
🎮 Virtual Boy is BACK! Are You Ready For Some Headaches?🎮
Nintendo has officially dusted off one of its most infamous pieces of hardware – the Virtual Boy – and is bringing it back into the spotlight in 2026. Yep, that 90s red-tinted headset that gave everyone a weird mix of wonder and eye strain is getting a second life… on the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2!
🗓️ Launch Date: 17th February 2026
Whether you loved it, mocked it, or just remember it as that red thing, the Virtual Boy is returning in a modern form. Starting February 17, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers will be able to play the Virtual Boy classics under the banner Virtual Boy – Nintendo Classics.
To actually play them, you’ll need:
- A Nintendo Switch or Switch 2
- An active Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership
- And the special Virtual Boy accessory (more on that below)


🧠 The Games You Can Play at Launch
Nintendo is kicking things off with seven throwback titles that highlight both the quirky and the genuinely good stuff from the original 1995 library:
🎯 Launch Line-Up (17 Feb)
- Teleroboxer
- Galactic Pinball
- RED ALARM
- Virtual Boy Wario Land
- 3-D TETRIS
- GOLF
- Innsmouth no Yakata (aka: The Mansion of Innsmouth)
This is a way better start than anyone expected. especially Wario Land and 3-D Tetris, which are genuinely fun even beyond the nostalgia factor.
🎁 More Games Coming Later in 2026
And here’s where it gets spicy: Nintendo isn’t stopping at the basics. Throughout 2026, more titles will roll out, including some classics and even games that never officially released back in the 90s!
🚀 Confirmed Incoming Titles
- Mario Clash
- Mario’s Tennis
- Jack Bros.
- Space Invaders Virtual Collection
- Virtual Bowling
- Virtual Force
- V-Tetris
🔥 Unreleased Classics Making Their Debut
- Zero Racers – a cancelled F-Zero spin-off originally meant for the Virtual Boy 30 years ago.
- D-Hopper (Dragon Hopper) – another lost Virtual Boy adventure finally seeing the light of day.
That’s right — Nintendo’s pulling stuff out of the vault that never made it to retailers. Retro archaeologists are going to have a field day. 🦖
🥽 So What’s This Accessory You Keep Talking About?
To recreate that vintage stereoscopic 3D feel, Nintendo’s releasing a Virtual Boy accessory that you attach your Switch into — basically a modern take on the original headset.
They’ve teased:
- A premium plastic version (harder wearing, classic vibe) – pre-order price: AUD$139.95
- A cardboard version (budget Labo-style energy) – pre-order price: AUD$29.95
Both plug into your system and let you fire up these retro titles as intended.

🎮 Quality-of-Life Additions
Unlike the 90s original, this service isn’t just about emulating old binaries — Nintendo is including modern comforts like:
✅ Save states & rewind
✅ Control remapping
✅ …and possibly even colour options beyond red later in the year 👀
So even if the original gave you headaches, this version might be actually enjoyable — and worth dusting off that Switch. 😉
🧠 Wrapping Up
Is this a nostalgic gag? A genuine retro renaissance? Or just Nintendo poking fun at history? Probably a mix of all three — and we’re here for it.
Mark your calendars:
📅 17th February 2026 – Virtual Boy classics land on Switch Online.
👾 Retro fans, preppers, and weird 3D enthusiasts unite.
Stay tuned to Ausretrogamer for hands-on impressions once this bizarre comeback lands Down Under!🔥
image source: Nintendo
