Nintendo Labo: DIY Cardboard Mods Transform The Switch
As promised, Nintendo has just made that kid-friendly reveal it was teasing this morning. Say hello to Nintendo Labo, a new DIY platform that uses the Switch and its Joy-Con controllers to turn simple cardboard cutouts into imaginative game controllers. If you guessed that this was where Nintendo was going to go with this announcement, then kudos to you, because this is certainly a surprise to most of us.
Nintendo Labo was revealed in the trailer you see posted below. The creations that are previewed in the trailer include a wide range of items, from a piano and a fishing pole to a set of motorcycles handlebars and a house. In all, it seems like a very exciting platform, especially for parents who would prefer it if video games were a more hands-on experience.
Nintendo will sell Labo's cardboard constructions in kits. Once you've built the Toy-Con, as they're being called, you simply slide your Switch and its Joy-Con controllers into the appropriate slots and then power on the console. From there, you can play a special game that's based around the Toy-Con you created.
Since these Toy-Cons are made using cardboard, Labo seems like something Nintendo can expand support for quickly. To start, there will be two different kits: there's the Toy-Con 01 Variety Kit, which features the RC Cars, Fishing Rod, Motorbike, Piano, and House we see in the trailer; and the Toy-Con 02 Robot Kit, which has all the stuff you need to create a robot battle pack that your in-game avatar can emulate.
Those kits will cost $69.99 and $79.99 respectively, which isn't too bad when you consider the cost of most retail games is $59.99. We'll see Labo launch on April 20, 2018, so we're just a few months out from getting to try it for ourselves. The official Labo site is now live, so head over there if you'd like to learn more about Nintendo plans for Labo as a games platform.
What do you think of Nintendo Labo? Head down to the comments section to give us your take, and keep it here on SlashGear for more about Nintendo's new platform for the Switch!