After today’s mysterious Switch tease, Nintendo has revealed Nintendo Labo, a line of DIY kits that work with the hybrid console.
Nintendo Labo kits are essentially pre-cut cardboard used to construct interactive toys powered by the Switch. Sounds strange? If you don’t believe us, check out the Nintendo Labo reveal trailer below.
“Nintendo Labo continues our longstanding mission of making people smile by surprising them with new experiences,” said Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America’s President and COO in a press release. “It is an exciting evolution of the Nintendo Switch platform – one designed to inspire curiosity, creativity and imagination in people of all ages.”
There two Nintendo Labo sets announced today include the Variety Pack and a Robot Kit. The Variety Pack costs $69.99 and comes with five different Toy-Con projects, including two RC Cars, one fishing rod, one house, one motorbike and one piano. Each of the five projects has its own unique control scheme:
To use the RC Cars, insert the Left and Right Joy-Con and steer using the touchscreen on your Switch.
The Fishing Rod contraption lets players build their own rod with a working rotating reel that is attached by string. Players will be able to catch exotic fish by casting their Fishing Rod and unwinding the reel to lower the hook. Once players feel a vibration from the Joy-Con, tug the Fishing Rod upward and crank quickly to complete the catch.
The Toy-Con House lets you play games and interact with creatures on the Switch screen.
Insert each Joy-Con into an assembled set of cardboard handlebars to drive the Toy-Con motorbike on the Nintendo Switch screen. Pressing the ignition button starts the engine, while twisting the right handle activates the throttle. Leaning your body or turning the handlebars left and right controls the steering.
And finally, the Toy-Con piano lets you craft a 13-key piano by inserting the Switch and Joy-Con into it. Players can create their own music and even insert different knobs to create different sound effects and tones.
Nintendo Labo’s Robot Kit is a bit steeper in price, coming at $79.99 and allows players to create a wearable Robot suit. Insert the Left and Right Joy-Con into the designated slots on the backpack and visor to assume control of the robot, which appears on the TV when the Nintendo Switch console is docked. Among the experiences on offer is Robot mode, in which you can destroy in-game buildings and UFOs.
Both Nintendo Labo kits will be available April 20.
So what do you think of Nintendo’s new creation? Let us know in the comments section below.
