Virtual Boy Games Ranked
Image: Nintendo Life

Nintendo is an odd company in many ways; deeply appealing and safe in some respects, but also able to swing for the fences and invest money and resources in the pursuit of pure novelty. Time and again it puts out products that no other platform holder would have dreamed of, and more often than not those frivolities turn out to be delightfully entertaining.

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Doesn't work — Image: Gavin Lane / Nintendo Life

Not every idea can be a winner, though, and there are few more high-profile failures in the Kyoto company's back catalogue than the Virtual Boy.

With a catalogue of just 22 games released between both territories, it's an infamous example of one of Nintendo's more outlandish products completely missing the mark. But does it really deserve its reputation? Surely there are a couple of stone-cold classics in its library which would make tracking down a Virtual Boy worth it, no?

Below, we've put together a list of every single Virtual Boy game ordered and ranked by you, lovely readers. And reading through it, perhaps it's time to dig through the cupboard here at Nintendo Life HQ and fire up the ol' Boy again.

Alternatively, select Virtual Boy games are now playable on Switch 1 and 2 via an NSO Expansion Pack subscription (although you'll need an expensive accessory to play them).

Every Virtual Boy Game, Ranked

22. Virtual Lab (VB)

A soupily slow game that made our ears bleed, falling block puzzler Virtual Lab threatens to become passably fun at times. They're empty threats, though, and it never escapes its crushingly dull, repetitive loop.

It's not insultingly offensive, but if you're after an excuse to splurge on a Virtual Boy on eBay, this ain't it.

21. SD Gundam Dimension War (VB)

Well-designed characters and decent 3D can't save this poorly presented and repetitive Gundam game from the dusty depths of your wardrobe following its debut in your Virtual Boy's cart slot.

SD Gundam Dimension War could have been worse. But not much.

20. Virtual League Baseball (VB)

Oh dear. Maybe we should have started at the top? Nestling at #20 we've got the first of several sports games available for the system.

Some decent 3D effects can't disguise a game only its mother could love, and unfortunately Virtual League Baseball can't make up for its lacklustre looks with decent gameplay, either.

19. Space Invaders: Virtual Collection (VB)

3D Space Invaders might seem like the draw, but actually it's the 2D version included in this collection that captures the arcade original best. Still, there's no shortage of ways to play Space Invaders these days, so while this isn't terrible, it's hardly worth giving yourself a headache for.

18. Waterworld (VB)

And you thought the film was bad. Waterworld is an ugly, depressingly dull excuse for a game. The film might have been a box office bomb, but it really isn't as awful as its reputation suggests.

The VB game is irredeemably poor, though, and you have our permission to label your mint-boxed Virtual Boy library 'complete' with this one missing.

17. Virtual Fishing (VB)

A Japanese exclusive, Virtual Fishing is far from the worst game on the system, although you know you're in trouble when that's the highest compliment you can pay.

It struggles to find the right balance between presenting a challenge and becoming boringly easy when it comes to landing a lunker. Again, not awful but also not worth flaring up your glaucoma to play.

16. Virtual Bowling (VB)

The first of the system's two bowling games, Virtual Bowling looks and sounds relatively impressive and despite lacking the ability to save your scores (lack of saves, as you can tell, is a recurring issue with VB titles), this offers a decent simulation of bowling for a single player.

15. Nester's Funky Bowling (VB)

Nester’s Funky Bowling beats out Virtual Bowling simply through the inclusion of a two-player mode, offering solid 10-pin pleasure with good animation. It's not a world-beater, but we abide.

14. Space Squash (VB)

Playing like a cross between air hockey and Pong, Space Squash makes great use of the system's 3D and controls well with its dual D-pads to provide a satisfying slice of virtual (boy) gaming. The visuals are basic yet effective and while far from a killer app, Space Squash is a very solid entry in the VB software library.

13. Golf (VB)

Golf features impressive use of 3D and provides players with a lot of control over their shots, with obstacles and wind affecting ball movement in a way that feels accurate, meaning it does a good job of immersing players into its virtual course.

Sadly, it’s let down by its lack of multiplayer and records that are lost as soon as the Virtual Boy is turned off. A second course or even just a second set of weather conditions would help to extend the life of the game, but neither is available.

Overall, Golf is an excellent virtual representation of the real thing but hardly essential.

12. V-Tetris (VB)

The first of Virtual Boy's duo of Tetris titles, V-Tetris is Tetris and therefore hits a minimum level of quality almost by default.

It's not particularly special in any way, and not being able to save your high scores is a significant omission, but we can comfortably say without fear of contradiction that this is in the top two Tetris titles on the system.

11. Vertical Force (VB)

Vertical Force is a fun, challenging little shooter that will keep you coming back to the game's four levels long after you've beaten them. It won't surprise you in any way, but it makes good use of the system's 3D effect and it's easy enough to find for sensible prices.

Therefore, Vertical Force is recommended for any Virtual Boy collection.

10. Panic Bomber (VB)

Panic Bomber is a good-looking falling block puzzler featuring Bomberman. Cue disappointment that it's not a proper Bomberman title, but Virtual Boy didn't have a link cable, so simultaneous local multiplayer was beyond its abilities.

Once you get over that fact, you're left with a rather fine, if simple, little puzzle game that's definitely worth a look. Worth buying the system for? Certainly not, but if you own the console already, Panic Bomber should be on your shelf.

9. Mario Clash (VB)

At times, Mario Clash can be pretty boring, and with its flat sprites, lack of a save function, and other minor niggles, it's hard to recommend. However, stick with it and you'll find it does provide a challenge; once you’ve got the hang of it, try starting from a later level for maximum enjoyment.

The 3D effect works well, giving you a good sense of the distance between background and foreground and throwing a shell across the gap looks good as it gets bigger before smacking into an enemy or missing and flying close to the screen.

It's no Super Mario World, but it doesn't deserve the title of 'Worse Mario Game Ever' that it's often awarded. By no means essential, but it's not bad. Our quest for the killer app continues.

8. Teleroboxer (VB)

The Virtual Boy does a good job of immersing you in the fight with the large, detailed and varied opposition. You will have a great time blocking and punching as you try to find the best way to battle your opponents, but once you’ve done that, things become very easy with the only challenge being to see if you can manage an unbeaten run. That there are only eight other fighters in the game is also disappointing.

In short, Teleroboxer is fun whilst it lasts – unfortunately, that’s not very long at all.

7. Innsmouth no Yakata (VB)

On the one hand, Innsmouth no Yakata is to be applauded. It’s one of the few Virtual Boy games that used a first-person perspective and it makes good use of the controller. It has plenty of levels and the multiple endings help to extend its lifespan.

Unfortunately, the awkward movement, samey corridors, and limited animation make for a game that even at the time of release seemed rather dated. Running from the monsters as the timer ticks down is exciting, but fighting them isn’t. Innsmouth/Insmouse is an interesting game, but hard to recommend.

6. 3D Tetris (VB)

The “Next” piece preview may cause some confusion, the ‘Clear It!’ modes are the kind you will try once then forget about, and starting at Easy level 1 can lead to boredom. However, start at a later level and you will have a lot of fun with 3D Tetris.

The difficulty settings allow you to adjust the challenge and the three game types are all good, differing enough to make you want to give them each a thorough playthrough.

It may be different to other Tetris games, but it’s still excellent and highly recommended.

5. Mario's Tennis (VB)

The small character roster makes the tournaments laughably short, and the lack of a link cable or any form of multiplayer feels wrong somehow, but this is a solid, if simple, tennis game. Decent music and graphics combined with the 3D effect of the court ensure that Mario’s Tennis is an excellent introduction to the Virtual Boy, and one of the cheaper, easier carts to find secondhand these days.

A shame that the system itself isn't, but Switch Online's Nintendo Classics solves that problem if you've got the googles.

4. Red Alarm (VB)

A wireframe, on-rails shooter, Red Alarm's visuals may be crude, but the 3D effect works very well and there's plenty of variety in enemies you'll encounter throughout the game.

Throw in some tight controls and some forgiving mechanics (solid walls — which you may be difficult to discern thanks to the wireframe visuals — don't cause damage when you bump into them), and you've got an impressive little game that's a must-own if you've got a VB.

3. Galactic Pinball (VB)

Some dodgy music aside, this was a decent pinball game with everything physics-wise behaving as you would expect. Presented in the Virtual Boy's stereoscopic 3D, Galactic Pinball is a simple and addictive game that the system’s control pad is well-suited for.

After achieving a self-set target, it may be a while before you feel the urge to play again, but it's one of those score-chasing games you might find yourself playing a lot — and enjoying immensely — if red-hued pinpuck is your bag.

2. Jack Bros. (VB)

The fact that most Virtual Boy games are short experiences is probably for the best; the system's repuation for inducing headaches means smaller games and regular breaks are preferable to some 80-hour JRPG epic.

Atlus' Jack Bros. — a spin-off of the Megami Tensei series — is a short-but-sweet top-down action game with great audio which should be near the very top of your Virtual Boy games-to-play list. It's not perfect and has plenty of untapped potential, but it's an essential purchase for any VB owner.

1. Virtual Boy Wario Land (VB)

Arguably the only truly indispensable title on the system, this platformer featuring Mario's greedy counterpart boasts fabulous visuals and audio to match, and plays much like Wario Land on the Game Boy. It's easily the best game on the console and one you have almost certainly played already if you are a proud Virtual Boy owner.

While it's tough to recommend buying a system just for one game — especially at current prices — this is a fine, fine outing for the anti-Mario and, although we don't endorse stealing, Virtual Boy Wario Land is worth begging or borrowing a Virtual Boy to experience. Failing that, it's on NSO if you've got the requisite accessories.

Best Virtual Boy Games FAQs

Never heard of this curious console before? Let's get you set with some common questions.

Is the Virtual Boy good?

Well... that question is pretty relative. Popular opinion is that the Virtual Boy isn't that great; it has a small library of games and the console was bulky and clunky. Not only that, people reported eye strain from using the console.

However, over time, it's become a bit of a Nintendo curio, with side-hard fans trying to redeem the console's reputation. And after all, no one could've made a console like the Virtual Boy in the '90s other than Nintendo, right?

When did the Virtual Boy launch?

Virtual Boy launched in Japan on 21st July 1995, but performed very poorly, both at home and in North America. So poorly, in fact, that it never reached European shores at all; production was discontinued after only five months in its homeland.

Who created the Virtual Boy?

Legendary Nintendo engineer Gunpei Yokoi is the one who led the charge here, the very same man behind the Game & Watch handhelds and the all-conquering Game Boy.

Can you play Virtual Boy games on Switch?

Yes! You'll need a peripheral available from My Nintendo Store, but VB games came to Switch on 17th February 2026.

How can I change the ranking of this list?

Disagree with the order? Think Wario needs to be taken down a peg? Feel free to search for the VB game of your choice to give it a rating, or you can click on the star next to the game listed and give it a score out of 10.