Nintendo Labo: VR Kit Details, Screens & Video
When Nintendo announced that the fourth Toy-Con was coming out and that it would be called Nintendo Labo: VR Kit, we were naturally intrigued to see what would be on tap. Along with the announcement came some pictures of the devices you could make out of cardboard, but no details were given regarding the software or what exactly would be playable and how it would all work. Today they lifted the veil a bit to give us more information as well as screens and video. Nintendo Labo: VR Kit will be releasing on April 12, 2019 for $79.99 for the entire set or $39.99 for the Starter Set.
OFFICIAL PR:
Ever wish you could paint like an elephant or feel like a superhero by stopping an alien invasion? Nintendo Labo: VR Kit launches exclusively for the Nintendo Switch system on April 12 with dozens of simple and fun virtual reality* experiences for kids and families to enjoy together. Get a sneak peek at what’s included in the Nintendo Labo: VR Kit in this new video released by Nintendo: https://labo.nintendo.com/#video.
Combining the innovative physical and digital gameplay of Nintendo Labo with basic VR technology, Nintendo Labo: VR Kit introduces virtual reality in a unique and approachable way. The Toy-Con Wind Pedal produces a blast of air to create the feeling of flying, while the Toy-Con Blaster slides and clicks before it launches a volley of lasers (or fruit). Players can make different DIY cardboard creations like a Toy-Con Elephant or a Toy-Con Camera; play a variety of VR games and experiences with these creations; and discover how it all works – or even design their own bite-sized VR experiences with the included programming tools.
“Nintendo Labo is inherently designed to encourage imagination and creativity in people of all ages by blending real-world and virtual experiences,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “This new kit takes that concept a step further by layering in virtual reality to bring the Toy-Con creations to life and encourage family-friendly, pass-and-play experiences.”
All the games and experiences in Nintendo Labo: VR Kit are designed to be shareable, fun and social. By alternating turns, everyone in the room can watch and enjoy players’ reactions and join in the fun. Some games even allow players who aren’t looking into the Toy-Con VR Goggles to interact with the on-screen experience. For example, if one player is exploring the in-game ocean and taking photos with the Toy-Con Camera, another person in the room can wear the Toy-Con Snorkel and step in front of the Camera to make a bug-eyed fish swim quickly toward the player’s face – the reaction is priceless!
The Nintendo Labo: VR Kit offers a variety of games and experiences that work with the different Toy-Con creations, including:
- Ocean Camera (Toy-Con Camera): Dive into the deep blue virtual sea and complete objectives like taking photos of sea life. The ocean is full of surprises.
- House Camera (Toy-Con Camera): Interact with the strange creature living in the house – which some people may recognize from the Nintendo Labo: Variety Kit! – and complete missions by taking photos in its mysterious home.
- Marble Run (Toy-Con Elephant): Try to complete physics puzzles by using various objects to guide marbles through rings. You can even create puzzles of your own to challenge friends and family.
- Doodle (Toy-Con Elephant): Create colorful 3D artwork by moving the trunk of the Toy-Con Elephant through the air, using various in-game tools and styles to bring your creations to life. Once finished, show off your masterpieces on the TV by docking your Nintendo Switch. An additional multiplayer game lets you take turns drawing and guessing each other’s drawings.
- Bird (Toy-Con Bird): Soar through the sky on a bird’s back, collecting items and helping baby birds hatch along the way. Players flap the wings of the Toy-Con Bird to fly and simply tilt it to turn.
- Bird Dash (Toy-Con Bird, Toy-Con Wind Pedal): Compete in timed challenges by racing through checkpoints as you fly through the sky. The Toy-Con Wind Pedal is used in conjunction with the Toy-Con Bird to deliver an extra boost of speed, while also sending a surprisingly strong puff of air toward the player that enhances the sense of flying.
- Blaster (Toy-Con Blaster): Battle an alien invasion and giant bosses in an on-rails experience that requires sharp reflexes and a keen eye.
- Kablasta (Toy-Con Blaster): Challenge a friend to competitive hippo feeding. Yes, hippo feeding! Fling different types of fruit toward the hippos to lure them to your side of the pool and score the most points.
- Hop Dodge (Toy-Con Wind Pedal): As a frog, jump as high as you can on an ever-growing stack of balls while avoiding obstacles and heading soccer balls. The wind resistance from the Wind Pedal will make you feel as though you’re actually experiencing a breeze.
- VR Plaza (all Toy-Con creations): Enjoy 64 bite-sized games and experiences in VR Plaza, including platformers and puzzlers. Many of these experiences can be enjoyed using only the Toy-Con VR Goggles and Nintendo Switch system.
Two programing tools are included with the Nintendo Labo: VR Kit software. Toy-Con Garage is the tool that is returning from previous kits and optimized for this kit’s Toy-Con creations. Toy-Con Garage VR is a new tool that allows players to create their own VR games and experiences. In fact, Toy-Con Garage VR is the tool that the development team used to create everything in VR Plaza. Players can even import VR Plaza games into Toy-Con Garage VR mode to discover how they work, customize the experiences or use them as inspiration to create a completely new game.
Nintendo Labo: VR Kit will launch in retail stores on April 12 with two primary configurations, one that includes all Toy-Con creations and one that includes a smaller selection of projects to get started:
- Nintendo Labo: VR Kit: Available at a suggested retail price of $79.99, the complete Nintendo Labo: VR Kit includes the Nintendo Switch software and materials to build all six Toy-Con projects – the Toy-Con VR Goggles, Toy-Con Blaster, Toy-Con Camera, Toy-Con Bird, Toy-Con Wind Pedal and Toy-Con Elephant – as well as a Screen Holder and other accessories. It’s a good option for kids and families who want to dive into the full experience.
- Nintendo Labo: VR Kit – Starter Set + Blaster: Available at a suggested retail price of only $39.99, the Starter Set includes the Nintendo Switch software, plus all the components to build the Toy-Con VR Goggles and Toy-Con Blaster, as well as the Screen Holder and other accessories. The Starter Set is a great entry point into the world of Nintendo Labo VR.
Players that own the Starter Set can purchase the following optional expansion sets at https://store.nintendo.com/ to expand their experience:
- Nintendo Labo: VR Kit – Expansion Set 1**: Available for $19.99, Expansion Set 1 includes the components needed to build the Toy-Con Elephant and Toy-Con Camera.
- Nintendo Labo: VR Kit – Expansion Set 2**: Available for $19.99, Expansion Set 2 includes the components needed to build the Toy-Con Wind Pedal and Toy-Con Bird.
For more information about Nintendo Labo: VR Kit, please visit https://labo.nintendo.com/kits/vr-kit/.
*The VR mode should only be used by children ages 7 and older. Parents should restrict the display of VR mode for children 6 and under by accessing the in-game settings using the goggles icon. Users can easily turn off the VR feature and use the included Screen Holder instead of the VR Goggles to enjoy any of the included games and experiences in 2D.
**The two expansion sets do not include the Toy-Con VR Goggles or Nintendo Labo: VR Kit software.
Craig has been covering the video game industry since 1995. His work has been published across a wide spectrum of media sites. He’s currently the Editor-In-Chief of Nintendo Times and contributes to Gaming Age.
