Nintendo turned its biggest flop into an expensive, uncomfortable novelty
TL;DR
Nintendo's Virtual Boy, a 1995 flop, is now a pricey Switch accessory causing physical discomfort. It remains a niche novelty for dedicated fans only.
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I've written about a lot of different video game hardware over the years, from new consoles to retro gadgets to whatever you want to call the Playdate. 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.
First released in 1995, the original Virtual Boy looked like a VR headset but wasn't actually VR or a headset. Instead, the console offered stereoscopic 3D games that …