No one expected Nintendo to revive one of its biggest hardware flops, the Virtual Boy, in 2026, but here we are. Left to gather dust for the better part of 30 years, the Virtual Boy became infamous for its headache-inducing red-and-black visuals, its limited library of just 22 games, and the strain it put on your neck when you used it. That charm has endured across the decades, and at long last, a new Virtual Boy is here.

Most of the Virtual Boy library is being revived for Switch consoles, but you'll need a paid Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership to access via the Nintendo Classics App.

On launch day, February 17, Virtual Boy - Nintendo Classics will kick off with seven games like Wario Land, Teleroboboxer, and 3-D Tetris. Further out, the library will expand to include nine more titles, including unreleased games like Zero Racers and D-Hopper.

Just like other Nintendo Switch Online retro collections, these classic games are being upgraded with several quality-of-life features, so you can rewind gameplay, create suspend points, and modify the controls. Another nice added touch is that players can change the Virtual Boy's display color to yellow, green, or gray by removing the hardware lens.

The catch here is that Nintendo has produced two replicas that are designed for the Switch and Switch 2 consoles to slide into. You can opt for a $100 accessory to slot your console into, or if you'd prefer to save some money, the $25 cardboard version is an inexpensive alternative that mostly looks the part--and don't forget that the Nintendo Labo VR Kit might be compatible.

"The Virtual Boy emulation on Switch captures one of Nintendo's most notorious missteps, but it feels made for serious history buffs more than gamers," Steve Watts wrote in GameSpot's Virtual Boy feature. "It works well, but will likely serve more as a museum piece for fans of Nintendo history than a strong part of the gaming library."