For the longest time, Nintendo has been known as the quirkiest aspect of the video game industry. Ever ready to push the envelope in the pursuit of fun, always thinking outside the box and definitely a consumer favourite with fascinating innovation, Nintendo has once again introduced a gaming delight.
Following the red hot debut of the Nintendo Switch, comes Labo. An interactive experience designed for children, and those who are young heart, it is an opportunity to entertain across the board.
Nintendo Labo is packaged as a kit. Relatively unassuming, the kit comprises of a Nintendo Switch cartridge, cardboard sheets, and accessories such as string and plastic connectors that go into building the Toy-Con.
The Toy-Con variety currently comprises of an RC car, fishing rod and piano, with a separate Robot kit for the tech-lovers.
Once the cartridge is inserted into the Nintendo Switch, the onscreen instructions guide you through the steps involved in building the Toy-Con.
The process of building each Toy-Con varies in complexity, involving the folding of pieces of cardboard into shapes and fitting them together.
Once the Toy-Con are built, they can be customised and painted, encouraging creativity and stimulating the mind. Cast the Toy-Con fishing rod, and the Nintendo Switch will vibrate when there’s a bite on your line! This is a whole other world of gaming, unlike anything consumers are used to. Then again, isn’t that what makes Nintendo, Nintendo…
The goal of Labo is to get children involved in playing games in an interactive manner. No more is gaming a loner activity.
With the immediate focus being on children, the Labo is an attempt at creating a social experience that can be enjoyed with friends and family. The set up is well suited to parents playing with their children.
This is a simple and effective way of getting children to learn about digital technology. While Labo may not necessarily have children designing video games, it stands to be a pivotal mechanism in teaching
children to be more than simply passive consumers of technology.
Should Nintendo Labo prove to be successful, we could possibly see the introduction of more complex kits, targeted at an older audience.
Gaming that’s fun, social, stimulating AND eco-friendly ?
#WhereIsMyLabo
#LetMePlayToo
