Nintendo Labo Variety Kit Reviews
There looks to be a huge amount of depth here - far more than the first trailers suggested - and anyone willing to experiment should find that Labo quickly rewards it.
Nintendo's cardboard-construction-cum-video-game experiment makes for a pricey but extremely entertaining crafting project for kids
"Preview - Can you build it?"
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Nintendo's uncanny ability to offer experiences that are so strange while feeling so good has rarely been put to better use.
The potential seems limitless and while Labo may not be a video game – and in that sense will provide little relief to Switch owners looking for something new to play – it could well be the next big thing. For big kids as well as little ones.
Traditional "hardcore" gamers won't get the most out of Labo unless they're willing to massively step outside of what is their gaming comfort zone, while creatives, musicians and children will find so, so much to do and enjoy. But regardless of your playstyle or preference, I can heartily recommend trying Nintendo Labo when you get the chance to put your hands on it. Playing it is fun, everything works, but the satisfaction of building your own peripherals is entirely unique.
Once again, Nintendo manages to subvert expectations with something that seemed a little crazy at first. Labo proves that Nintendo doesn't need a mascot or franchise to carry it to success, just a bit of cardboard magic.
The Labo Variety Kit is a Nintendo Switch video game, a craft set, and a stepping stone to learning STEM, all wrapped up in an incredibly clever package that turns cardboard into toys and games.
Labo revives that feeling of "dang, that's nifty" by allowing you to build your own peripherals, showing you how they're programmed, and letting you tweak and customize just about every element.
Labo has me thinking about what else is possible with the Switch and, impressively, managed to make the console feel even more amazing.
While the introductory RC Car is a quick 10-minute build, the other four (Motorbike, Piano, Fishing Rod, and House) are much more involved.
As the tech advances and Nintendo goes back to the lab, I think we will continue to see Labo grow. I am keen to see where this goes. Where Nintendo goes, everyone's eyes and ears follow. I will never doubt Nintendo in its pure, honest pursuit of making gaming a labour of love, passion, and enjoyment.
If Nintendo can tweak the included games to make a more substantial set of electronic components, Labo will evolve into a near-perfect experience. The adult in me is totally here for that. The kid in me, however, just wants more fish to catch.
Nintendo Labo might seem like a gimmick - and it is, to a certain extent - but there's far more it than at first meets the eye. It's a collaborative concept as rewarding in its construction as it is in its final result (much like any LEGO build you've ever worked on), and one that utilises every facet of Switch's DNA in a way only Nintendo could pull off.
Nintendo Labo is a great tool for learning and creation, but the games themselves lack lasting appeal.
The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 01: Variety Kit is just what it says on the tin - one that serves up a variety of unique and interactive toys to build. Through a brilliant interface and robust card shapes, the kit offers hours of DIY building fun - with an interactive pay-off. The mini-games are somewhat short, leaning more towards concept pieces, but with the Labo Garage included, it creates limitless possibilities to explore and invoke a little mischief, too!
Nintendo Labo is definitely a fantastic new innovation from Nintendo. It’s the perfect excuse to build some cool stuff with your family (or in my case, on your own), and it comes with pretty easy to follow instructions (IKEA should really take a leaf from Nintendo here).
A mash of Lego and origami that is wholesome and unique.
What Nintendo Labo achieves is, at its core, exactly what Wii Sports achieved for the Wii in 2006. It encourages non-video gamers the chance to get involved with something their children love. It brings family to the fore, allows for natural teamwork to evolve and both nurtures and inspires creativity. And quite frankly, that’s hard to put a price on.
In the case of Labo, Nintendo has made something that uses a gaming console in ways you'd never have expected. It turns your Switch into a toy. Do I wish that toy had a bit more depth to it? Sure, but the simple act of creating those toys is quite enough to make Labo something special.