Nintendo Labo - DIY cardboard peripherals for Switch

Shifty Geezer

Shifty Geezer

uber-Troll!
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Legend
https://labo.nintendo.com/

Kinda cool. Fabulously Nintendo. Dunno how it'll help Nintendo's longer-term goals.
Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima recently emphasised how important growing the Switch's audience was for the console's second year - and, crucially, that the console now needed to attract an audience who were not already core gamers.

"In order to be playable in the long term, the second year is crucial," Kimishima told newspaper Mainichi (thanks, Nintendo Everything).

"Our task is to add more users, including people who barely touch game consoles."
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I can't see people buying a Switch for this, but it will generate mindshare.
 
That was kinda my thinking, it's better suited conceptually to Pi and iThings (cheap and cheerful or already in possession), except the Joycons have the additional functionality to make things come alive. But as ever, Nintendo are providing the full package that'll make the idea come alive and get attention. Someone releasing a bunch of peripherals and cardboard designs for Pi projects would go unheard.

I Googled it and came up with this
https://makezine.com/2014/10/14/how-to-building-a-raspberry-pi-wifi-controlled-car/

Maybe that's what inspired Nintendo, bringing a homebrew idea to the mainstream?

Edit: They also used to make cardboard toys themselves
http://blog.beforemario.com/2012/05/nintendo-paper-model-series.html
 
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Globalisateur said:
Cardboard ?

Sold $80 ?

:LOL:
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I would assume it comes with some sort of interactive software right? Regardless, this was unexpected and is sure to be a hit with younger Switch gamers. I guess this is what they meant when talking about new ways to play with Switch in 2018. I dont personally plan on buying it, but can appreciate the idea that Nintendo continues to offer the market new ways to play games.
 
Honestly, other than price this looks like a really awesome toy. My kids would love this. I have to get a Switch first, but may pick this up eventually.
 
Wow what a great idea. I think my kids would love this, we got a Switch for Xmas.
 
It looks cool. Points for creativity. My allergies say that this is not-cool. o_O

Just needs pizza DLC (dirty lubricated cardboard)...
 
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One issue I see is that the peripherals are almost certainly going to be short lived. After building and enjoying, they'll take up a lot of storage space yet also not likely be something you break out frequently. Thus they'll likely hang around a while before going into the recycling. If you think of how much time things like Move idled in many people's drawers and cupboards, and each of these constructs has far less usability than one of those peripherals (how many games are going to require the Piano controller?), it strikes me as an intrinsically disposable concept. Perhaps that's part of the intention to make them from cardboard, knowing they'll be short lived?
 
I think you are looking at this the wrong way. This seems to have zero intention of becoming multi purpose peripherals, its a toy kids are gonna see in ther rich friend's house, not be able to go to sleep thinking about it, and nag their parents until christmas for it. Nintendo invented a cardboard money printer.
 
If they also release a simple, easy to use app to make your own thingy, that would be superb.

Complete with various capabilities of the joycon to make the thingy more alive
 
They already have two discrete kits. The idea is to keep releasing new kits aparently.
 
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