Nintendo is set to continue its odd – but oddly endearing – experiment of combining cardboard crafts with video games. A few months after releasing two Nintendo Labo kits that let you turn the versatile Switch console into a wearable robot suit, a motorbike or a piano, the company has unveiled the Nintendo Labo Vehicle Kit, which adds a car, a plane and a submarine.
Labo is the kind of thing only Nintendo would think to do. Basically, you start with sheets of cardboard that need to be pressed out, folded and slotted together to make contraptions (called Toy-Con) like a fishing rod or an RC car. These are then brought to life as unique games by inserting the Switch's screen and controllers, and making use of vibrations, motion and infrared sensors.
For all that was packed into those kits, it still felt like Nintendo had plenty more to wring out of Labo. Last month it was announced that the Motorbike setup could now be used to play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and a few weeks ago the company revealed the winning contraptions to come out of its first community Creators Contest.
The new Vehicle Kit looks set to continue the creativity, including the pieces and instructions to build a car, a submarine and a plane. The car Toy-Con is basically a lap-mounted steering wheel and a foot pedal on the floor. The plane is controlled through a joystick, and the submarine looks like it's operated by turning two wheels on the sides. Each of them is "powered up" by inserting a "key" in the form of a Joy-Con wrapped in a cardboard sheath.
Players can then use these Toy-Con to play games on the Switch console, including races, battles, and just exploring. Switching vehicles can be done on the fly by taking the key out of one and slotting it into another, and two players can jump in together using both of the included keys.
The Nintendo Labo Vehicle Kit will be available on September 14, for US$69.99. Check it out in action in the video below.
Source: Nintendo via Business Wire