I Played The Virtual Boy Games On Switch 2, And It Was Actually Kind Of Cool

By all accounts, I’m not the target market for the Virtual Boy. The historic VR console was launched and subsequently discontinued years earlier than I used to be born. I’m extraordinarily susceptible to movement illness, and I put on glasses, which seldom slot in gaming headsets. Also, phrase on the road was that the console sucked, and that I wasn’t lacking out on a lot.

As such, I’ve by no means been all for even making an attempt it, and have not had many alternatives, however that modified final week. Nintendo flew me out to New York to play some upcoming Switch 2 titles, and I knew I needed to do my due diligence and take a look at the brand new Switch 2 peripheral and the accompanying library of Virtual Boy video games. I entered the occasion, and after procrastinating by taking part in principally each different recreation current, I peered right into a pair of plastic ruby-colored lenses.

And actually? It was form of cool.

Many of the complaints concerning the Virtual Boy are nonetheless legitimate. It’s a headset with legs, so you’ll be able to solely play it for those who’re sitting at a desk with the right top. Nintendo’s representatives had an adjustable desk prepared for the demo, however one of the best the typical individual can in all probability do is an adjustable desk chair. I can also’t think about I’d love leaning into one among this stuff for hours at a time, however I did not have the choice on the day of the occasion. 

That stated, it did not make me movement sick or give me a headache, and I’ll sometimes have movement illness triggered inside minutes of beginning a recreation, VR, 3D, or in any other case. I believe it has to do with the upper high quality screens developed over the past 30 years, as I did not must pressure my eyes to see what was happening. To that finish, my glasses additionally match into the headset simply superb. I put on huge frames, so I wager most pairs would match, however I heard from one other attendee that she had hassle along with her glasses, so it in all probability varies by individual. Still, I used to be in a position to put on it comfortably, and the visor efficiently blocked out any of the room’s overhead lighting.

The precise gameplay expertise was equally constructive. The Virtual Boy is an odd, gimmicky console with real 3D graphics, because of its stereoscopic lenses. It was cool to see builders from the mid-90s being inventive with the newly added depth, particularly as somebody with a number of nostalgia for the 3DS. Landing 3D blocks in 3D Tetris is surprisingly difficult, and Virtual Boy Wario Land makes use of the background as a secondary space to leap into and side-scroll by means of.

I additionally performed a little bit of The Mansion of Innsmouth (referred to as Innsmouth no Yakata in Japan), which is coming to the US for the primary time with this classics assortment. I loved it much less, partially because it did not make use of the 3D as successfully as the opposite video games I performed, however after just a few minutes with it, I am unable to make an entire verdict.

A cardboard Virtual Boy on show

I didn’t get an opportunity to play with any of essentially the most not too long ago introduced quality-of-life options, like the choice to vary pink pixels to a different coloration or the rewind function. Both options are coming later within the yr, so this is not an enormous shock. I used to be much more dissatisfied, nevertheless, that I did not get an opportunity to check out the bizarre little cardboard headset, which I’m endlessly interested in. They had one in a glass show, although, and it appeared a lot smaller in individual. At $24.99, it is extra inexpensive than the correct mannequin, and I’m not fairly enthusiastic sufficient about my expertise to get the $99.99 plastic peripheral, so I hope the cheaper mannequin is not less than comparable to make use of.

I’m removed from a Virtual Boy convert, however I’m undoubtedly not a hater both. People converse so poorly of the 1995 mannequin that I totally anticipated to right away reject the Switch 2 model, however I got here away mildly impressed. When the baseline expectation is “headache, neck pain, and nausea” however the precise expertise is “huh, pretty neat,” I believe it is honest to say this exceeded my expectations. It’s removed from an ideal gadget, nevertheless it very effectively could also be the easiest way to revisit Nintendo’s worst console.