Nintendo’s January 2026 Switch Online update is a big one – Virtual Boy games are coming to the service, playable in stereoscopic 3D via a dedicated accessory that paid members can now pre-purchase, marking one of the more unusual additions to the Nintendo Classics library.
Virtual Boy Returns With a Required Accessory
To play Virtual Boy titles through Nintendo Switch Online, members will need to slide their console into a dedicated peripheral. There are two options available: one modelled after the original red-and-black Virtual Boy hardware (complete with stand), and a simpler cardboard alternative. Access to the Virtual Boy – Nintendo Classics library requires a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership, so the base tier won’t cut it here.
It’s a genuinely unusual move from Nintendo – building a subscription-based revival around one of its most niche pieces of legacy hardware – but it signals that the company is willing to dig deep into its back catalogue rather than sticking only to the well-worn NES and SNES hits.
Everything Else Confirmed in the January Update
The Virtual Boy news sits alongside a solid wave of other additions. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance is now available on Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics, requiring both a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership and the Nintendo Switch 2 system. On the N64 side, Rayman 2: The Great Escape and Tonic Trouble have joined Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Classics for Expansion Pack members.
- Virtual Boy – Nintendo Classics: Requires Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack and a dedicated accessory (available to pre-purchase now)
- Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance: Now on Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics (requires Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack and Nintendo Switch 2)
- Rayman 2: The Great Escape and Tonic Trouble: Now on Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Classics
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons: New free update live, plus Slumber Island co-op feature for Switch Online members
There are also new My Nintendo Missions & Rewards tied to Game & Watch Gallery 3 and Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones – play either and you’ll earn 50 Platinum Points to redeem for retro icon elements. The Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance soundtrack has also landed on Nintendo Music, the exclusive app for Switch Online members.
According to Nintendo’s official announcement, members can discover even more ways to enjoy their benefits with the latest January updates, adding further retro titles to the growing Nintendo Classics library.