Nintendo Brings Back the Virtual Boy to Switch Online — 14 Games and New 3D Headset on Feb. 17, 2026
Nintendo announced during its Mario 40th anniversary Nintendo Direct that Virtual Boy games will join Nintendo Switch Online on February 17, 2026. The company also showed a new Switch-compatible Virtual Boy headset accessory and a cardboard viewer, but it did not provide final release dates or pricing for those accessories.
- Virtual Boy games arrive on Nintendo Switch Online on Feb. 17, 2026.
- Fourteen Virtual Boy titles are planned, including Mario’s Tennis, Galactic Pinball, Wario Land, and Jack Bros.
- Nintendo will sell a new hardware accessory that accepts a Switch 1 or Switch 2 screen for stereoscopic 3D.
- A cardboard headset option will also be offered for casual users; pricing and dates for both headsets are not yet available.
What Nintendo announced
During the presentation, Nintendo confirmed that a selection of Virtual Boy titles will be added to the Nintendo Switch Online service on February 17, 2026. Additionally, the company revealed two ways to experience those games on a modern Switch: a purpose-built headset accessory and a simpler cardboard viewer.
Games included
Nintendo said the Virtual Boy lineup for Switch Online will eventually include 14 games. Among the titles named were Mario’s Tennis, Galactic Pinball, Wario Land, and the Atlus dungeon-crawler Jack Bros.
Moreover, Nintendo indicated that some games previously released only in Japan appear to be part of the lineup, though it did not list every title at the announcement.
New headset accessory and cardboard viewer
The new accessory is designed so players can insert a Switch 1 or Switch 2 screen directly into the unit to reproduce the Virtual Boy’s stereoscopic 3D effect. Nintendo described the adapter as a dedicated piece of hardware; however, the company provided no firm release date or pricing information for it.
In addition, Nintendo will offer a cardboard headset intended for casual or trial use. Pricing and launch timing for the cardboard viewer were not specified either.
Availability and pricing
The Virtual Boy games are scheduled to be available through Nintendo Switch Online starting February 17, 2026. Conversely, the physical headset accessory and the cardboard viewer have been shown but do not have confirmed release dates or prices.
Source
Further notes
All details above come from Nintendo’s Direct tied to the company’s Mario 40th anniversary presentation. For now, Nintendo has given the Switch Online release date for the games but left accessory availability and pricing open.
