Welcome to the world of Nintendo Labo VR kits for the Nintendo Switch. While high-end VR headsets like Oculus Quest and Valve Index may be grabbing the headlines, don’t underestimate what this product is capable of. Nintendo has already sold over 32 million Nintendo Switch consoles and over 1.4 million Labo kits, winning a Game Innovation award for the Labo range. This gives Nintendo a unique opportunity to make fun VR experiences accessible to everyone.
The Nintendo Labo VR kit is aimed at kids aged 7 years old and up, making it the first VR product on the market designed specifically for children. While high-end VR may be exciting, it’s important for VR to succeed in the long term by winning the hearts and minds of a broad audience. Products like the Labo VR kit make virtual reality very accessible to the masses.
Contents
What is Nintendo Labo VR?
Nintendo Labo offers a range of cardboard kits that you can assemble yourself into various designs using the Nintendo Switch and Joy-Con controllers. The Labo VR kit includes the VR goggles and a blaster, which is the base kit costing around $40 / £35. There are also two optional expansion kits available: one includes a camera and an elephant with associated experiences, while the other includes a bird and a wind pedal. Each expansion kit costs around $20 / £17. Alternatively, you can purchase the complete mega bundle for $80 / £70.
Nintendo Labo follows the ethos of “Make / Play / Discover.” You make the kits, play the games, and discover new and exciting learning opportunities. The kits come pre-cut and flat packed, and the step-by-step instructions on the Switch game cartridge make assembly easy for people of all ages, including young kids.
The VR Experience
The VR game experiences are best enjoyed seated, preferably with a 360 swivel chair or bar stool. If you don’t have one, sitting on the floor is recommended to prevent dizziness and falls. The VR goggles do not have a headstrap, as Nintendo wants users to take regular breaks. The colorful art style of the games and experiences helps to mask the slight pixelation and motion blurring that can occur.
The Different Kits and Games
VR Goggles
The VR goggles themselves take around half an hour to an hour to assemble. Once assembled, there is a wealth of content to explore. VR Plaza offers 64 mini-games, and there are also 33 VR 180 videos featuring adorable animals and retro experiences. The Toy Con Garage allows budding game designers to create their own VR games using pre-made assets.
Blaster Kit
The blaster kit takes the longest to build, up to three hours. The main games for this kit are Blaster and Kablaster. Blaster is a slow on-rails shooter where you dispatch cute pink aliens. The clacker inside the blaster activates with each shot, providing a satisfying experience. Kablaster is a two-player game where you take turns feeding hippos fruit in a take on the classic game hungry hippos.
Camera and Elephant Kit
The camera kit is part of the first expansion kit and comes with the elephant. The camera takes around half an hour to build and has two games: Ocean camera and house camera. Ocean Camera allows you to take pictures of different fish and underwater creatures, while House Camera lets you photograph a cute pet named Fluffball.
Bird and Windpedal Kit
The bird kit is part of the second expansion kit, which also includes the wind pedal. This kit will take around an hour and a half to two and a half hours to build. The bird experience allows you to fly around an island freely, finding eggs that hatch into adorable chicks. Bird Dash is a timed race where you fly through hoops using the combination of the bird kit and the wind pedal.
Windpedal Kit
The wind pedal kit takes around an hour and a half to two and a half hours to build. It can be used in the Bird Dash game and Hop Dodge, where you play as a frog jumping over obstacles thrown by bears.
Conclusion
The Nintendo Labo VR kits offer a unique and accessible VR experience. Building the kits is a major part of the fun, and the cardboard construction is surprisingly robust. While the Labo VR kit may not appeal to VR enthusiasts, it is perfect for kids and newcomers to VR who want to get excited and try out virtual reality. Additionally, the VR goggles can be used with Zelda Breath Of The Wild and Mario Odyssey, which will receive free updates on April 26th to enable VR game modes.
Nintendo Labo VR is a great introduction to VR gaming, packed with content at an affordable price. It’s not just about virtual reality; it’s about creativity, learning, and fun. So, if you or your kids are interested in VR, the Nintendo Labo VR kits are definitely worth considering.
For more information about the Labo VR kits, visit the official Techal website.
