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This affordable headset is designed to ‘mimic’ VR for the Nintendo Switch

Steven Petite
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Image used with permission by copyright holder

Virtual reality headsets are still a burgeoning technology, and many believe VR is the future of gaming. With the excitement surrounding the Oculus Quest, some may start to wonder when major video game hardware manufacturers — except for Sony — will get on board. We even compared the Oculus Quest to the popular Nintendo Switch based on its pick-up-and-play mantra that could have widespread appeal.

So, the question is, when will Nintendo see VR as the future? We’re not sure, but one Canadian company has a solution in the meantime. Dubbed the NS Glasses, Exklim’s not-quite-VR headset is certainly an intriguing idea (via Nintendo Life).

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Since the Switch isn’t actually designed to support VR, the NS Glasses won’t magically turn it into a VR machine. Instead, the headset plays with the colors on screen to give off the look of a 3D experience within the headset. Although the design looks fairly comfortable, with the Switch strapped into the front, we imagine it feels quite weighty and not suitable for extended play sessions. If the 3D experience works as advertised, it’s probably more comparable to the Nintendo 3DS’ 3D effect than true VR, but it’s still a neat concept.

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The device is compatible with all Nintendo Switch games and will be available for pre-order soon. If you order early, you’ll get the NS Glasses for $50, half the cost of the headset at retail.

While it seems unlikely that the NS Glasses will be a game-changer for the Switch, perhaps if it takes off, Nintendo will see that there’s a desire to play games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey in VR. However, given the low price point, we’d be surprised if the technology delivers everything that a consumer might want. Along with the 3D effect, the headset allegedly “smooths the pixel count” to achieve higher resolutions. It’s unclear what resolution it will display, although the Switch’s screen comes in at 720p.

The bottom line is that the Switch, as currently constructed, isn’t powerful enough to support a VR experience that could rival competitors outside of the mobile VR market. Nintendo also hasn’t shown a real interest in the technology. As we know, though, Nintendo typically lags behind the competition in terms of technology trends.

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Steven Petite
Steven Petite
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Steven is a writer from Northeast Ohio currently based in Louisiana. He writes about video games and books, and consumes…
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