Games

Wearable robot suit and piano among DIY kits for Nintendo Switch

Wearable robot suit and piano among DIY kits for Nintendo Switch
Nintendo has unveiled Labo, cardboard construction kits that turn the Switch console into things like a playable piano or wearable robot suit
Nintendo has unveiled Labo, cardboard construction kits that turn the Switch console into things like a playable piano or wearable robot suit
View 17 Images
The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Piano plays different tones for different keys
1/17
The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Piano plays different tones for different keys
The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Motorbike lets you drive a virtual bike on the screen by turning the cardboard handlebars
2/17
The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Motorbike lets you drive a virtual bike on the screen by turning the cardboard handlebars
The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Motorbike uses the Joy-Con controllers' motion sensors and gyroscopes to sense movement and turn the bike
3/17
The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Motorbike uses the Joy-Con controllers' motion sensors and gyroscopes to sense movement and turn the bike
The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con House is controlled by inserting different shapes into the side, which bring different virtual objects into the game on the screen
4/17
The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con House is controlled by inserting different shapes into the side, which bring different virtual objects into the game on the screen
The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Fishing Rod uses a working reel and line, to catch fish on the screen
5/17
The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Fishing Rod uses a working reel and line, to catch fish on the screen
The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con RC car uses the vibrations in the Joy-Con to steer a little vehicle left or right, by tapping on the images on the screen
6/17
The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con RC car uses the vibrations in the Joy-Con to steer a little vehicle left or right, by tapping on the images on the screen
The Nintendo Labo Customization Kit includes stickers, stencils and colored tape to decorate the kids' crafty creations
7/17
The Nintendo Labo Customization Kit includes stickers, stencils and colored tape to decorate the kids' crafty creations
The Nintendo Labo Variety Kit includes the Toy-Con RC Car, Fishing Rod, House, Motorbike and Piano, and will sell for US$69.99
8/17
The Nintendo Labo Variety Kit includes the Toy-Con RC Car, Fishing Rod, House, Motorbike and Piano, and will sell for US$69.99
The Nintendo Labo Robot Kit packs a wearable mech suit for US$79.99
9/17
The Nintendo Labo Robot Kit packs a wearable mech suit for US$79.99
Nintendo Labo launches worldwide on April 20
10/17
Nintendo Labo launches worldwide on April 20
The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Robot is the most advanced kit, including a pulley-packed backpack, a visor and ankle attachments
11/17
The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Robot is the most advanced kit, including a pulley-packed backpack, a visor and ankle attachments
Nintendo Labo kits come as cardboard shapes that need to be pressed out and constructed
12/17
Nintendo Labo kits come as cardboard shapes that need to be pressed out and constructed
The Nintendo Switch screen and Joy-Con controllers lend their smarts to the cardboard creations, to bring the handmade toys to life
13/17
The Nintendo Switch screen and Joy-Con controllers lend their smarts to the cardboard creations, to bring the handmade toys to life
Nintendo Labo is designed to get kids interested in Science, technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers down the track
14/17
Nintendo Labo is designed to get kids interested in Science, technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers down the track
Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Piano uses the Joy-Con's infrared sensor to detect which cardboard key is pressed and play that note on the Switch console
15/17
Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Piano uses the Joy-Con's infrared sensor to detect which cardboard key is pressed and play that note on the Switch console
Nintendo Labo really goes to show Nintendo's creativity with its own hardware
16/17
Nintendo Labo really goes to show Nintendo's creativity with its own hardware
Nintendo has unveiled Labo, cardboard construction kits that turn the Switch console into things like a playable piano or wearable robot suit
17/17
Nintendo has unveiled Labo, cardboard construction kits that turn the Switch console into things like a playable piano or wearable robot suit
View gallery - 17 images

The fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) are set to become some of the biggest employers in the future, so it makes sense to start piquing the interest of kids at a young age. STEM toys are already teaching kids the basics of coding, robotics and electronic circuits, and now gaming giant Nintendo is jumping in with Labo, a set of DIY cardboard construction kits that turn the versatile Switch console into things like a playable piano or wearable robot suit.

Each kit comes with sheets of press-out cardboard pieces that fold and assemble into accessories that Nintendo calls "Toy-Con" – a play on the system's Joy-Con controllers. The Switch's screen and Joy-Con controllers then slot into different parts of these creations, lending their various sensors and functions to bring the handmade toys to life.

The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Motorbike lets you drive a virtual bike on the screen by turning the cardboard handlebars
The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Motorbike lets you drive a virtual bike on the screen by turning the cardboard handlebars

To make the Toy-Con Motorbike more than just a set of cardboard handlebars, a Joy-Con is inserted into each side. There, the controllers pick up gestures to drive a bike shown on the Switch's screen, mounted in the middle. Twisting the right handle, for example, works as the throttle, while turning the handlebars left or right steers the virtual motorbike.

These kits seem to get pretty complex, too. The Toy-Con Fishing Rod has a working reel and line, with one Joy-Con in charge of spinning the crank and the other sending vibrations down the rod to let you know when you've got a virtual bite.

The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Fishing Rod uses a working reel and line, to catch fish on the screen
The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Fishing Rod uses a working reel and line, to catch fish on the screen

But the real capper is the Toy-Con Robot, which includes a pulley-packed backpack, a visor and ankle attachments. It looks like four Joy-Con are needed for this to work: One sits in the visor to monitor head movements, one clips to each ankle to track your steps, and the last slots into the backpack, using the infrared sensor to watch over the pulley's movements as you punch and thrust with your arms. All of these gestures are translated to a giant robot on the TV screen, which is bordering on a makeshift Nintendo VR system.

While the Labo kits are definitely geared towards younger players, it's no stretch to imagine older Switch owners donning the cardboard Toy-Cons once the kids are in bed. They're sure not for everyone, but Labo is a real testament to Nintendo's relentless creativity with its hardware.

Nintendo Labo launches worldwide on April 20 with two kits. The Robot Kit packs the wearable mech suit for US$79.99, while the Variety Kit includes pieces to build a Toy-Con RC Car, Fishing Rod, House, Motorbike and Piano for $69.99. To dress up the crafty creations, the Customization Set includes stickers and stencils for $9.99.

Check out Nintendo Labo in action in the video below.

Source: Nintendo

First Look at Nintendo Labo

View gallery - 17 images
No comments
0 comments
There are no comments. Be the first!