Nintendo is expanding its Virtual Boy library on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service with the addition of two previously unreleased titles. D-Hopper and Zero Racers are scheduled to launch on August 4th.
Both games were initially developed for the Virtual Boy in 1996 but were canceled due to the system's commercial failure. Their inclusion in the Nintendo Switch Online service marks their first official release.
D-Hopper, developed by Intelligent Systems, is an action-adventure game that casts players as a prince on a quest to defeat a corrupt politician and rescue allies, drawing parallels to The Legend of Zelda series.
Zero Racers is a racing game set in the F-Zero universe. It features two modes: Grand Prix, which involves competing against other racers, and Practice, allowing players to hone their skills on individual tracks.
The announcement was accompanied by a notable trailer that depicted a man discovering a Virtual Boy in the desert, playing it, and being shadowed by a colossal, sentient Virtual Boy. The trailer also revealed that soundtracks from Virtual Boy titles are now accessible on Nintendo Music.
The Virtual Boy was added to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service in February of this year, launching with seven games. Nintendo had previously indicated that more titles, including those that never saw release, would be added subsequently.