Should you buy a Nintendo Labo? Six things to know about the quirky cardboard video game accessory kit
The Nintendo Labo, a build-it-yourself cardboard accessory that works with company’s Switch console, is a whole lot of fun in a lot of ways – but might not be for everyone
I built a car today. And it only took me 10 minutes.
A remote-controlled car is the first project you make as part of the Nintendo Labo, a new type of build-it-yourself cardboard accessory that works with the Switch console to combine real-world and digital play. After folding and assembling the mini car, I slotted each of the Switch’s detachable, vibrating controllers into it. Then, using the console and its touch screen, I used the vibrations from the controllers to drive it around.
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The car is just one project you can make using Labo, which hit store shelves worldwide this month. It is a pretty out-there product from Nintendo. But Labo, while quirky, taps into a couple of trends right now.
For one, it combines digital play with physical toys, which adds something more to screen time. It also gives kids a chance to improve their STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) skills thanks to coding tutorials in the game and a strong focus on the mechanical side of creation.
Starting at US$69.99, the variety kit includes five projects that each work with a custom Switch game that is relevant to what you build: a car, a fishing rod, a motorbike, a house and a piano. The separate US$79.99 robot kit lets you build your own gaming rig from cardboard, and control an on-screen robot as if you were a (budget) player in Ready Player One.