Virtual Boy - Nintendo Classics
| |
| Developer(s) | Nintendo |
|---|---|
| Latest version | 1.3.0 (INT) 1.3.0 (JP) |
| Active | Yes |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 |
| Architecture(s) | ARM |
| Emulates | Virtual Boy |
| Website | nintendo.com |
| License | Proprietary |
Virtual Boy – Nintendo Classics[1] is a compilation of emulated Virtual Boy games that is part of the Nintendo Classics series for Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack members.
Overview
Virtual Boy games were added to the Nintendo Switch Online service in February 2026. It is the first attempt of commercial emulation of Virtual Boy games ever made.
A special, non-electronic set of virtual reality lens made with plastic or cardboard are required to enjoy the gameplay properly in Portable mode (the app cannot be played on a TV/monitor when docked), as they bring a more accurate experience from the real hardware. These lens can only be purchased through My Nintendo Store first-hand, which means this Nintendo Classics app is not distributed in regions where the Store is unavailable, such as Mexico, Brazil or South Africa (the app still does have regional localizations for the former two, which means that possibility of sales in those regions are not 100% discarded). The cardboard lens set from Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit can also be used, but it is incompatible with the Nintendo Switch 2 due to its size. None of the three special virtual reality sets are compatible with the Nintendo Switch Lite, but the system can still run the app, which means that unofficial kits should be used and may cause arm fatigue during gameplay due to the Joy-Con controllers being permanently connected.
As with other Nintendo Classics apps, it does support rewind and in-game dedicated remapping controls. Unlike the original hardware, color palettes were added in future updates, reducing potential vision issues while playing the games (it is also possible to force other palettes such as Grayscale and color inversion modes in the System Settings, which affects both systems as a whole).
Features
- Can only run in Portable mode in order to get "3D" experience through special lens;
- Does not support online gameplay by default;
- First release of Virtual Boy games in Europe, Asia and other countries where the Nintendo Switch Online is supported;
- Games that were never released in cartridge format are available through updates;
- Inter-pupilary Distance (IPD) can be adjusted by pressing and holding the right analog stick;
- Can change palette colors from Red (default) to Blue, Cyan, Magenta, Green, Grey, Yellow, Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket, Super Game Boy or Game Boy Color (ver 1.3.0);
- Different games between Japan and International versions.
Games
This emulator has official compatibility for 17 games, which are:
- Galactic Pinball
- 3-D Tetris (new to Japan)
- Teleroboxer
- Innsmouth no Yakata / The Mansion of Innsmouth (new to International)
- Virtual Boy Wario Land
- Golf
- Red Alarm
- Mario's Tennis
- Mario Clash
- Jack Bros.
- V-Tetris (new to International)
- Space Invaders Virtual Collection (new to International)
- Virtual Fishing (Japan)
- Virtual Bowling (new to International)
- Vertical Force
- Zero Racers (previously unreleased and undumped)
- D-Hopper / Dragon Hopper (previously unreleased and undumped)
Unavailable games
Virtual Boy's game library is very small and still, not every game was announced to be re-released. These games might be compatible with the emulator through game injection tools.
Currently, Switch emulators are not able to produce "3D" effects from their special lens without a physical virtual reality set (electronic or otherwise), so, players are on their own about that.
Retail
The following games were not announced to be re-released by Nintendo:
- Nester's Funky Bowling (US)
- Panic Bomber / Tobidase! Panibon
- SD Gundam: Dimension War (Japan)
- Space Squash (Japan)
- Virtual Lab (Japan)
- Virtual League Baseball / Virtual Pro Yakyuu '95
- Waterworld (US)
Among these games, Virtual Lab is the only title where the current ownership remains unknown, as J-Wing closed in 2004 without passing their intellectual proprieties to someone else.
Prototypes
The following games were never released, but does have leaked ROMs across the Internet:
- Bound High
- Niko-chan Battle
- Virtual League Baseball 2
References
- ↑ Unlike other emulators from the series, there is no internal codename inside the app besides the generic L-CLASSICS branding for shared assets.