It’s been ages since Nintendo has talked about it, but the Switch 1 featured four games with “VR” support. Released as updates to existing software to coincide with the Labo VR Kit, Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate were given limited VR modes that made use of the unique cardboard kit. While all of those modes are technically compatible on Nintendo Switch 2, the new console doesn’t fit into the Labo kit, making it rather cumbersome to play. Thankfully, the upcoming Virtual Boy peripheral will restore that functionality.
As VGC confirmed through its review process for the Virtual Boy accessory, all the Switch 1 VR experiences function like they should in Nintendo’s newest add-on. You don’t need to buy the $100 one, either, as even the $25 cardboard peripheral functions the same. Just plop in your Switch or Switch 2, and you can experience the “VR” Nintendo added to its past titles. Breath of the Wild is the only game with full functionality (insofar as you can play the entire game in VR mode), the others offer a neat look at what VR can bring to select games.
Why is this the case? Well, the new Virtual Boy headset is just a pair of stereoscopic lenses that sit in front of the Switch’s display. You can achieve a similar effect using any pair of similar lenses, though it’s obviously a bit more comfortable to have something like a headset that perfectly distances the console from your eyes. The Labo kit also required the Joy-Con be situated on its sides, making “head tracking” possible. As VGC notes, the $100 Virtual Boy accessory actually lacks this, so it provides an inferior VR experience.
Interestingly, the Switch 2 update for Breath of the Wild retains its VR mode, so maybe Nintendo was always planning to keep VR functionality for the Switch 2. Whatever the case, at least there will be an official option for tinkering with these modes in the coming days. If anything, it could also make the Labo VR software fully playable on Switch 2.
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Written by Peter Glagowski
Peter has been a freelance gaming and film critic for over seven years. His passion for Nintendo is only matched by the size of his collection.
