Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers with a penchant for retro gaming – and a tolerance for headache-inducing 3D – are just weeks away from accessing a library of Virtual Boy titles. Launching on , the Virtual Boy – Nintendo Classics library will be available on both the Nintendo Switch and the newer Nintendo Switch 2 consoles. But Nintendo is offering players multiple ways to experience these games, including a surprisingly nostalgic option for owners of the discontinued Nintendo Labo VR kit.
While Nintendo will be selling a replica Virtual Boy accessory for $66.99 / $99.99 and a cardboard version for £16.99 / $24.99, a Nintendo Treehouse staff member has confirmed – as reported by GamesBeat – that the original Labo VR kit is also compatible. This means that those who invested in the 2019 Labo VR kit, which allowed for interactive experiences with games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Super Mario Odyssey, can dust it off and use it to play the Virtual Boy games through Nintendo Switch Online.
The Nintendo Labo series, released beginning in (worldwide) and (Europe), was a unique experiment in combining physical construction with digital gameplay. The kits included cardboard cut-outs and other materials that players assembled into “Toy-Cons,” which then interacted with the Nintendo Switch console and Joy-Con controllers. The Labo VR kit, in particular, provided a headset experience, utilizing the Switch’s screen and the Joy-Cons’ motion tracking capabilities.
The compatibility with Labo VR is a notable detail, as it offers a more affordable entry point for experiencing the Virtual Boy games in a pseudo-3D format. The cardboard construction of the Labo VR kit mirrors the design philosophy of the cardboard Virtual Boy accessory being offered alongside the replica hardware. However, a key limitation exists for those hoping to use the Labo VR kit with the Nintendo Switch 2: the newer console is simply too large to fit inside the Labo VR headset. Labo VR compatibility is therefore limited to the original Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo’s decision to revisit the Virtual Boy, a console notorious for its limited color palette, uncomfortable design, and commercial failure, is an interesting one. The Virtual Boy launched in 1995 and was discontinued less than a year later. The upcoming Nintendo Switch Online release offers a chance for a new generation to experience the console’s unique library, albeit through emulation. The availability of both a dedicated replica accessory and compatibility with existing Labo VR hardware suggests Nintendo is attempting to cater to a range of budgets and levels of retro gaming enthusiasm.
The Labo VR kit’s functionality relies on the Joy-Con controllers’ infrared sensor for tracking, as demonstrated in the piano Toy-Con, and HD Rumble for creating tactile feedback, as seen in the robotic Toy-Con. It remains to be seen how these features will translate to the Virtual Boy games, but the core principle of interacting with the software through physical construction remains consistent.
While Nintendo has not actively promoted the Labo series in recent years, the compatibility with the Virtual Boy library demonstrates a continued, if somewhat unexpected, appreciation for the innovative hardware. The Labo VR kit, originally designed to enhance experiences within existing Switch games, is now being repurposed to provide access to a piece of Nintendo’s gaming history. For those who still have their Labo VR kits tucked away, it’s a chance to breathe new life into a once-promising, and ultimately discontinued, experiment.
