Neither Wii U nor GameCube: Nintendo ‘resurrects’ Virtual Boy, the worst-selling console in its history
Nintendo brings Virtual Boy, its biggest failure to date, into the present. Games coming to Switch and Switch 2, official accessory, and more details.
The Nintendo Direct on September 12 was very interesting, not only because of the announcements related to Mario’s 40th anniversary, but also because of a totally unexpected comeback. Virtual Boy, Nintendo’s failed and experimental handheld console from the mid-90s with stereoscopic 3D effects, has been ‘resurrected’: its catalog will be available on Switch and Switch 2, and will even feature an official accessory compatible with both.
Virtual Boy – Nintendo Classics will be available for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members on #NintendoSwitch and #NintendoSwitch2 starting Feb 17, 2026! #NintendoDirect pic.twitter.com/VnCO0DiX3S
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) September 12, 2025
Nintendo announces the return of Virtual Boy on Switch and Switch 2: release date, confirmed games, and official accessory
In a brief segment of its latest Nintendo Direct, the Big N announced the return of Virtual Boy, its ill-fated handheld console from the mid-90s. It’s not that they’re releasing a new model, but rather that several titles from its small catalog will be available in the Nintendo Classics line for Switch and Switch 2 starting February 17, 2026.
In total, fourteen games from the Virtual Boy catalog will be available, arriving on the service in stages. This means that titles that are very difficult to find today, and that have never been officially re-released—such as Virtual Boy Wario Land and Mario’s Tennis—will be playable again on a Nintendo console for the first time in more than two decades.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the announcement is the fact that there will also be an official accessory very reminiscent of the original Virtual Boy, available exclusively through the Nintendo Store. There will be two versions: a premium version, with a solid construction, and a more economical version made of cardboard, similar to Nintendo Labo.
In America, reservations have not yet begun and will only be available for Nintendo Switch Online members. Prices are $99.99 for the premium version and $24.99 for the budget version. Both are compatible with both Switch and Switch 2, and are glasses into which we will insert the console itself in order to play these titles with the stereoscopic 3D effect, just as was the case with the original console.
Despite its innovative design, Virtual Boy was a historic failure for Nintendo. After its launch in 1995, the console sold just 770,000 units worldwide, making it the company’s least successful hardware. To put it in perspective, the Wii U, considered the Big N’s big stumble, managed to sell more than 13 million units, while the GameCube, also considered Nintendo’s biggest failure at the time, racked up 21 million units sold. The difference is monumental: while the Wii U and GameCube had solid and varied catalogs, the Virtual Boy was discontinued in less than twelve months, with a few titles that failed to convince either critics or the public.
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