A few days ago, a Nintendo patent filing once again kickstarted rumors that a second-screen accessory might be on its way to the Nintendo Switch 2, specifically for Nintendo DS games. While it’s an exciting prospect, take it with a grain of salt. None of the sources are well known or have remarkable track records, and others have suggested the device might be something akin to a Nintendo DS Classic (although it isn’t clear if Nintendo plans to continue its “Classic” lineup of retro consoles).
However, it if does happen, that suggests Nintendo DS games might actually be on their way to Nintendo Switch Online. That would be an awesome prospect, as the DS is one of those platforms that’s particularly difficult to emulate due to the dual-screen layout and how much gameplay relied upon interacting with the bottom screen while simultaneously navigating the top display. The closest modern interpretation are emulators on foldable phones, but that isn’t the best approach, especially considering Nintendo’s stance on emulation.
When I first heard the news, I almost dismissed it outright. But something in yesterday’s Nintendo Direct made me revisit the idea: the announcement of Virtual Boy games coming to NSO, along with the (admittedly silly) accessory that goes with them.
The Virtual Boy is the absolute last console I would have guessed would join the NSO lineup. There are many other platforms that would be better choices, such as the Wii. Even throwing adding games from the short-lived 64DD peripheral would have made more sense than a console that was, by all metrics, a huge flop.
A short history of the Virtual Boy
If you have never heard of the Virtual Boy before, don’t feel bad. It’s not commonly known. It launched in 1995 at the tail end of the Super Nintendo’s lifecycle, and while it was the first console capable of demonstrating “true” 3D graphics, but in practical application, it was closer to a headache machine.
The Virtual Boy suffered from low sales and was discontinued in late 1995 in Japan, but survived for a few more months in North America. Only 22 games were officially published for the platform, although hobbyists and enthusiasts have since created fan-made games for emulators on more modern virtual reality platforms like the Oculus Rift.
Nintendo projected unit sales of 1.5 million. Only 140,000 sold in Japan, and a total of 770,000 sold worldwide. It resembles a modern-day VR headset in many ways, but it didn’t have a color display. In fact, the Virtual Boy had a single column of 224 red LEDs that produced its entire display. The console used parallax, a visual perception effect, to generate a sensation of depth in its games.
Nintendo promises that a total of 14 games will be released over time, including at least one Japan-only title that never made it to the western market. A few of the games include:
- Mario’s Tennis
- Galactic Pinball
- Virtual Bowling
- Tetris
Though the Virtual Boy might not have been a commercial success, it was an experiment worth celebrating, and its influence can still be seen in franchises today. Take Wii Sports, for instance. I would be willing to bet its earliest roots can be traced back to Virtual Bowling.
What this means for the Nintendo DS
Before yesterday’s announcement, I would have said the inclusion of DS games was basically an impossibility. Now, I’m not so sure. Nintendo has proven a willingness to create accessories for niche use cases and even provide a low-cost option by way of a cardboard option. It makes the potential of a secondary, folding screen much more plausible.
Many of the best Nintendo DS games are locked to the platform and can’t be obtained legitimately elsewhere, including seriously noteworthy games like The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.
The Switch is already capable of shifting its display to another screen (that’s what the dock is for), and powering a secondary display wouldn’t be too much drain on its battery. The display could show the equivalent of the top of the DS, while the interactive part could remain in the Switch 2 itself.
The possibility is there. If Nintendo had included the ability to cast its display to a nearby screen, that would make it even more likely. Unfortunately, we’re still stuck relying on hardware and proprietary tech, but the Nintendo Switch 2 is the best chance diehard DS fans have of seeing games like Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow return in a way that honors the original intention.
That said, I would caution anyone against getting too excited. Nintendo files numerous patents, and many of those result in absolutely nothing. It’s fun to think about — and the launch of the Virtual Boy accessory shows that a DS accessory could be a possibility — but I’m not going to hold my breath. The Virtual Boy titles will join the Nintendo Switch Online roster on February 17, 2026.
