Topic: Nintendo Labo Announced

[JusDBerube]

Weird and exciting new ways to enjoy Nintendo Switch.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/46235/nintendo-labo-announced

Nintendo has just announced Nintendo Labo, a new series of software, and cardboard accessories, coming to Nintendo Switch. Nintendo Labo kits combine do-it-yourself modular cardboard projects with special Nintendo Switch software to create items, or Toy-Con, that can be used or played with when combined with Nintendo Switch Hardware. Two kits are currently planned.

The first kit, the Variety Kit, can be used to create five different Toy-Con projects. Projects include two RC Cars, a Fishing Rod, a House, a Motorbike, and a Piano. The Variety Kit will retail for $69.99 and includes Nintendo Labo Kit Software for the Nintendo Switch.

The second kit, the Robot Kit, comes with everything needed to make a Toy-Con robot suit and the software to interact with it for Nintendo Switch. The Robot Kit will retail for $79.99.

And finally, a Customization Set that includes stickers, stencils, and special tape will be sold along side both sets for $9.99 assuring users that they can create unique looking Toy-Con that stand out and fit the users personality.

The Nintendo Labo projects which include the Variety Kit, the Robot Kit, and the Customization Set all launch on April 20th.

[ShyGuy]

I love how crazy Nintendo is

[MagicCow64]

So this is what Michel Gondry has been up to

[TOPHATANT123]

Super creative and something that's only possible on the switch. It's a novelty item to be sure and I don't expect the cardboard to last very long, but to be fair it's only a cute April side project, it's not like they're betting the farm on it.

[Order.RSS]

Launches 4/20 too. Perfect marketing video.
Also, is this Project Giant Robot's time to shine?

[Adrock]

This is actually pretty neat. I mean, I don’t give a **** about it personally, but I can admit that it’s a completely harmless and creative idea.

[Soren]

1st Impression -WTF that actually looks neat
2nd Impression - -checks price- Hmmm...a tad pricey
3rd Impression - Wait, will this thing have more than an afternoon's worth of enjoyable content?


It's cool but I don't think it's for me.

[MASB]

Hmmm. Looks neat and has possibilities. I assume the bulk of the cost is due to the cartridge. But I have doubts about how durable the cardboard is. If that is messed up, do you have to buy another whole kit? Hopefully, there will be cheaper replacements.

[Soren]

Hmmm. Looks neat and has possibilities. I assume the bulk of the cost is due to the cartridge. But I have doubts about how durable the cardboard is. If that is messed up, do you have to buy another whole kit? Hopefully, there will be cheaper replacements.

This. I have no faith in that robot kit lasting more than a few uses.

[Fatty The Hutt]

I think the idea is not only kits but free form creations too. Maybe I am wrong.
Anyway I think this has the potential to be huge. I think the kits are too expensive already but I thought that about the Switch and was wrong about it hurting sales. Also, Lego is freakin expensive but sells wonderfully anyway.

[lolmonade]

I both love this and will never buy this.


Here's the thing, guys.  There is durable cardboard that can take a decent bit of ding/beating until it actually starts breaking.  I'm not so concerned about the durability of cardboard as much as the destructive force of my children.  I don't care what you tell a 5+ year old....if they get excited, they're gonna start flailing their arms wildly in their movements and pull these things beyond their limits.

[KeyBilly]

The keyboard seems to use the depth camera to track how far the key being hit is from the controller, which determines the note.  When I first saw the camera, a theramin is what came to mind.  You could just build a little cardboard stand to hold the camera facing up for that.

[nickmitch]

This is another "clear the schedule" type thing for me because it sounds like a perfect afternoon activity that I might never pick up again.



Also, the era of plastic crap is officially over.

[ejamer]

I agree with lolmonade's comment about kids getting excited and damaging the cardboard...


...but as a huge fan of Pinbox 3000 (a ready-to-assemble DIY pinball table made out of cardboard) this really intrigues me. Seems like an awesome way to encourage kids who might want to spend too much time in front of the TV to actually get creative and build something. I doubt there will be much flexibility outside of the specific apps that Nintendo makes, but still a very cool gesture.


(All of that said, I don't have a Switch so obviously won't be buying.)

[MASB]

http://nintendoeverything.com/nintendo-labo-kits-apparently-not-mandatory-cardboards-pattern-will-be-offered-for-free-cartridge-still-needed/

That makes more sense. So the games can/will be sold separately. I wonder if they'll charge $60 for them. :p Hopefully not.

[Evan_B]

I think people are undervaluing the idea that these kits are cardboard- it may not be durable, but its also easily replaceable. I don't think Nintendo would bank their strategy on a concept like this if they didn't also understand that the material is fragile.

However, my concern, as a market strategist, is this: you make kits that are relatively cost-effective to produce and allow for a number of different possibilities, but how many of these products are going to be released a year? The DIY concept is great, but we have more durable alternatives and judging by the nature of the software, you'll have significant time gaps between new models as ideas are being generated.  If that's the case, why not go for something a bit more durable?

On one hand, I love the idea, but as stated previously in the thread, the games need to have sufficient content to them in order to justify their price point. If they offer digital versions of the Labo software on the eShop and the price is drastically different from the in-store product, they're essentially admitting that the convenience factor of getting the "peripheral bundle" is a huge factor in this scheme and that these games don't really have a great amount of content.

But on the other hand, a cute little Nintendo Switch piano would be a lovely desk toy.

[azeke]

This is brilliant.

My thoughts in picture form:

[Adrock]

This is brilliant.

My thoughts in picture form:

I love that Spongebob and Patrick are clearly having more fun than Squidward.

Ultimately, it’d be wild if that’s how this played out. Sony races against Oculus and others to make VR happen then Nintendo releases cardboard cutouts and everyone thinks that’s the next big thing in gaming.

[Lemonade]

Well, they were right when they said it was for kids. I dont have any interest in buying it, but I will try it out when my sister buys it for her kids.

I like that it is new and innovative, and yet feels like something that only Nintendo could ever come up with.

[broodwars]

Labo might be one of the most stupid things I've ever seen. At this point, I feel like it only exists to ensure there's a lot of stressed-out parents buying replacements Switches & joycons when their children break them shoving them in this cardboard crap on the floor.

I played with cardboard stuff like this when "I" was a kid. Because we were dirt poor & couldn't afford expensive electronic gadgets in the 80s, so we made do with the random crap lying around & our creativity. If you're well-off enough to own a Switch (among many other electronic devices), I don't see why any kid would have the slightest interest in Labo.

[ThePerm]

Labo might be one of the most stupid things I've ever seen. At this point, I feel like it only exists to ensure there's a lot of stressed-out parents buying replacements Switches & joycons when their children break them shoving them in this cardboard crap on the floor.

I played with cardboard stuff like this when "I" was a kid. Because we were dirt poor & couldn't afford expensive electronic gadgets in the 80s, so we made do with the random crap lying around & our creativity. If you're well-off enough to own a Switch (among many other electronic devices), I don't see why any kid would have the slightest interest in Labo.

Maybe they want to make vibration robots? OR just Vibrators.

[Order.RSS]

I played with cardboard stuff like this when "I" was a kid. Because we were dirt poor & couldn't afford expensive electronic gadgets in the 80s, so we made do with the random crap lying around & our creativity. If you're well-off enough to own a Switch (among many other electronic devices), I don't see why any kid would have the slightest interest in Labo.

Could be entirely off-base here, but maybe that's kind of exactly the appeal for richer families? Kids need to have their imagination stimulated, but for a generation who grows up with iPads and Switches, a lot of their playtime will likely be in largely pre-determined video game worlds.
Nintendo Labo itself may ultimately prove rather limited, because there's only so many cardboard things to fold and make applicable games for... But for those kids it may trigger an "a-ha I can also make up my own stuff, just with these cardboard boxes we have laying about!" moment.

Likewise I think well-off parents who have given their kids "virtual babysitters" (tablets/3DS/Switch) probably wished their kid spent more time outside playing make-believe with friends, in stead of Minecraft on the couch.

It's 100% a 1st-world-problem! But I can totally see it resonating with these people for precisely that reason; it's a way to get kids actually playing, but won't seem boring compared to their tech gadgets.

[Evan_B]

I think it’s much more well-suited for a Japanese audience, who would treat these sorts of creations with a bit more care. But I think the nature of building things is a universal childhood joy, and the more technical side of these is rather inspiring.

But I mean, I’m arguing with a brick wall here.

[ejamer]

Labo might be one of the most stupid things I've ever seen. At this point, I feel like it only exists to ensure there's a lot of stressed-out parents buying replacements Switches & joycons when their children break them shoving them in this cardboard crap on the floor.

I played with cardboard stuff like this when "I" was a kid. Because we were dirt poor & couldn't afford expensive electronic gadgets in the 80s, so we made do with the random crap lying around & our creativity. If you're well-off enough to own a Switch (among many other electronic devices), I don't see why any kid would have the slightest interest in Labo.

Do you have kids? Are they also soulless?
 
The "maker" movement won't appeal to everyone - but it will appeal greatly to some. And almost all kids I've met enjoy building things that actually work and take great pride in that experience.


Your complaint is like someone asking why anyone would buy Lego instead of a Tonka truck. The two things are different, and useful for different goals. Both can be a lot of fun though.


That said, I have two concerns:
* how big is the market really going to be? probably not huge, although I likely said the same thing after seeing a Raspberry Pi for the first time
* how versatile will the software actually be? this is the bigger limiting factor in my mind - the cardboard bits will probably be a neat gimmick but it's the underlying software that will determine how much life this concept really has


(Then again, I really do love my cardboard pinball tables - and they have only and exactly one function... so it's not like the software needs to be infinitely expandable as long as it does something neat enough to come back to.)

[Soren]

If you're well-off enough to own a Switch (among many other electronic devices), I don't see why any kid would have the slightest interest in Labo.

I used to work at a nonprofit that focused on getting kids to play outside through pop-up playgrounds and other creative outlets. One major point was that we used plenty of recycled material including -gasp- cardboard. Kids (of both well-off and low income families) unleashed their creativity in incredible ways.


Sometimes it's ok to admit when you have no idea what you're talking about.