Nintendo Labo Lets Gamers Create Cardboard Concoctions That Work With The Switch

Remember yesterday when we mentioned that Nintendo was teasing some sort of new interactive experience for Switch Gamers? Nintendo has gone official with its new interactive experience and it is called Nintendo Labo. Labo is a line of interactive build-and-play experiences that are designed to inspire the builder and put a smile on their face says Nintendo. Labo works in conjunction with the Nintendo Switch, which you must buy separately for the Labo kits to work.

The kits allow users to make fun DIY creations and to play games with those creations and "DISCOVER how the magic of Nintendo Switch technology shapes ideas into reality." Each of the Labo Kits uses sheets of modular cardboard that are designed to interact with the Switch console and Joy-Con controllers to create what Nintendo calls Toy-Con. There are multiple Toy-Con kits including a piano keyboard and motorbike that will come to life in different ways using the Switch.

The piano kit builds a 13-key keyboard that comes to life using the right Joy-Con and the Switch console. The Joy-Con is inserted into the keyboard and it uses the IR Motion Camera inside to watch which key is pressed and send unique sounds to the Switch console for the player to hear. The motorbike kit builds a set of functioning handlebars with a Joy-Con in each side. The Switch sits in a cradle in the middle and when you twist the throttle you can see content on the Switch screen.

"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. "It is an exciting evolution of the Nintendo Switch platform – one designed to inspire curiosity, creativity and imagination in people of all ages."

The Toy-Con creations have varying degrees of complexity for a different challenge each time. A customization kit is offered to let the creations be customized using paint and stickers. Nintendo says that it will launch Labo on April 20 with two kits to start with: The Variety Kit and Robot Kit. The Variety Kit makes multiple Toy-Con creations with two RC Cars, Toy-Con Fishing Rod, Toy-Con House, Toy-Con Motorbike, and Toy-Con Piano. That Variety Kit sells for $69.99.

The Robot Kit lets the user build and interactive robot suit with a visor, backpack, and straps for hands and feet. The kids wear the robot suit to control a giant robot in the game. That kit will sell for $79.99. Each kit has all the software and bits needed for each project. The Customization set with stickers and stencils will sell for $9.99. The break down of what's in the kits is below:

Variety Kit ($69.99 MSRP)
• Toy-Con RC Car: Insert the Left and Right Joy-Con into your newly built RC Car and control its movement using touch screen controls on the Nintendo Switch console. The HD Rumble feature in the Joy-Con controllers will cause vibrations that move the car in the direction you choose. Materials to construct two RC Cars are included.
• Toy-Con Fishing Rod: Construct the Fishing Rod with an active, rotating reel that is attached by string to a cradle holding the Nintendo Switch console. Catch one of many exotic fish shown swimming on the Nintendo Switch screen by casting your Fishing Rod and unwinding the reel to lower the hook. Once you feel a vibration from the Joy-Con inserted in the reel, you must tug the Fishing Rod upward and crank the reel quickly to try and complete the catch!
• Toy-Con House: By inserting various assembled blocks into openings in the sides and bottom of the House, you can interact with, play games with and feed a cute creature on the front-facing Nintendo Switch screen. Each differently shaped block is detected by the IR Motion Camera on the Right Joy-Con inserted on top of the House.
• Toy-Con Motorbike: Insert each Joy-Con into an assembled set of handlebars to drive a 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 motorbike.
• Toy-Con Piano: After assembling a beautifully crafted 13-key piano and inserting the Nintendo Switch console and Joy-Con, you can experiment with your own musical creations by pressing different keys. You can even insert different assembled knobs to create new sound effects and tones!

Robot Kit ($79.99 MSRP)
• Toy-Con Robot: Create a wearable Robot suit, and insert the Left and Right Joy-Con into the designated slots on the backpack and visor to assume control of the robot, which is shown on the TV when the Nintendo Switch console is docked. Enjoy a variety of fun game-play experiences, including Robot mode, in which you can destroy in-game buildings and UFOs.