What Video Game Did I Play Yesterday?

Red Alarm (Nintendo Switch Online)

February 17th, 2026

I got the cardboard Virtual Boy accessory I'd ordered ages ago yesterday and stayed up late to try the Nintendo Switch Online emulation. I really have a lot of nostalgia for Virtual Boy! My dad brought one home when they were super cheap at Best Buy, and my siblings and I played it until we had to keep it assembled with rubber bands and ponytail holders. I was genuinely very excited to hear Nintendo was throwing these games online.

Once I started actually playing these games, I was surprised how cool they still are! I settled on playing a 3D shooter, Red Alarm, which had a lot of neat, retrofuturistic charm. The 3D worlds made of monochrome pixels are not realistic or very immersive, but it's such a distinctive style. Also, while playing, I was reminded powerfully of how the Virtual Boy's display can make it feel like your eyes will never be able to water again from the damage it does with every frame of gameplay.

I liked Red Alarm, and'll say more about the game in and of itself later. Last night, I was simply wallowing in the nostagia, and that was enough.

I let Pincremental run for a few hours, too, still making decent progress. This isn't a bad idle game.