Nintendo Labo brings DIY approach to Switch
New Switch line will let users build peripherals with cardboard kits and use them in included games
Nintendo today announced Nintendo Labo, a new line of build-it-yourself cardboard peripherals for the Switch "specially crafted for kids and those who are kids-at-heart."
Each Labo kit includes a number of perforated cardboard sheets from which users will be able to assemble Toy-Cons, a variety of objects that will interact with Switch software. For example, a fishing pole Toy-Con will fit a Joy-Con controller in its reel mechanism, and as players turn the reel's crank, a fishing minigame on the Switch will respond appropriately.
The software will also be useful straight out of the box, giving users animated step-by-step instructions on how to build what can apparently be fairly complex cardboard creations. Nintendo hopes that beyond making and playing with the Toy-Con accessories, users will also explore the mechanics of how they work and customize them.
The first two Labo kits will go on sale April 20. The Variety Kit will offer a number of Toy-Con constructions including the fishing pole, a piano, motorcycle handlebars, and more, while the Robot Kit will include a backpack concealing a system of strings that will allow players to control their on-screen robot using their own hands and feet. The Variety Kit will retail for $70, while the Robot Kit will go for $80.