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Nintendo Debuts New Way to Play Video Games with Cardboard Accessories

By Sara Barnes on January 18, 2018

Nintendo is known for their offbeat approach to game consoles. While Playstation and Xbox are competing to be the best PC-style console, Nintendo subverted that trend by creating the Switch, a gaming device you can play either at home or while you’re on-the-go. When launched in 2017, it turned out to be a huge hit—one of its titles, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was even voted game of the year. The company continues to think of ways to differentiate themselves from the rest of the competition; they recently announced Nintendo Labo, a line of accessories for the Switch that are made of cardboard.

While cardboard might seem counterintuitive for a digital device, Nintendo Labo is essentially a DIY kit that allows you to transform the Switch and its Joy-Con controllers into customized creations like fishing rods, an RC car, and a piano; you can then play games using what you’ve built. It's a great way for video game fanatics to think outside of the box (literally), and it proves that if you're creative enough, a piece of cardboard can have infinite possibilities—even with electronics.

Nintendo Labo will debut on April 20, 2018 with two different sets available for purchase. One is the Variety Kit ($69.99) featuring “two Toy-Con RC Cars, a Toy-Con Fishing Rod, a Toy-Con House, a Toy-Con Motorbike and a Toy-Con Piano.” The other set is the Robot Kit ($79.99). “Build an interactive robot suit with a visor, backpack, and straps for your hands and feet,” the company describes, “which you can then wear to assume control of a giant in-game robot.” Both kits come with everything you need, and for an additional $10, you can have a “Customization Set” that includes stencils, stickers, and colored tape. Although marketed towards kids, we imagine that adults will want to build these things, too.

If you’re local to New York City or San Francisco, Nintendo is hosting a three-hour Labo event for kids age six to 12. You can learn more on their website.