The wonderful world of Nintendo gets just a little weirder. In an industry moving ever increasingly toward innovations such as 4K and VR, Nintendo continues to ignore their competitors and make left turns all over the place with their own innovations. This time, it’s cardboard! Yes, you heard right. On 4/20 for a base price of $69.99 (really?) Nintendo will be unleashing Nintendo Labo to the masses. Nintendo Labo is a new product to be used with the Switch. The Labos come in two sets, a Variety Kit and a Robot Kit, which are essentially DIY cardboard projects that you create, and then insert your Switch and Joy-Cons into. From there, you use the Labo software on your Switch, and the DIY cardboard projects come to life in the software. Houses, pianos, fishing poles, cars, Labo has it all. The trailer above does an excellent job showcasing what Labo is, and how it works.
This is a product heavily marketed at kids, but it’s a novel, very Nintendo idea. While the prices are a bit absurd ($70-$80 for cardboard) it’s definitely something new in the industry. With the success of their amiibo line in the past few years, it seems Nintendo is attempting to re-create the success of blending physical toys with video games in a new way. While the idea is currently receiving mixed reviews from adult gamers who don’t really understand why it exists, adults simply aren’t the target audience, as Nintendo’s U.K. website teased Labo with, “Tune in to discover a new interactive experience for Nintendo Switch that’s specifically crafted for kids and those who are kids at heart.” While only time will tell if the product will make a splash in the industry sales-wise, one thing is clear. Never say Nintendo doesn’t stray from the path.