When they were first introduced this past April as the newest line of accessories for the Nintendo Switch, many were understandably skeptical. After all, these pieces were made out of cardboard cutouts that need to be assembled and integrated with the Switch’s control devices. Remarkably, Nintendo Labo was a modest success, proving its concept. Turning a Joy-Con into a fishing rod for example, is an inspired application of the system’s motion sensors, vibration and infrared capabilities. Following the release the Variety and Robot Labo kits, Nintendo then announced the Vehicle kit in July, and it was first tested by players on an event this week.
The Verge has it that Nintendo has just given their first hands-on preview of the Labo Vehicles kit for their hybrid switch game console during a press event held Tuesday, August 21, at New York. Where the earlier kits featured cardboard pieces and game software for either a variety of different player activities (or just one, in case of the Robot Labo), this new upcoming release focuses more on one particular videogame genre, vehicle racing. Not only is the familiar option of a car available, there is also one for submarine, aircraft…and a spray can?
It is indeed no surprise that the main Nintendo Labo cardboard cardboard construct for the Vehicles kit is a car steering wheel. It’s a fairly through setup with a wheel mount (the Switch Joy-Con goes into the center), levers, and a separate foot pedal for the gas. This goes with the car driving game in the accompanying Labo Vehicles software cart, which also contains the now-familiar colorful step-by-step instructions in putting together the provided cardboard cutouts.
The Labo Vehicles game involves the player using the cardboard constructs to operate a transforming videogame vehicle. The Joy-Con encased in the “controller key” can be freely switched between the steering wheel and the other two control schemes, changing the vehicle’s form from car to plane to sub. Game modes include an open-world roam, a race, and even vehicular combat against other Labo Vehicles-using player. Customizing the in-game vehicles is also incredibly fun by activating the spray can controller with the Joy-Con key. With a press on the cardboard nozzle, players could apply new color schemes to their rides. Finally, the controllers build in the Vehicles kit are also compatible to be mixed with the other control devices from the first two Labo releases.
Labo Vehicles for the Nintendo Switch will become available this September 14, but the kit can already be preordered here, at $70 or the same price as the Variety kit. Nintendo continues to see the great potential of Labo as a fun foundation for future videogame game engineers and programmers.
Images courtesy of TechCrunch and Den of Geek
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