Every Nintendo Switch Online Virtual Boy Game Ranked

7. Golf (VB)

Perhaps it's our affection for sports games with plain, unadorned titles, or perhaps it's tough to make a bad golf game, but we quite like Golf.

Its lack of multiplayer and ability to save your progress hurts (although the latter is solved with save states on NSO), not to mention its single course and inevitably repetitive nature, but the base gameplay here is solid, and you could do a lot worse. We give this three headaches out of five.

6. Teleroboxer (VB)

Teleroboxer is one of the entries in the Virtual Boy catalogue that could be legitimately, consistently labelled as 'fun'. Unfortunately, the experience is extremely short-lived, but while it lasts, this first-person robot fighter isn't half-bad.

Hardly a sterling recommendation, we know, but we'll take what we can get. Teleroboxer is worth a look.

5. Innsmouth no Yakata (VB)

A first-person horror game that suffers from similar issues of repetition as many of the console's other titles, but at least it tried something different.

It all feels a little old-hat by modern standards, but as a curio in the Virtual Boy catalogue, Innsmouth no Yakata — or The Mansion Of Innsmouth as the title is officially localised on NSO — may be worth investigating if you're into old-school 3D dungeon exploration games.

4. 3D Tetris (VB)

A North American exclusive, 3D Tetris shook up the standard formula by having you look down into the well as the blocks fall away from you. Having to fill in layers rather than make lines feels different to standard Tetris and this features 30 different block types, but the spirit of the game you know and love survives very well.

Let's face it, the proliferation of more easily accessible Tetris titles would make buying a Virtual Boy to play regular old Tetris a bit silly, no? 3D Tetris, though, is definitely worth investigating. Maybe not worth buying a VB for, but still very good - probably worth getting the cardboard goggles for the Switch Online app.

3. 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.

2. Galactic Pinball (VB)

Galactic Pinball probably isn't something you'll be going back to time and again, but that counts for the entire VB library. As pinball titles go, though, this is a decent one, with controls and physics which work well, and if you fancy yourself as a wizard of the pinball variety, this is your first, last, and only port of call on Virtual Boy.

Fortunately, it's a pretty good one. It's not worth hunting down an original system to play, but one to seek out on NSO, that's for sure.

1. Virtual Boy Wario Land (VB)

Arguably the only truly indispensable title on the console, 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 system's best game and one you have almost certainly played already if you are a proud Virtual Boy owner.

While it's tough to recommend buying any console 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 now, if you've got the requisite accessories. Happy days.