Nintendo has now released its Virtual Boy app, allowing players to enjoy a selection of games from its infamous ‘flop’ console.
The Virtual Boy: Nintendo Classics app is available to download now from the Switch and Switch 2 eShop.
Players will require a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership to access the games.
They will also need to buy a physical Virtual Boy accessory, which can be purchased from the My Nintendo Store. The main Virtual Boy accessory, which is a replica of the actual console, costs $100 / £67 while a sturdy cardboard viewer is available as a cheaper alternative for $25 / £17.
The full list of Virtual Boy games available today is as follows:
3D TetrisGalactic PinballGolfThe Mansion of InnsmouthRed AlarmTeleroboxerVirtual Boy Wario Land
Nintendo has confirmed that these seven games will be joined by a further nine games in the future, including Mario Clash, Mario’s Tennis, Jack Bros, Space Invaders Virtual Collection, Virtual Bowling, Vertical Force, V-Tetris, and the previously unreleased Zero Racer and D-Hopper.
Given that only 22 games were released for the Virtual Boy over the course of its brief life, players will therefore find themselves with the majority of the Virtual Boy library once the other nine games are released.
The only Virtual Boy games that haven’t been confirmed as coming to the service are Nester’s Funky Bowling, Panic Bomber, SD Gundam Dimension War, Space Squash, Virtual Fighting, Virtual Lab, Virtual League Baseball and Waterworld. A number of these games featured licensed IPs and are therefore unlikely to appear in the future.
NES, SNES, Game Boy and Game Boy Colour games are available as part of the standard Switch Online subscription, which costs £3.49/€3.99/$3.99 for a one-month membership, £6.99/€7.99/$7.99 for a three-month membership, and £17.99/€19.99/$19.99 for a 12-month membership.
Switch Online’s Expansion Pack add-on, which is needed to play Virtual Boy, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance and Sega Mega Drive / Genesis games, costs $49.99 / £34.99 / €39.99 per year.