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The new Nintendo Switch Virtual Boy has the same problem it did in 1995. Thats a good thing

In September 2025, Nintendo announced something I never thought I would see: The triumphant return of the Virtual Boy. This was easily the biggest and most embarrassing hardware failure in the company’s history.

Thirty years is apparently long enough to get over the shame, though, because Nintendo is bringing Virtual Boy games to the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service on Feb. 17. You won’t be able to play them on your TV. Instead, you’ll need a $99 add-on that recreates the console’s two-legged original form factor, which you shove your Switch or Switch 2’s handheld screen into. There’s also a $24.99 cardboard alternative, in case $99 is too much for you.

I got hands-on time with the more expensive Virtual Boy accessory at a Nintendo preview event, and I’m pleased to report that all of the cornerstones of the Virtual Boy experience are present … for better and worse.

What matters is that it’s faithful

Nintendo launched the Virtual Boy in 1995, when the Super Nintendo Entertainment System was in its twilight and the next-generation Nintendo 64 still a year away.

The Virtual Boy sat between a home console and a fully portable handheld device like the Game Boy; it didn’t plug into a TV, but it stood on two legs and needed a flat surface to play on, as well as several batteries or a power adapter. It promised stereoscopic 3D gaming, at a time when the mere notion of a third dimension was relatively novel.

And yet, few bought it. Those who did complained of neck and eye strain, because you had to shove your face into the module to play games on it. Games were only displayed in red and black, which was not the most pleasing aesthetic. Only 22 Virtual Boy games were ever released, and few were memorable. Nintendo withdrew the product in 1996.

Fast forward to 2026, and the Virtual Boy is back on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. Even a few minutes with the peripheral told me basically everything I needed to know. I got to sample the Feb. 17 launch lineup, which includes Wario Land (generally considered the best game on the platform), Teleroboxer, 3-D Tetris, and a game called The Mansion of Innsmouth that was previously only released in Japan.

The Switch Virtual Boy add-on viewed from the front, with a Switch 2 Pro Controller sitting next to it

Go on, shove your face in there.
Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

The Virtual Boy add-on for Switch works exactly like it should. You set it on a table in front of you, grab a controller, and stick your face into the machine. By default, games are displayed faithfully in red and black (though there are some new options that let you adjust that) and the stereoscopic 3D effect that defined the original hardware is in full force.

I suspect that’s the reason why you can’t just play these games on a TV — and after seeing them in action, I get it. These games were designed to only be seen in 3D, and as much as it sucks to charge $99 for the ability to play them correctly, I don’t think the novelty would exist to the same extent on a flat display.

Wario Land definitely seemed neat, especially with 3D background elements being relevant to gameplay sometimes, while The Mansion of Innsmouth was completely inscrutable.

The most vital aspect of all of this: after just a few minutes, my eyes and neck began to hurt and I had to back away. I got the same feeling of being disconnected from the physical world around me and needing to re-integrate with it as soon as I was done that I normally get from using modern VR headsets.

We’ve come so far in terms of VR tech, but for me that sense of dislocation hasn’t changed at all.

Playing a Virtual Boy after decades of just hearing about it was fascinating, if nothing else. I love that Nintendo is doing this, though I’m not sure $99 is worth it for the full experience, or that most of those games are worth playing for longer than five minutes.

There’s genuine historical value to Nintendo’s biggest gaming failure, and we should take it as a victory that Nintendo isn’t running away from it anymore.

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This $430 MacBook Pro deal wont stick around for long — act fast to save

TL;DR: Get a near-mint Apple MacBook Pro (2020) for $429.97 (reg. $1,999) — featuring a Retina display, 16GB RAM, and 1TB SSD while stock lasts.


$429.97

$1,999
Save $1,569.03

 

MacBook Pros are known for their performance and build quality, but they’re also known for their price tags. That’s why refurbished deals can be worth paying attention to, especially when they involve higher-end models.

Right now, a near-mint Apple MacBook Pro (2020) is available for $429.97 (reg. $1,999) for a limited time. With Grade A refurbished condition, it arrives in like-new condition, while delivering the same performance the MacBook Pro line is known for.

Key features:

  • 2GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz

  • 16GB RAM for smooth multitasking and demanding workloads

  • 1TB SSD storage for fast performance and plenty of space

  • 13.3″ Retina display (2560×1600) with Apple’s True Tone technology

  • Intel Iris Plus Graphics for creative work and streaming

  • Touch Bar for shortcuts

  • Touch ID fingerprint login

  • Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports

  • Up to 10 hours of battery life for working on the go

  • Optimized for the latest macOS

If you’ve been waiting for a reasonably priced MacBook Pro, this refurbished 2020 model is on sale for just $429.97 (reg. $1,999) while stock lasts.

Want to see more deals? Visit the shop and use code MARCH15 to save an extra 15% sitewide through March 29. Exclusions apply.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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6 AdultFriendFinder features other hookup sites lack

For 30 years now, AdultFriendFinder has quietly positioned itself as the internet’s premier adult dating site and a go-to destination for singles chasing casual flings and hookups. Their success hasn’t been an accident. They’ve stayed on top of the game, and even survived the emergence of dating apps, by forging a unique identity to help them stand out in an incredibly crowded and competitive field. 

If you’re looking to let your freak flag fly, AFF offers you the greatest variety of ways to do it — here are six features AdultFriendFinder has that you won’t find on any other dating site.

Credit: AdultFriendFinder

Naked content

One of the first things you’ll discover after creating an AFF account is that the site doesn’t shy away from hosting nudity, nor is it hard to come by. In fact, it’s extremely common for people’s profile photos to contain genitalia or full-frontal nudity rather than the typical headshot you’re likely to find on most other dating sites. 

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AdultFriendFinder


readers’ pick for casual connections


Tinder


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popular choice for regular meetups

The nudity isn’t confined to photos, either. You can host videos on your profile, including explicit videos, and there are webcam feeds live at any given time that feature amateur and professional models in various states of undress. 

If you find yourself distracted by all of the nudity or just want to browse the site in public without getting arrested, you can turn on the adult content filter by navigating to your profile settings in the top right of the screen, scrolling down to Content Filter and then selecting either No Nudity, Some Nudity or Everything (the default setting, naturally).

Live webcam feeds

There’s certainly no shortage of webcam sites on the internet, but it’s rare to find a dating site that hosts live webcam feeds, not only of professional models but also of regular men and women looking for connection. 

Navigate to the Live Action menu at the top of your AFF window and choose between either Member Webcams or Pro Models. Once you’ve made this choice, you’ll be able to create even more specific search filters, including by gender (Men, Women or Trans), Nude or Non-Nude, and even by proximity to you.

One thing to note, however: while free members can view webcam feeds (including more than one at a time), only Gold members and above can actually chat with models.

Discussion forums, blogs, and group chats

Unlike traditional dating sites, which only seek to match people in one-on-one interactions, AdultFriendFinder encourages group dynamics, especially in their Community section. Here you’ll find not only personal blog posts by AFF users commenting on their experience, sharing stories or posting queries, but also group discussion boards organized around literally hundreds of interesting topics. 

Many of these are sexual in nature (there’s a polyamory group, for example, and a “women who like older men” group), but many are organized around interests and hobbies, including politics, tech, travel, movies and music. 

Best of all, you can participate in these communal discussions without having to subscribe to AFF’s Gold membership, which helps to keep these places more lively than they would otherwise be if only paying members could access these spaces. 

Erotic stories

Fun fact: erotic fiction now accounts for approximately 25 percent of all fiction sold in the United States, so it’s hardly surprising that erotic writing (“literotica” for those in the know) would be a major draw. What is surprising, however, is how few online dating sites take advantage of it.

AdultFriendFinder members who wish to read or write sexy stories, real or imagined, can navigate to the Community menu and select Stories, where they’ll uncover a near-unlimited array of stories, novels, fan fiction and even erotic poetry. 

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can explore the stories at random, but AFF also deploys a clever tagging system that allows you to search by topic, with popular options including First Time, Sci-Fi, TSTV (trans and transvestite), and Voyeur. 

Popular stories achieve higher ratings and greater on-site visibility, and popular authors can actually build a large following on the site, so whether you’re eager to read more erotic fiction or aspire to write some, AFF has you covered. 

Contests

One of the more fun aspects of AdultFriendFinder is that it genuinely seeks to cultivate a sense of community and actively encourages its users to spend more time on the site, especially in the public-facing sections. Their on-site contests are a fantastic example of this in action. 

About once a month, the site hosts a themed photo contest, asking members to submit photos and then allowing the rest of the site to vote on which submissions best reflect or embody the contest caption. 

The most recent photo contest theme was “Velvet Secrets: Valentine’s Masquerade,” while prior contests include “Naughty & Nice” for the holidays and “Midnight Mischief.” Winners get a special badge they can display on their profile, as well as tons more profile visibility, so there’s a strong incentive to participate. 

To enter, scroll to the Community menu and then find Contests at the very bottom of the options list. If there’s an active contest and you are logged in to your account, you’ll be given the option of participating.

Kink-based profile search

Every online dating site or app has a profile section, where you can fill out pertinent personal information such as your sexual orientation, level of education, and whatever hobbies, interests or special skills you have that might make you stand out from the crowd, but AdultFriendFinder takes things a step further by offering members the opportunity to list their kinks.

If you navigate to your profile name in the top right of your AFF screen and then select Dating Profile and Edit Profile, you’ll have the opportunity to add to your My Kinks section. Popular options here include BDSM, voyeurism and cross dressing, but the full list is far more extensive.

Best of all, these kink lists aren’t merely decorative. If you have a premium account, you can actually search out other members by their chosen kinks, allowing you to find the people in your area who like exhibitionism or have a foot fetish, for example. 

There’s no shortage of online dating sites, and even no shortage of hookup-first sites, but when it comes to adult dating, AFF clearly separates itself from the competition with its wide array of kink-friendly features and accommodations. 

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Netflix's Hit Fantasy Series Turned A Fan-Favorite Storyline Into Pure Nightmare Fuel

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published

Netflix’s smash hit One Piece live-action adaptation was always going to be compared to the record-setting anime series, but in some ways, it’s improved on the anime. The most obvious improvement is in the pacing, which has been all killer, and no filler. Less obvious is that going live-action provides a sense of weight and realism to even the most absurd action scenes. Then there was Season 2, Episode 5, “Wax On, Wax Off,” when the murderous Mr. 3 took the spotlight and went from an over-the-top supervillain in the original to a disturbing serial killer. Turns out, watching people be encased in wax is a lot more terrifying in live action. 

One Piece’s Villains Steal The Show

Mr. 3 is brought to life by David Dastmalchian, who you might recognize from The Suicide Squad, Late Night with the Devil, Murderbot, or Ant-Man. His casting as the Baroque Works agent powered by the Wax-Wax Devil Fruit, which, as the name implies, gives him the ability to generate wax harder than steel, was an inspired pick by the manga’s creator, Oda. Dastmalchian was on fan’s wish lists for the role, and when given the chance, he owned every single second spent on screen. 

One Piece’s colorful cast of characters revolves around taking a personality trait and amplifying it to a cartoonish level. Mr. 3’s murderous desire to turn people into artwork that immortalizes their suffering, anguish, and terror over slowly dying encased in wax is straight out of classic horror movies. In the anime, he’s off-putting, but in the series, Dastmalchian’s line delivery, coupled with his creepy smile, turns the absurdity of a giant wax candle covering Nami, Vivi, and Zoro with hardening wax flakes from cartoonish buffoonery into a nightmare. 

His Baroque Works partner, Miss Golden Week (Sophia Anne Caruso, from The School for Good and Evil), also has a horrifying power, utilizing different colors of paint to force her victims to experience emotions. She uses yellow to force Zoro to be cheerful, and blue to make Luffy feel the saddest he has in his life (to that point). Mind control is a common superpower but, then you think about it in the context of the real world, it’s one of the most terrifying experiences you can think of. Trapped inside your body, acting against your will as you’re forced to move, think, and feel a certain way? That’s pure Hell. 

One Piece Keeps Proving It’s The Best Anime Adaptation

Netflix’s One Piece didn’t bring over Mr. 3’s candle champion ability, but what it does keep intact is that the killer is a complete coward. Mr. 3’s running away at the first sign of an equal fight is a hilarious moment topped only by the very satisfying hammerpunch that Luffy lands on him to put an end to the nightmare. For now, as in the original story, he comes back later with his real name, Galdino, and while he’s not quite an ally to the Straw Hat Pirates, he does recognize when there’s a larger, much more dangerous enemy that needs to be taken down, and Luffy is the only one who can do it. 

Thanks to the inclusion of the manga’s author Oda, Netflix’s One Piece adaptation is not only faithful to the source material, it’s the perfect entry point for those curious about the Straw Hat Pirates but scared to tackle the 1000+ episodes of the anime. And sometimes, it might even be a little bit better.


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