Living in a box
Nintendo has just announced its latest ‘big thing in gaming’ – Nintendo Labo – and it’s somewhat unexpected.
Nintendo Labo is a cardboard construction kit which allows gamers, primarily children, to construct various models in which you can insert your Switch into. The 2 1/2 minute video below showcases exactly what’s on offer.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3Bd3HUMkyU[/youtube]
Nintendo Labo has a release date of April 20th of this year and comes in two packs. The first pack – The Variety Pack ($69.99) – contains a bunch of materials that will let you create 5 Toy-Cons, yeah, the name is glorious. 2x RC Cars, 1x Fishing Rod, 1x House, 1x Motorbike & 1x Piano. The games/experiences for each of these toys can be seen in the video but they range from an actual working piano to a fishing minigame where you need to reel in your catch. The second pack – The Robot Kit ($79.99) – again include various materials but this time to build a kind of mech suit with large cardboard backpack for which your Switch resides. This suit will allow you to play the more action-packed game shown off in the video which lets you reap havoc on a city in a Rampage-esque scenario.
These kits, whilst technically accomplished, do look to be aimed toward a lower-age market with the options to customise your creations with the Customisation Set ($9.99) containing washi tape, stencils and stickers. But that’s by no means a bad thing, it’s a great opportunity for kids to create and experience these games knowing they had a hand in crafting them. I know young me would be all over this like a rash! And whilst the target market for this is clearly children there’s no doubt us older-kids will be jumping around our living rooms in an undersized cardboard mech suit, I’m sure of it.
Find out more about Nintendo Labo here.
