MindFreak Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 There should be a separate topic for this. Revealed in a short video January 17th 2018. Pricing is at $69.99 for the Variety Kit and $79.99 for the Robot Kit. Includes software and several cardboard pieces and the materials needed for building the stuff. Variety Kit: Robot Kit: 1
Kav Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 (edited) Some hands-on impressions. Nintendo Life: http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/01/hands_on_the_future_of_gaming_is_cardboard_thanks_to_nintendo_labo Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gaming/features/nintendo-labo-hands-on-switch-brilliant-barmy-cardboard-toys/ Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/jan/17/nintendo-labo-cardboard-switch-models-interactive-toys I must admit, it sounds pretty bloody fun! Edited January 18, 2018 by Kav
Ronnie Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 The Verge are loving it https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/17/16900496/nintendo-switch-labo-cardboard-diy-accessories-announced-price-release-date 1
markderoos Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 Just showed it to our oldest (almost 8) and she couldn’t comprehend what it was from the introduction video. It’ll be interesting to see how they’ll promote this towards its key demographic. This video alone seems not enough but I’m sure they will market it more appropriately in the weeks up to launch.
dazzybee Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 Not convinced a sample of one is a good test of whether the vides successful or not. I’ve read so many tweets and such of parents showing their children and them loving it. My kid is 2.5. Bit too young. Gutted. Though I think he’ll like watching me make it... YES HE WILL!!!! 1 3
Ronnie Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 After watching the video I was thinking amazing but not for me. Ten minutes later... obviously I'm buying both kits. 1
Ronnie Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 Quote The RC car software also uses the right Joy-Con’s infra-red sensor to display a small night-vision display on the Switch. The demonstrator quickly throws together an obstacle course with paper cups and covers it with a box, asking us to locate a hidden Kirby figure using only the camera. 1
Aneres11 Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 19 minutes ago, dazzybee said: Not convinced a sample of one is a good test of whether the vides successful or not. I’ve read so many tweets and such of parents showing their children and them loving it. My kid is 2.5. Bit too young. Gutted. Though I think he’ll like watching me make it... YES HE WILL!!!! Yeah but if you buy it now, it'll remain on your shelf like your other unplayed games until he's like, 11, and he'll be interested then. 2 5
Ashley Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 15 minutes ago, Ronnie said: After watching the video I was thinking amazing but not for me. Ten minutes later... obviously I'm buying both kits. Read this as "kids" at first and thought you had gone one step too far. 2 4
Jonnas Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 After the initial surprise, I'm actually loving the idea. Maybe it's because my mom is an art teacher and I grew up with her doing similar things with cereal boxes, but the idea that Nintendo's promoting "creative"-type toys (you know, like Lego & Knex) comes off as really heartwarming. Plus, I was just talking with my cousin about how kids seem to play more on tablets than with physical toys, so it's good to see a digital company try to swing things a bit more into the physical side. I can't wait to see what kind stuff users will come up with. Even from companies, I can see apps or indie games being developed with cardboard accessories in mind, and the pattern being available for free on their website.
Goron_3 Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 I’ve thought about this a lot today and I have to say that it just keeps making me smile. It’s so brilliant and I’m jealous of all the parents that will use this with their kids. I loved K’NEX growing up so this is right up my alley. One thing I’m interested in is the software and whether the software it uses will start to rely on existing franchises that work with the toys and mechanisms shown in this trailer (i.e. Wave Race, Pokemon Snap). It would be a shame if Nintendo were to announce a new Pokemon Snap title (just as an example), only to hide it behind Labo. This therefore makes me wonder if Labo games/software will focus on creating their own cohesive world and branding, a bit like how Mii’s did.
Nicktendo Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 Labo makes me really, really wish I had kids... I'm going to probably pass, but if the software is good, or like Goron says in the post above, if existening franchises get hidden behind it, I can see myself jumping in. A truly fascinating idea which I didn't see coming at all. Hats off to the Big N.
killthenet Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 I'd echo what dazzybee said in the other thread, I hope that we see other games and applications implement the system - I would love to be able to use the piano in conjunction with Korg Gadget for example. I can't imagine that i'll create much with Labo but I'm really interested in at least picking up the variety set when it launches to see what it's all about, I think it'd be great for my nieces to get involved in too.
Grazza Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 I'm afraid it falls upon me to be the negative one, but this seems like The Emperor's New Clothes. When I was a kid there were toys called Zoids - make-your-own robotic dinosaur/animal kits. Not only were they engineering marvels, they were aesthetically fascinating. Lego was also a very high quality toy - even better, in my opinion, before they used so many film licences. This, though, seems incredibly cheap and throwaway. $70-80 for sheets of cardboard? If this is successful, the profit margins are going to be astronomical! It really does feel like the Wii days - Nintendo's success has made them confident (possibly overconfident) and they have gone back to thinking any sort of playing about they do will be interesting, rather than let a genuinely compelling idea drive the software and hardware. Not that it'll do any harm - it's a 3rd pillar, after all - but I think this is going to end up in the recycling bin! 1
MindFreak Posted January 18, 2018 Author Posted January 18, 2018 6 minutes ago, Grazza said: This, though, seems incredibly cheap and throwaway. $70-80 for sheets of cardboard? If this is successful, the profit margins are going to be astronomical! I agree that the price is too high but you should rather look at it as a game that comes with some cardboard controller peripherals. And each peripheral has at least 2 games in the Variety Kit as far as I could read. I don't know about the Robot Kit but surely there is some more "advanced" game right there. I see these games as equivalent to Wii Play. Sadly, I don't think this will be much fun in the long run but then Nintendo can release more games and sell more different cardboard cutouts.
drahkon Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 5 minutes ago, Grazza said: $70-80 for sheets of cardboard? If this is successful, the profit margins are going to be astronomical! Well, the price includes software. But from what I've seen that software basically looks like good old shovelware from the Wii era, so maybe worth $30-40. However, that means the $40-50 for cardboard? That is outrageous. But a genius move by Nintendo to put their brand on something that can be produced for a few bucks (I assume) and sell it for a stupidly high price which parents are definitely going to pay for their crying little shits. (for the record, I don't have anything against kids). Gotta give it to 'em, they know their market.
Ronnie Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 (edited) 35 minutes ago, Grazza said: It really does feel like the Wii days - Nintendo's success has made them confident (possibly overconfident) and they have gone back to thinking any sort of playing about they do will be interesting, rather than let a genuinely compelling idea drive the software and hardware. Not that it'll do any harm - it's a 3rd pillar, after all - but I think this is going to end up in the recycling bin! You said it yourself, it won't do any harm. If you're not into it, then there's their entire video game line-up to fall back on. Releasing a Mini Direct last week wasn't by accident, it was to reassure fans they're doubling down on great games in 2018 before the Labo reveal. As for the suggestion of it being back to the Wii days, I think that's the point! The Wii was their most successful home console ever, and it got there by bringing in the casual crowd, but the encouraging thing with Switch is they seem to have struck the perfect balance (so far at least) between casual and hardcore. 1-2 Switch and Labo for casuals. Zelda, Dark Souls, Fire Emblem, Doom, Yoshi, Mario, indies etc for the hardcore gamers. Also in terms of the long-term Nintendo need to get back its mindshare with kids, they're the future of the company. The reason we're all here loving Nintendo is because we grew up with them. They seem to be making a big push for that what with the Universal theme parks, the Mario animated film, cereal, amiibo etc, and Labo is just another step towards that. Agree on price though, I'd say it's a good $20 too expensive. But then again it's hard to know for sure without knowing how compelling the software is going to be. Will they be following the Splatoon, Arms etc model and release content updates over time? If so there's added value there. Edited January 18, 2018 by Ronnie 3 1
V. Amoleo Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 This will fail if they don't sell the cardboard part of the package separately and cheaply. Make the game be the expensive part, not the cardboard peripheral.
Mokong Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 Showed the reveal vid to my son (7 years old) and his eyes lit up....guess we'll be getting both kits I worry though about durability....you'd probably need to be extra careful with them so they don't fall apart 5 1
Kav Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 (edited) The price has me less excited about it to be honest. ...that remote control bug one sounds ace though! You can make & add stuff to it yourself, make a wedge & put it on the front for example, and then go up against another in Robot Wars style battles! Edited January 18, 2018 by Kav 1
RedShell Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 5 minutes ago, Mokong said: I worry though about durability....you'd probably need to be extra careful with them so they don't fall apart Cardboard is actually surprisingly strong, especially if the object in question has been well designed: Knowing Nintendo’s attention to detail and quality control, I don’t think there will be much to worry about with LABO. The stuff shown in the trailer looks very solid indeed. 1
Mandalore Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 (edited) They won't just make a killing on flogging cardboard, they'll make a killing on Joy-Con and console repairs. Edited January 18, 2018 by Mandalore 1
Ronnie Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 From the trailer it looks like the Robot cardboard Toy-Con needs 5 Joy-con to work (I can't believe I'm saying these words), but from reports I think that only increases the functionality and you can get by with fewer, could be wrong though. Hopefully they slap big "REQUIRES NINTENDO SWITCH AND JOY-CONS" stickers on the packaging so mum and dads don't feel tricked.
Dufniall Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 They are going to offer replacement kits and put the cardboard plans online as well, so you can reproduce them yourself. 1
killthenet Posted January 18, 2018 Posted January 18, 2018 19 minutes ago, Ronnie said: From the trailer it looks like the Robot cardboard Toy-Con needs 5 Joy-con to work (I can't believe I'm saying these words), but from reports I think that only increases the functionality and you can get by with fewer, could be wrong though. Hopefully they slap big "REQUIRES NINTENDO SWITCH AND JOY-CONS" stickers on the packaging so mum and dads don't feel tricked. The robot only actually requires two joy con from what I can see, the left joy con attaches to the head and the right joy con sits in the backpack and tracks the position of the levers with the IR camera, the levers move as you move your arms and legs so it interprets the movement of the levers into the movement of the robot on screen. I think most of the applications will use the IR camera to track movement and interaction. 1
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