No one saw it coming, the Nintendo Labo unveiled on January 17, 2017 will leave no one marble!
If after the Nintendo Direct Mini of January 11 had not left the crowd unanimous following the announcements made, that of the opening of the Nintendo Labo seems even more mixed!
A cardboard idea or a genius idea?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ldReccpyuo
It is always with a train ahead that Nintendo offers new concepts and if players thought they had discovered everything about the hybrid console of the Japanese firm this new video must have calmed more than one. Many imagined a classic Nintendo Direct with tons of new games, yet Nintendo's announcement was clear:
See you tonight at 11pm to discover a new interactive experience on Nintendo Switch for children (and older children)!
The meeting of two know-how
If Nintendo is known today for its video games, we must not forget that historically it was a children's toy company. Here with the Nintendo Labo, she shows her genius by unifying the company she was and her current know-how.
Here young players are invited to build an object by following a pattern like a model object. Then their construction will interact with the different elements of your Nintendo Switch to give life to your object. Of course, depending on the object built, the Switch will offer a concept in its own right.
Nintendo Labo is scheduled to launch in Europe on April 27, 2018, with two different kits:
Multi-kit
The multi-kit allows you to create several different Toy-Con, such as the Toy-Con Remote Control Car, Toy-Con Fishing Rod, Toy-Con House, Toy-Con Motorcycle and Toy-Con Piano.
- Toy-Con Remote Control Car: Insert the left and right Joy-Con into your new Remote Control Car and control its movements on the Nintendo Switch touchscreen. The HD vibrations of the Joy-Con controllers generate vibrations that allow the car to move in the direction of your choice. The parts needed to build two remotely operated cars are included.
- Toy-Con Fishing Rod: Build a fishing rod equipped with a real active reel to which is attached a wire connected to a stand holding the Nintendo Switch console. Catch one of the many exotic fish that swim on the Nintendo Switch screen: cast your line and let go with the grinder to dive the hook. When you feel a vibration coming from the Joy-Con built into the reel, you need to quickly grind to wind the line and tilt your fishing rod upwards to pull off a nice catch.
- Toy-Con House: By inserting various assemblies of blocks into the openings on the sides and bottom of the House, you can interact, feed and play games with an adorable creature at the front of the House on the Nintendo Switch screen. Each differently shaped block is spotted by the motion-sensing infrared camera of the right Joy-Con located above the House.
- Toy-Con Motorcycle: Insert a Joy-Con at each end of a handlebar to ride a motorcycle on the Nintendo Switch screen. Press the starter button to start the engine, rotate the right handle to activate the accelerator, and control the direction of the bike by bending or turning the handlebar arms left or right.
- Toy-Con Piano: After assembling a beautiful 13-key piano and placing the Nintendo Switch system and Joy-Con inside, you can create your own music by pressing the different keys. You can even insert different buttons to create new sound effects and change the tone.
Kit Robot
- Toy-Con Robot: Make a robot outfit, put it on and insert the right and left Joy-Con into the slots provided in the backpack and viewfinder. All you have to do is control the robot displayed on your TV when the Nintendo Switch is on its docking station. Enjoy a host of fun gaming experiences, such as the Robot mode that invites you to destroy buildings and UFOs.
For families close to Paris, discovery sessions will be organized by Nintendo on March 2 and 3, 2017 at the Cité des Sciences in Paris. A questionnaire is offered right here to try to win tickets to participate with your family in these privileged sessions!
My opinion on this concept
We can only admit that this concept borders on genius. Combining construction game with video games had to be daring. Nintendo shows us once again that they are always where we do not expect them. If the Japanese firm is known for its video games, many forget that it was originally formed before 1900 and that it poured into the more traditional game. Now the question remains the quality/lifespan/price ratio. If some see cardboard as a cheap or non-resistant element, we quickly forget technological advances such as the fact that now we can find cardboard furniture. According to American sales sites, the multi-kit will be marketed around $ 70 and the robot kit $ 80. In Europe, prices are free for merchants but recommended rates will be close to 70 and 80 €. If we can admit that it is not cheap, we must take into account the software part, since each kit will be equipped with a cartridge linked to the model purchased. For me the doubt hangs mainly on the content of this cartridge, will it be a "demonstration module" or a real content offering the user a correct lifespan, with an environment, objectives, missions or others?
You can find more information about Nintendo Labo on Nintendo's official website !
