Nintendo turned its biggest flop into an expensive, uncomfortable novelty

"But I can't remember ever being perpetually sore from testing a device; such are the joys of the Virtual Boy. Nintendo has turned its biggest flop into an accessory for the Switch, but the costs involved - to your wallet, eyes, and neck - make it a tough sell. Much like the original, this is a novelty for Nintendo sickos only."

"Instead, the console offered stereoscopic 3D games that you viewed through a pair of bulky goggles that were propped up on a stand. It also rendered games in eye-searing red and black, making for an experience that had some potential but was ultimately ugly and uncomfortable. It was a flop and was discontinued after just a year, amassing a library of less than two dozen games."

Nintendo has released a Switch accessory that recreates the original Virtual Boy's stereoscopic red-and-black display. The original Virtual Boy, launched in 1995, used bulky goggles propped on a stand to present stereoscopic 3D and produced fewer than two dozen games before being discontinued. Virtual Boy titles have been added to the Nintendo Classics collection on Switch Online, and the accessory attempts to reproduce the original viewing method. The accessory produces eye-searing red visuals, physical discomfort and neck strain during use. High cost, discomfort, and niche appeal make the accessory primarily suitable for hardcore Nintendo collectors.

Read at The Verge