not, was one of my biggest regrets I didn't purchase back in the day, so, limited library and all, I am one of the weirdos that will be getting in on the demands needed to set this up.

Silly Nintendo trying to sell us cardboard again. I’ll just stick to my actual Virtual Boy.

Pretty sure the $100 Virtual Boy stand will get scalped, especially when I think the actual Virtual Boy costs $500 on the second hand market nowadays. Sure, it's literally just one of those plastic peripheral things, but a collectible is a collectible. The $25 cardboard on the otherhand sounds nonsensical. You can make your own cardboard replacement in an afternoon. I cannot fathom how many people would buy the cardboard one.

@Misima
MS problem?

One step closer to Pokemon VR. C'mon, Nintendo. Do it!

@Spider-Kev That digital foundry report about the refresh rate of the screen being very poorly leading the the host trails. That might matter a lot with VR applications.

Just remember guys that this is still better than emulating the games, which is just immoral and wrong and not at all super easy to do even on suboptimal PC hardware.

@DonkeyKongBigBoy thanks

@Makyurax thanks, this option looks basically the same as the LABO headset to me

@YANDMAN I think they will have colour options here too

Waiting for 3D printed alternatives to hit Etsy…

@Metazoxan thanks, hopefully the modern setup gets rid of a lot of those issues

2017, snes mini
Hardware, 21 games, 2 controllers: $80

2025, virtual boy
No hardware, 0 games, 0 controllers: $100

Was never interested in the virtual boy.

Its a joke you have to have an online membership to purchase. Nintendo management is taking the piss nowadays. Greed is obviously more important than there fanbase.

@Eririichi agreed, a scalpers dream, this will end up being just as expensive as the real thing. Also can't believe you need a online membership to purchase !!

It just seems so odd to make the peripheral at all when the original hardware tanked and was a headache generator.

I’ll pass on this one. The games have always looked aweful and I don’t want to pay extra beyond the subscription fee just in order to play the games.

Seriously? You can't just play the games on your tv with a controller? That's actually ridiculous and limits the number of people who will bother to play these games.

@SilentHunter382 There were 22 games released for the VB, but only 14 came to North America.

Love the way they stoke the flames before you even get a chance to read the article. Sure this will get deleted but whatever.

Moaning about the price check Ebay for virtual boy prices. I'm going to get one and not sell it till I played all 14 games and see how much it's worth.

@Warioware it has problably some better lenses and is more confortable and cool but yes it's basicaly the same thing, that is why I said that for that high price they could have made a standalone working Virtual Boy.

Surely they can include an option so the games can be played without the need for stereoscopic 3D or any accessories. :/

It seems like a baffling decision for a console that wasn't that well-liked. I don't understand why they couldn't just release a Virtual Console Mini instead or make the games available on the normal NSO but without the 3D.

To me, it just seems strange because it's not in line with how I understand people use the NSO retro games (i.e., play games when they are released but only for a short time to satisfy curiosity). This is really more of an "all-in" kind of option. It'll be interesting to see how it does.

The accessory seems like an unnecessary add on, especially since you can enjoy the games without it. While I'm glad to see the library getting released to the online service (hell being acknowledged) the extra add on feels hamfisted and almost trolling in a sense.

I appreciate Nintendo is offering a cheaper cardboard option, and not just selling the $100 option.

@Misima yeah i suppose , but it depends if your more interested in Value or actually using the item.

Even if I had a loaded gun to my head, I will NEVER buy that.

PLEASE.

DO NOT BUY THIS PERIPHERAL.

@Makyurax yeah I guess so. Like the other retro consoles (I only wanted the TG 16 mini but it sold out, bah). I might get the cheaper cardboard option since I have a subscription and I'm guessing it might work with some of the other VR offerings from before (my LABO set was seemingly trashed by an old landlord whilst moving out because they didn't know what it was)

If you want to play in 2D, cover one eye

@KITG_GROUP value applies a lot when it's between eating and playing games.

I'm actually really stoked for this! I've always wanted to experience the VB-it's such an eccentric, what-were-they-thinking moment in games history. I only ever got to play it for a couple minutes on the demo stand at Best Buy back in the day.

It has been prohibitively expensive to get the requisite hardware until now, so $25 is nothing. Especially if you already subscribe to Expansion Pass, which most Nintendo fans with a strong interest in classic gaming probably already do.

Also, to those complaining that you won't own the games via NSO, um... just download them! I already "own" every VB game digitally and "unofficially." I just can't play them.

Can I put my phone in that accessory and use it as a VR headset? That would make it more appealing

I feel like Nintendo is once again falling into the pit of "They'll buy anything we shove out there" like they did with the WiiU. Only real difference is this time it seems like the general public is actually somehow more okay with these weird decisions. If this was entirely optional I'd understand, but the fact that your only option to play games you're already having to pay a subscription to access anyway is to pay either $25 or $100 for a peripheral is insane. This, and the ridiculously high cost of the newer amiibo has me thinking being a fan of Nintendo is too expensive and not really worth it anymore.

Very very likely incorrect.
I'm sure they're lying by omission, but you will almost definitely be able to play these in mono mode.
As always, Nintendo life grasp at the most negative spin they can.

Out of all consoles out there the virtual boy is the one I haver wanted to play on
And i won't pay for the unit where I won't own any of the games
When they deside to close the store you will be left with a useless piece of plastic

Once again, the unofficial alternatives are FAR better. ESPECIALLY if you still have a 3DS.

I'm a bit confused, in what sense is it "required"?
Like, will the games not appear on your TV screen and the buttons on your pro controller not respond if you don't have the accessory?
Do you need it to start the game up to begin with?
Or is it just "required" if you want the full experience?
Because I'd be happy enough just to play Wario Land in red and black.

I have the Expansion membership anyhow,
so guess I can just wait and see.

@TrogdorTheBurninator I was really hoping for more “Mini’s” - devastated

@Uncle_Franklin a Nintendo Ninja slaps you if you don’t buy their peripheral

I'm definitely going to use the NS1 OLED with the NSO Virtual Boy Shell in order to get True blacks and less motion blur(etc), The NS2's LCD display will have lighter blacks, back light bleeding may be a thing, it will have noticeable motion blur(etc)

Regardless, it's super Cool that Mansion of Issman will be available right out of the gate. All that's really missing that i actually care about is Space Squash.

I definitely do NOT want to buy a piece of plastic for 80 bucks to be able to play games (coming with a paid subscription!!!) even a pirate would refuse to share and that were made for the cr*ppiest console Nintendo has ever created.

Hopefully, people see this comment, because I just discovered a little something Nintendo hasn't revealed for some reason. Apparently, the Virtual Boy accessory is only for the 3D effect that the original product had. In other words, you can still play these games without the accessory.