In an announcement yesterday, Nintendo has unveiled a new way for players to interact with their Nintendo Switch system. The company teased that this new announcement will be directed mainly for kids and adults who are kids at heart. True to their word, the Nintendo Labo was revealed. The new invention by Nintendo allows players to insert their Switch consoles into pieces of cardboard that can be turned into fun items like robots, fishing rods, and pianos. Nintendo described the Labo as: 

“Nintendo Labo combines the magic of Nintendo Switch with the fun of DIY creations,” said Nintendo through the Labo website. The Labo is a piece of cardboard that can be used to build items mentioned earlier, and then players will have to insert their Nintendo Switch to power it up. From there, you’ll be able to play numerous games depending on the creation you made. 

Nintendo Labo will be available on April 20 and as of today, there are two sets available. The Variety Kit, which will cost $70, that will include “two Toy-Con RC Cars, a Toy-Con Fishing Rod, a Toy-Con House, a Toy-Con Motorbike, and a Toy-Con Piano.” You can check out the detailed descriptions of those here. 

On the other hand, the Robot Kit, which is slightly more expensive at $80, will allow players to create their own interactive robot suit, complete with a visor, backpack, and straps for your hands and feet. The latter will be worn by the player to gain control of the in-game robot. Check out more details of the Robot Kit here. 

Although the Labo is far off from our predictions earlier, it is still a fun way for kids to play with their Switch. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed with the announcement, due to the fact that I may be desperate for a Virtual Console to be released on the Switch. Nevertheless, I believe Nintendo Labo is definitely going to be a hit with kids and kids at heart. Besides, I was really impressed that Nintendo made the Labo with cardboard rather than the standard plastic, that definitely makes it quirkier and more friendly to the environment, so kudos to Nintendo. 

What do you think of the Nintendo Labo? Is it something you’ll pick up once it’s released?