Nintendo announces Labo, its DIY Switch experience

Nintendo announces Labo, its DIY Switch experience

At this point, “crazy” and “Nintendo” are becoming synonymous.

Nintendo today announced a wildly new experience is coming to store shelves soon. Dubbed “Labo,” the product is a Do-It-Yourself kit system compatible with the Switch, in which players (makers?) build cardboard creations that various parts of the console plug into, resulting in a variety of ideas.

Labo’s kits come packaged with cardboard, straps, string and other pieces, which can be assembled by following along on-screen with the included software. The creations range from simple to complex, and with the insertion of the Switch’s controllers or screen, transform into fully functional toys. Using the Joy-Con’s built-in IR sensors, gyroscopes and various other input methods, the toys become interactive. The simple bugs rely on the controller’s HD motion to rumble the individual legs, effectively moving them by bouncing them in one direction or another. The piano has keys that, when pushed, adjust the reflective tape attached to them, interacting with the joy-con’s IR sensor positioned inside to create sounds. A separate kit is based on a giant robot mech suit that can be worn by the player, allowing them to interact with the world on the TV screen in real time.

Though only two kits were announced during the presentation today, more can be expected eventually. The possible ideas could be virtually endless for the company. The general idea of DIY kits and mods for gaming isn’t anything new, but this is the first time it’s been so openly accepted by a console manufacturer. In the case of Nintendo, a toy-maker for over a hundred years, it may fit perfectly in their plans to expand the potential userbase of the device.

The concept of edutainment has exploded in schools, with coding and DIY now a regular part of most curriculums. Nintendo could theoretically look to jump into the school space with the product, alongside products like Goldieblox and Minecraft.

Whatever the company’s plans include, many of us could look towards picking up the first two kits on April 20 in the US, and April 26 in Europe, for $69.99 (variety pack) and $79.99 (robot pack).

Heck, it’s so crazy, it just might work.

More info at labo.nintendo.com