It's been 148 days since Nintendo uploaded a Nintendo 64 game to Nintendo Switch Online. Worse yet, it has been 398 days since the last Sega Genesis update. So, what did Nintendo give us this week? That's right, it's more Virtual Boy. But before you groan, this is actually a pretty great update, because we're getting the cult classic Jack Bros and the 2D shooter Vertical Force, as well as a trio of games that are coming to the U.S. for the very first time, including V-Tetris, Virtual Bowling and Space Invaders: Virtual Collection. That's cool news, but are any of these games actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Nintendo Power, Next Generation and more classic magazines that reviewed these games when they first came out. Pour one out for Nester, because it's time for another monochromatic episode of Nintendo Classics Review Crew.


If Red Alarm was looking to deliver a next-generation shoot ‘em up, Vertical Force was content to give you a safe last-generation experience. Published by Nintendo here in the U.S., this looks and feels like a traditional 2D shoot ‘em up, not dissimilar from developer Hudson Soft's Star Soldier series. The gimmick here is that you can move in and out of the screen to kill bad guys and dodge obstacles. It's a trick we've seen before both Wario Land and Mario Clash, but it helps to make the shoot ‘em up action a little more intense in Vertical Force. Let's see what the critics said.

Before we jump into the reviews, there's one thing you need to understand. By 1995, critics were sick and tired of 2D shooters. They had played enough for three lifetimes. So keep that in mind as we look at Next Generation, who gave Vertical Force their lowest possible grade – 1 out of 5. “The definition of 3D employed in this overhead shooter is one in which two separate planes of gameplay co-exist, within a completely confusing environment of mindless enemy ships and constant red gunfire. If this were a regular game, then it may have been a far less troublesome ordeal, but it's not. Beyond the very unsuccessful 3D elements in Vertical Force, this game is totally uninspired.”

Okay, I know what you're thinking: “That's just Next Generation, they hated all of the Virtual Boy games.” While that's certainly true, it wasn't just Next Gen who couldn't stand Vertical Force. Even the overly-generous GamePro gave the game a low 2 out of 5. “A standard 8-bit shooter with some minor 3D effects, this flying game is a wild blue yawner. The graphics are simple and bland, with enemies that wouldn't impress your kid sister. The tinny sounds are below average for any post-1990 game. Shooting on two levels and blasting mediocre enemies make this no Force to be reckoned with.”

For what it's worth Nintendo Power liked the game a bit more, giving it a 3.3 out of 5. Electronic Gaming Monthly gave it one of the higher scores, going all the way up to a 6.75 out of 10. There was a mix of opinions here. Mike wasn't impressed, concluding that “Vertical Force definitely had potential to be a great shooter because it allows the player to fly and attack at both high and low levels, but due to the poor depth perception, this feature fails quite miserably. It is quite difficult to tell the height of certain structures as well.” Andrew, on the other hand, liked the game, giving it an 8: “This game looks and plays a lot like the TurboGrafx shooters of yesteryear. The graphics look good, but there are a few problems of your ship and shots getting lost over the background. The multi-depth levels are a neat idea, but the execution is done rather poorly. It's hard to tell what level each object is. Still, if you are able to get used to it, Vertical Force proves to be another decent Virtual Boy game. Just make sure you take breaks often, or you'll lose your eyes.”

Now, there was one magazine that genuinely liked Vertical Force. I'm of course talking about Game Fan, who ended up giving the game an average score of 83%. E. Storm liked it the most, calling it another “must own game.” “Vertical Force takes some getting used to with its multi-level gameplay, but once you do, you'll be hooked. Welcome to parallax heaven. This is as original a shooter I've seen in many moons. While it's hard, it's not impossible. Learning how to deal with everything in 3D is half the fun here. The great graphics and music is the other half. Do not miss this one!”

With scores ranging from 20% all the way up to 83%, the critics were all over the place on this one. Game Fan loved it and ... well, the rest either hated it or generally disliked it. The overall average is a mere 55%, making it the Virtual Boy's worst-reviewed game (so far). Your mileage may vary on this one.

We've already talked about 3-D Tetris, a version of the classic puzzle game that showed us the falling pieces from a whole new angle. Over in Japan, there was a second, more traditional take on the puzzler from Bullet-Proof Software. I say that it's more traditional because it is 2D, but V-Tetris does offer some new ideas, including a mode where you can scroll the play field from foreground to background, giving you more space and using the system's 3D capabilities.

V-Tetris was never released outside of Japan, so this is the first time many American gamers will have a chance to experience this version of the classic game. Unfortunately, that means that there are no English-language reviews. Over in Japan, Famitsu covered it in 1995, giving it an average score of 5.25 out of 10, suggesting that they weren't that into it. We gave it a B+ over at the Defunct Games website, so I say check it out, if only for the weird modes you can only get on the Virtual Boy.

Space Invaders: Virtual Collection is yet another Virtual Boy game that is only now finding its way outside of Japan. Developed and published by Taito, this is a compilation featuring versions of the 1978 landmark shoot ‘em up, as well as its 1979 sequel, appropriately titled Space Invaders Part II. What sets this collection apart is that you can play 3D remakes of these games, giving fans a fun new challenge that shakes up the old school action.

Much like V-Tetris, no magazine outside of Japan reviewed Space Invaders: Virtual Collection at the time. The only review we have comes from Famitsu, who hated this update, giving it a low 3.75 out of 10. Despite the negative reception, it's cool that series creator Tomohiro Nishikado came back to create 3D versions of his classics. For that reason, I would say this game is worth checking out, especially now that you don't have to import it.

For a system that barely lasted a year, there sure are a lot of bowling games on the Virtual Boy. Here in America, we got Nester's Funky Bowling, a game based on a Nintendo Power comic strip. Sadly, that's not coming to Nintendo Switch Online. We're instead getting Virtual Bowling from Athena, a 1995 Virtual Boy game that never made its way outside of Japan. This isn't all that different from the bowling sims you saw from the mid-1990s, only now there are more 3D effects and some cool animations that play with the depth.

Once again, there are no English-language reviews. With it not coming to America or Europe, nobody bothered to review it. Over in Japan, Famitsu gave it an average score of 5.5 out of 10. It was neither a gutter ball nor a strike. It was just right down the middle, but not in a good way. With Nester being sidelined, this is the one way to get your bowling fix on the Switch. It's fun, but I'm not sure you'll stick with Virtual Bowling for very long.

If you've ever talked to a Virtual Boy fan, then they almost certainly said that the number 1 game to play was, of course, Wario Land. However, if they recommended a second game, it was almost always Jack Bros., the notoriously expensive action/adventure game set in the Megami Tensei universe. This is an odd little Halloween-themed game starring Jack Frost, Jack Lantern and Jack Skelton, who you should definitely not confuse with Jack Skellington, from The Nightmare Before Christmas. The gameplay is built around a maze full of puzzles, items and dead ends (in more ways than one). What's cool about this game is that we can see the next level below us, using the Virtual Boy's 3D tech in a fun way. Let's see if the reviews live up to the hype.

We're going to start with the lowest score, which actually belongs to Nintendo Power. They gave Jack Bros. a so-so score of 3.3 out of 5, the exact same score they gave Vertical Force. They liked the “good graphics” and praised the clock for keeping things moving. Plus, it's “more challenging than you might expect.” They were critical of the “poor text” and ... “fairies on Halloween”? That seems like a weird criticism to me, especially when the give the game a 3.3.

Over in the UK, N64 magazine ended up liking Jack Bros. more than Nintendo Power. In a review that is extremely hard to read because of its busy background, they explained that the game is “a cross between Gauntlet and single-player Bomberman. Travel around 3D mazes, picking up keys to unlock the exit. The game's not simple, though. Some enemies have long range fire, while others drop Bomberman-style bombs. When you reach the stage's exit, you jump down to the one underneath, a simple, but elegant use of the 3D hardware.” N64 magazines gave Jack Bros. a score of 73%.

If you're looking for the biggest Jack Bros. cheerleader, then look no further than Game Fan. Giving the game an average score of 89%, they were big fans of this weird little game. An uncredited critic gave it an 88%: “Take a little bit of Bomberman, a lot of any top view action game, throw in amazing (and I do mean amazing) depth, kooky tunes and wacky Halloween characters, and you've got yourself one fantastic Virtual Boy game. Jumping down from platform to platform ... the coolest. Vaste gameplay, a great theme and overall quality design make Jack Bros. my number one Virtual Boy game.” E. Storm liked it even more, comparing the game to a long-forgotten Sega classic: “Did anyone play Maze Hunter 3D with the 3D Sega goggles? If you did, you've probably been waiting for a game that brings back that incredible feeling of depth. Well, Jack Bros. comes close. In 3D, it of course excels, with multiple platforms to play on and then jump down to. The gameplay is a little slow, but very addicting and full of play mechanics. Magic spells pop out above your character creating a 3D visual feast, and the multiple characters give the game good replayability.”

With an average score of 76%, the hype is real. While that may not sound impressive, it ties the game with Mario's Tennis as the top-rated Virtual Boy game. It's exactly one-point above Wario Land. So yes, you should play Jack Bros. It's easily the best game to come out of this Nintendo Switch Online update.