Mario and Zelda fans have reason to pay attention to Nintendo’s latest hardware announcement. The company is releasing a Virtual Boy accessory for both the original Switch and the upcoming Switch 2 that will support VR versions of four major titles.
According to Video Games Chronicle, these include Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, alongside Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.
It’s important to understand what these VR versions actually are. These aren’t newly developed virtual reality builds of Mario and Zelda games. Instead, they’re the same versions previously released for the Nintendo Labo VR kit, which was a cardboard-based VR headset for the original Switch.
The Labo VR allowed players to experience portions of these games in a basic virtual reality format by sliding the console into a homemade cardboard viewer. For Switch 2 owners, this matters because Labo creations generally don’t work with the new console.
The upcoming Virtual Boy accessory provides the only official way to experience these VR versions on Nintendo’s latest hardware. Nintendo has also confirmed that the Switch 2 enhanced version of Breath of the Wild will retain its VR mode functionality.
Two Ways to Experience VR Games: Hardware vs Cardboard
There are two different versions of the Virtual Boy accessory, each with its own price and use case. Knowing the differences will help you figure out which choice is best for your setup.
Hardware Unit: $100
- It sits on a stand that looks like the one that came with the 1995 Virtual Boy console.
- Has red filters over the lenses to make it feel like the original.
- Made to be used while sitting still, with the headset on a table
- Better for playing real Virtual Boy library games
- You can take off the red filters if you want to.
Cardboard Version ($25):
- You can wear it like a headset on your head.
- Lets your head move freely so you can look around in VR environments.
- Actually, it’s best to play the Mario and Zelda VR games with this.
- More immersive for games that need you to move and look in different directions
- Works with the same four VR games for the Switch
The cardboard option costs significantly less and provides a better experience for games like Super Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild, where looking around freely enhances gameplay. The hardware version, while more durable and polished, restricts movement since it stays in one place on a table.
For collectors or those interested in the original Virtual Boy library, the hardware unit offers authentic red filter visuals and the proper setup for those retro games. However, Virtual Boy titles won’t work with the original Labo VR headset, which limits options for existing Switch owners who invested in that earlier system.
Game compatibility and availability of Mario Zelda VR on Switch 2
The four VR-supported games available at launch include:
- Super Mario Odyssey
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Super Smash Bros Ultimate
- Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Both versions of the Virtual Boy accessories will be available for purchase through the My Nintendo Store. This release coincides with several classic Virtual Boy games joining the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription service.
Early tests show that the new accessory keeps the original spirit alive while making the Mario and Zelda VR games work on newer hardware. People who have used the device say it is “just as strange and awkward as it was thirty years ago.” This shows that Nintendo wants to keep the 1995 console’s unique personality.
FAQ
Q: Can you play Virtual Boy games on the Switch 2 without having to buy the extra?
No. You need the new hardware accessory to play Virtual Boy games. Without the headset or the original Labo VR kit, they won’t work.
Q: Do I have to buy the Mario and Zelda games again for VR?
You don’t need to buy these games again if you already have them for Switch. There are already copies that have the VR mode.
Q: Will VR work with more games in the future?
Aside from these four, Nintendo hasn’t said anything about any other games that will work with VR.
Q: Are there whole games in VR or just parts of them?
Like the original Labo VR versions, the VR mode only lets you play certain parts of the game instead of the whole thing.
Conclusion: Switch 2 owners can play Mario and Zelda in VR with the Nintendo Virtual Boy accessory. They would lose access to these games when they upgrade from the original console.
Players can choose between a cheap cardboard headset that lets them move around freely and a hardware unit that accurately recreates the original from 1995 for playing old games.
There are two different versions you can buy, each at a different price. Nintendo keeps coming up with new ways to use old games on new consoles. Mario and Zelda are still the best examples of how the company does virtual reality: it’s useful, easy to use, and not what you think it is.
