Nintendo Labo Variety Kit: Toy-Con 01 - Switch

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Nintendo Labo Variety Kit: Toy-Con 01 (Switch)
Viewed: Combination Combination Genre:
Various
Media: Cartridge Arcade origin:No
Developer: Nintendo Soft. Co.: Nintendo
Publishers: Nintendo (GB)
Released: 27 Apr 2018 (GB)
Ratings: PEGI 3+

Summary

Strictly speaking, any third-party accessories maker could have come up with Nintendo Labo and built some games to go with it. On a certain level it is, after all, just taking the built-in features of the Switch and building from them with cardboard. Yet there's something so (for lack of a better word) Nintendo-y about the idea and execution that elevates it beyond being just another game and accessory.

The Labo kits are DIY cardboard contstructions that, when assembled, turn elements of the Switch into brand new pieces of kit - be that a piano, motorbike handlebars or an entire cardboard mech suit. Your Labo journey starts with assembly. Putting together the kits isn't exactly difficult, but it does require a fair amount of focus and time. For those looking to try out Labo with their kids that might sound like a nightmare, but playful, carefully considered on-screen instructions along with precisely designed pieces makes it a fun, rewarding experience. You wouldn't exactly call this an eductational piece of kit, but nevertheless building with Labo will teach users something about working with their hands. The Labo kits are charmingly DIY in both spirit and appearance, but it's all been carefully engineered to work just as it's supposed to and offer satisfying, tactile feedback.

Once you're done with the building stage, it's time to get playing. The toy kit offers a range of options, from riding a motorbike to playing and mixing your own tunes on the piano. Precious few instructions are offered up - at this stage it's all about experimentation. Rest assured, though, if it looks like you can do something with your assembled Labo, you probably can.

Beyond the initial assembly and the play, however, there's a whole world of Labo to discover as you learn how it works and begin to customise it for yourself.

For those who love the creativity of Nintendo's hardware and games and are interested in seeing how that translates into the world of three dimensions, Labo is the perfect use of their console.