In his weekly column, Android Central Senior Content Producer Nick Sutrich delves into all things VR, from new hardware to new games, upcoming technologies, and so much more.
Several years ago, Nintendo debuted a new generation of VR games and accessories with the company's experimental LABO kits. These clever cardboard contraptions have gamers start by assembling a unique controller, then using it in a bespoke game. One of these LABO kits was a VR headset.
While LABO is no longer made, the VR functionality in games like Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, and several other games remains. Now that the Switch 2 is out with more powerful hardware, a higher-resolution screen, and upgraded versions of all these games, it makes sense to me to give them another shot in VR.
So I went and ordered the best-looking Switch 2-compatible VR headset from Amazon and got to downloading the Switch 2 updates for all the games that support VR mode. While the concept of offering hybrid VR functionality in AAA Nintendo games is an excellent concept, the execution still leaves a lot to be desired.
Setup is simple, but it doesn't get much better from there
Pictured above is the STARTRC VR headset for the Nintendo Switch 2. It's one of many identical-looking headset accessories for Nintendo's system, and, unsurprisingly, none of them seem to be available for purchase now. At least they'll have one unit once mine is returned.
I've been a VR gamer for over a decade now and, from everything I can tell, this is as good as Switch 2 VR headsets get. It's got pads for your head and face in the right locations, adjustable lenses that can correct for IPD and mild focusing issues, and a proper place for the Switch 2 to be docked. It's better than LABO if, for no other reason, you don't have to hold it up to your face the entire time.
But that's where the positive traits end. Firing up BOTW, Mario Odyssey, or Captain Toad in VR for the first time promises to be glorious, but with this hardware, you shouldn't bother trying it at all.
I'm not someone who gets dizzy or motion sick from VR, but I could feel the head pressure immediately as soon as I put this headset on. That's a shame, too, because seeing Captain Toad wave to me as if I were physically present in the game was pure magic, and it reminded me of the joys of Astro Bot on the original PlayStation VR.
The Virtual Boy accessory for the Switch 2 might offer a better experience when it launches in mid-February, but without having tried it myself, I can't make any guarantees. At the very least, the $25 Virtual Boy cardboard unit looks to have higher-quality lenses than the $35 headset I bought from Amazon.
There's still hope for a proper VR experience from Nintendo
Maybe, at some point, we'll get a proper VR system from Nintendo that feels on par with the Meta Quest 3. The fact that Nintendo is still dabbling in things like the Virtual Boy and leaving VR modes in Switch 2 versions of its games gives me hope that this is still a possibility.
After all, Nintendo hasn't debuted a "dedicated" portable system since the 3DS. Maybe the next time the company decides to try something new and interesting, that could happen. Until then, it makes a lot more sense to spend money on a Meta Quest 3S — which regularly goes on sale from $200-250 and is a completely standalone console — or to pick up Viture's Switch 2-compatible mobile dock and enjoy your Switch on a massive virtual screen inside private smart glasses.
