Nintendo Labo has barely been out for more than a week and it’s already got its first third-party – and completely unofficial – Toy-Con kit making a splash in the market. Currently only available in Japan via ndshop.jp, the Switch Guitar comes with all the flatpack cardboard needed to build a body and fretboard, along with the rubber bands required to make the strings.
You would need to use the Toy-Con Garage to build the virtual instrument, but it’s a cool little way to add more options to your Toy-Con selection. It’s also unlikely to be the last such third-party kit we’ll be seeing for Labo, especially considering how well it’s selling in Japan.
What do you think about third-party Labo kits? Is it an attractive alternative to the ones included with the Variety Kit/Robot Kit or the ones you might make yourself? Share your thoughts below…
Since its launch back in March, Nintendo has promised new dream friends would be periodically added to Kirby Star Allies. Of course, it’s kept to schtum on exactly who those characters were going to be. Well, a recent datamine has revealed exactly who these additions are going to be. Of course, consider these spoilers if you want to keep said allies a surprise until Nintendo is ready to officially unveil them.
Ready? Okay. So Adeleine, Daroach, and Dark Meta Knight will be included in the second wave. While the third wave should feature Magolor, Taranza, Susie, and the Jambastion Mages. If you’re a big Kirby nerd all of these will be welcome (if slightly unexpected in some cases) additions to the roster. No data was recovered suggesting exactly when they’ll arrive, so we’ll all have to be patient for the time being.
Are these the additions you expected when it came to dream friends? Or are there any surprises in among their number? Share your thoughts below…
Editor’s Note: We’ve reviewed the Toy-Con 01 – Variety Kit and Toy-Con 02 – Robot Kit separately. You can read our official verdict on the Robot Kit in the coming days.
As unusual and ‘out there’ as its concept appears, Nintendo Labo is perhaps the most Nintendo thing Nintendo has ever created. From the safe and rewarding nature of its built-in design suite to the simple pleasure of building its cardboard sets, it ticks all the boxes you’d expect from a company that once made its name in hanafuda cards and toys – all the while offering something no other platformer holder would ever dream of (never mind have the guts to invest so much time and effort into).
And that’s what makes it so special; a core concept that takes the basic principles that make Nintendo Switch what it is – the HD Rumble, the IR camera, the motion controls of the Joy-Cons – and conjures up something so bizarre it somehow works. Whether you’re using Switch’s screen in portrait mode while you use a makeshift fishing rod to dangle a real (and virtual) line to catch fish, or playing a light symphony (with cat meows, naturally) on a homemade keyboard, it’s just the kind of wholesome silliness that follows in the footsteps of Wii Music and 1-2-Switch.
Right out of the box, Nintendo Labo comes in three distinct experiences; ‘Make’ (where you’ll follow on-screen instructions to create the physical Toy-Cons), ‘Play’ (where you can play the games that utilise each Toy-Con build) and ‘Discover’ (and mode that serves as both tutorial, inspiration board and programming suite). Each one weaves into the other, and there’s far more to do here than simply ‘make things out of cardboard’, as some of the product’s critics have stated.
The Toy-Con 01 Variety Kit comes complete with a multitude of flatpack sheets, each one with a symbol, lettering and colouring system to ensure you know which one applies to each of the Toy-Con designs (even if you mess them up – which you almost certainly will in the maelstrom of making them). Each of the five designs included with this kit has a handy rough guide to how long it’ll take, and outside of the Joy-Con holder you make in the tutorial and the RC-Car, most take anywhere from an hour and a half to three-plus hours to build.
The cardboard designs themselves vary in quality – some are thick and pliable enough to fold into their respective shapes, but some are a little too flimsy, so don’t be shocked to make the occasional accidental fold. None snapped or tore during any of our builds, but they’re not built to withstand the usual rigours a children’s toy gets put through.
The builds are chunky too, so it’s probably best to have somewhere to store them (the Motorbike, Fishing Rod and Piano builds are particularly bulky). There are a handful of spare pieces included with each box, although perhaps not enough to justify its hefty £70 price tag. You can use cardboard you have lying around the house if you need to repair or modify these builds, but it’s best to rely on the corrugated stuff Labo uses if you want these additions to last.
The on-screen tutorials are designed to be followed at your own pace, with an on-screen button (which can also be controlled by holding ‘A’ on the Joy-Con) moving the process forwards and back. They’re simple enough for even tiny players to follow, with witty on-screen prompts and words of encouragement showing that Nintendo really is aiming to cater to every age group in a family.
The process is much like putting together a sizeable LEGO build, with each Toy-Con build broken up into sections to make its lengthy creation sessions more manageable for smaller attention spans. The length of each build will make this a tougher sell for those of you with very young children, and it would have made more sense to have had two larger models and three or more smaller-to-medium-sized ones to make its ‘Build’ mode seem less of a slog.
On the plus side, there’s no cutting or glueing involved. Everything just pops out of its cardboard frame and can be folded and slotted into place with relative ease. Bar the occasional piece of string, IR-friendly sticker, rubber band or washer, the process of actually making everything from the simple RC Car to the elaborate Piano is a joy. You can rewind and pause the instructions at any time, and with Switch’s kickstand you can simply take it anywhere, set your console up and follow the on-screen tutorials.
Whether you’re putting these builds together on your own or in the company of a child (we built all the kits with a mixture of the two), it becomes one of the most involving and rewarding co-operative experiences. Which is a strange thing to write for a game based around making things out of cardboard, but it’s a collaborative conceit that’s infinitely more involving than any other toys-to-life concept that’s come before it. Being able to use Switch’s touchscreen to view each step in full 3D simply adds more agency to an already empowering mix.
Initially, the ‘Play’ area of Labo appears the shallowest. The five core games of the Variety Kit (controlling the RC-Car, fishing with the Fishing Rod, interacting with a ball-like creature in the House, riding around a track on the Motorbike and playing a tune on the Piano) are fun, but the basic nature of their premises means they’re unlikely to hold your attention (or that of a younger players) for as long as it took to make the bigger builds. Some do feel like glorified tech demos, but others manage to keep that Labo magic pumping away. Being able to scan objects to create custom tracks for your makeshift Motorbike is a trump card even Mario Kart 8 Deluxe can’t match, although it’s a shame you can’t draw or design them from scratch.
The RC Car (well, it’s more like an ‘RC Bug’, but we’re not going to knock a remote control vehicle that moves without wheels), is more of a toy in and of itself, with Switch’s touchscreen doubling for an RC controller. You can even use the IR camera to see through your new creation. Sure, it looks like you’re trying to view the world through the medium of Game Boy Camera, but it’s just another little dimension that’s both weird and cool all at once. There are three more mini-builds to make (one based on the House design, and another two for the Motorbike) but they don’t add anything particularly groundbreaking to the mix. But that’s not to say Play serves no further purpose past these select experiences. In fact, these games are just the beginning…
It’s in ‘Discover’ mode that Labo’s real genius – and ultimately, its true longevity – really lies. Hidden among the cartoonish mini-game ideas and customisation prompts you’ll find a manhole cover. Give it a tap and you’ll find the Toy-Con Garage. It’s easily Labo’s most important feature, and one that might not be immediately apparent to first-time users (or, in fact, those yet to be convinced its more than a childish fad). It’s effectively a simplified programming suite, which enables you to take the Toy-Cons you’ve already built and make them do entirely new things. And that’s not even touching on the brand new creations you can create with any old cardboard around the house, some sticky tape and a few well-placed nodes.
From a working clock to a convincing Game & Watch build – and so many other things in between – it’s an ideal way to introduce users to the world of programming and simple engineering principles. If you know your way around the world of coding its simple presentation isn’t going to change your world, but it’s the exactly the kind of mode young users need to begin their journey towards anything from engineering to game design. And all from the safety of a Nintendo handheld console.
Conclusion
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. With the unbound potential of Toy-Con Garage at its heart, Nintendo Labo mixes the physical and digital so seamlessly even its hefty price tag shouldn’t put you off.
Nintendo has filed a new patent in the US, one that could take co-operative play and local multiplayer and inject it with that classic Nintendo sense of innovation. The patent, which was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on 12th April, describes a game system with, “a plurality of information processing apparatuses that are capable of communicating with each other.”
In other words, it would use two separate screens – potentially running on two separate devices – where the actions on one screen would be replicated on the other, with information being shared seamlessly between the two. The patent even shows one object being sent from one screen to the other, while another example sees the movement of one screen creating momentum on the other.
With Switch selling as well as it is at the moment, it seems unlikely this concept will be introduced anytime soon, but it’s an exciting potential feature for future hardware. It’s also not the first time Nintendo has filed a rather peculiar patent…
Let us know what you make of it in the comments sections below and share your thoughts with the NL community below…
Pick your favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle in tubular new Splatoon 2 Splatfest
Cowabunga! This May, Splatoon 2 for Nintendo Switch will host its first-ever tournament-style Splatfest to determine which brother from the iconic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise is the ultimate fan-favorite. Featuring characters from Nickelodeon’s upcoming animated series Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, fans will vote in three rounds to crown one Hero in a Half-Shell (turtle power!). Will it be Raph, Leo, Mikey or Donnie?
To participate, players won’t be asked to order a pizza, hop on a skateboard or save the city from an army of masked ninjas – they can just start voting for their pick beginning on April 27 simply by visiting the in-game Inkopolis Square. The first of three in-game Splatoon 2 Splatfest tournaments takes place May 4-5 and pits Raph against Leo, with the second running May 11-12 and featuring Mikey vs. Donnie. The final match between the winners of the first two showdowns takes place May 18-19. The full schedule is below:
Round 1: Raph vs. Leo May 4 (Friday), 9 p.m. PT – May 5 (Saturday), 9 p.m. PT
Round 2: Mikey vs. Donnie May 11 (Friday), 9 p.m. PT – May 12 (Saturday), 9 p.m. PT
Finals May 18 (Friday) 9 p.m. PT – May 19 (Saturday), 9 p.m. PT
“We love working with unexpected partners to expand our brand and bring smiles to people’s faces in surprising ways,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Teaming up with Nickelodeon and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles made perfect sense, as we share many of the same fans who enjoy family-friendly entertainment and classic characters.”
Splatfests are recurring online competitions in Splatoon 2 that ask players to pick a side – in this case, their favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. Once players choose a team, they’ll receive an in-game T-shirt adorned with an image of their preferred Turtle for their Inkling character to wear as they compete in online multiplayer Turf Wars battles to see which side comes out on top. At the end of the Splatfest, each team’s popularity and win rate is tallied up, and one team is crowned the victor. Depending on what Splatfest rank players achieve, they’ll receive Super Sea Snails, which can be exchanged to further customize gear in the game. Because of the new tournament format, players need to pick up their Super Sea Snails by the Tuesday morning following each round. The early squid catches the Sea Snails, as the old saying goes. Splatfests are open to all Nintendo Switch owners who have the Splatoon 2 game and an Internet connection.
Nickelodeon’s new animated series Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles follows the band of brothers as they discover new powers and encounter a mystical world they never knew existed beneath the streets of New York City. The 2D-animated series debuts later this year on Nickelodeon. For more information about the show, visit http://www.nick.com/rise-of-the-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles/.
Once the toast of the video game arena, the humble side-scrolling fighter has fallen from grace in recent years. While we’ve seen notable titles that have tried to resurrect the genre – such as the brilliant Wulverblade – it remains a relic from a bygone era; a style of game that was arguably most at home in grubby amusement arcades which are all but extinct.
You might assume then that spending the past few years creating a side-scrolling brawler might be a fool’s errand, but husband and wife team Nic and Anna Makin – along with artist Jay Howse and composer Steve Burke – have been pouring every spare moment they have into creating what they hope will be the true successor to the likes of Capcom’s Final Fight and Sega’s Streets of Rage. They’ve been working on Raging Justice for quite some time, and now – with help from Team17 – the Switch launch date is just around the corner.
Since we last reported on the game, there have been some big changes. The most significant is that a third character has been added, giving the player three different play styles to master. This brings the game more in line with genre classics, which tended to offer a trio of playable heroes. Secondly, we’ve had confirmation that the game will retail for £9.99 / €12.99 / $14.99 when it launches on May 8th, with a 10 percent launch discount for one week. From what we’ve seen, that makes this something of a steal in terms of value.
Given that arcade games were all about two-player co-op, Nic thinks that the Switch is perhaps the ideal platform for Raging Justice; you can play in tabletop mode with two Joy-Con, which means that a co-op session is almost effortless to set up – as long as you have a willing companion, of course. Nic also reveals that he was able to get the game running on Switch within days of receiving the dev kit, and has nothing but praise for Nintendo’s hardware. He also goes into detail about the game’s unique pre-rendered look; he sees it as an evolution of the CGI style that was pioneered at Rare with the likes of Donkey Kong Country and Killer Instinct.
You can watch our full interview with Nic above, but points of interest include a potential sequel, DLC for the game moving forward and – perhaps most exciting of all – an online multiplayer mode. Nic insists it’s something he wants to see in the game himself, so if it sells well enough, we could see it added at a later date.
Are you a fan of old-school scrolling fighters? Will you be picking up Raging Justice now you’ve see our interview and know the price? Let us know with a comment.
On Thursday, Nintendo posted their financial results for the fiscal year ending in March 2018 – predictably outlining the Switch’s phenomenal performance, which resulted in an over 500% increase in profits for the videogame giant.
However, Nintendo was conservative with its operating profit guidance, estimating that its OP will increase by just 26.7 percent from the year prior.
While this would achieve Nintendo’s highest profit since the fiscal year end in March 2010, it misses analyst estimates by about ¥83.7 billion – resulting in a slight decline in Nintendo’s stock on Thursday.
However, Jefferies analyst Atul Goyal sees a far more positive outlook for the Godfather of gaming. He believes NTDOY’s 12-month price target will hit ¥79,900 – far beyond the average analyst price target of ¥59,582.
Goyal believes the “OP could more than triple in 2 years” – due to the Switch’s success, growing digital adoption of console games, and the mobile game revenue Nintendo has recently seen.
And for those still doubting Nintendo’s mobile IP: they brought in ¥39.3 billion in sales – an increase of 62% year-over-year. That’s no small chunk of change.
All things considered, now could be a solid time to play the Nintendo stock game. Goyal believes it’s the “cheapest game stock in the world” today – but that it won’t be this way for long.
Buy low and sell high, friends!
Do you think Nintendo will be able to maintain its strong performance, or will the bubble eventually burst? Share your predictions with us below…
On 2nd May, HAMSTER will be releasing Saurus’ 1995 horse racing game Stakes Winner on the Switch eShop, continuing its unbroken Neo Geo weekly release streak.
The ever-popular horse racing/horse breeding/gambling culture in Japan ensures a steady flow of games of this niche genre across all generations, and the Neo Geo was no exception. Saurus’ first game in the series allowed for up to two jockeys and their horse of choice across the Japanese G1 competition. If you’re unfamiliar with the genre, you might be pleasantly surprised at how easy is to get hooked into this kind of retro curio.
This particular HAMSTER re-release is also the first game of the genre to hit Switch in the West. Stakes Winner will set you back the regular $7.99/€6.99/£6.29 price tag. We admit we might be biased around here, but still reckon its equine roster (including European Union, Asian Hope, Hot Sands and even the speedy US Fighter) would be no match for Epona.
Let us know what you make of this unusual retro title. Is it strange enough for a little flutter? Share your thoughts below…
NIS America is bringing the tactical RPG series Fallen Legion to Nintendo Switch for the first time with Fallen Legion: Rise to Glory, and the new handheld port is coming packed with plenty of extra content to tease you in for the first time or haul you back for a double dip.
This double pack comes with a set of daunting new stages to complete, and five brand new characters to take into battle as part of your party. The game has also been carefully optimised for Nintendo Switch, as well as fresh commands such as the handy manual link attack system now in place on Ninty’s portable system.
Check out the trailer above and let us know if you’ll be picking up Fallen Legion: Rise to Glory when it arrives on 29th May in North America and 1st June in the EU…
One of the best things about Nintendo Switch is its sheer versatility. You can play it at home, on the go, or even sitting on the toilet if so you desire.
With all of these gaming options comes the need for a variety of Nintendo Switch accessories to enhance your gaming experience. If you spend most of your time playing Switch docked to your TV, you’ll want to pick up a Pro Controller. If you are a bit of a Mario Kart 8 Deluxe fiend, you might want to pick up some Joy-Con wheels. Are you taking your Switch on a trip? We’d recommend investing in a carry case and a battery pack to top up your charge.
Luckily for you, we’ve rounded up some of the very best Nintendo Switch accessories around to help you find the ones which are worth buying so that you can make the most of Nintendo’s portable powerhouse.
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Nintendo Switch Controllers
Of course, your Nintendo Switch came bundled with two lovely Joy-Con controllers, but if you’re anything like us you’ll want to pick some more up for multiplayer action. We have some nice colour options for you below. Likewise the official Switch Pro controller is a must-have purchase for playing games when docked, again these can be found in a range of colours. Lastly we have the Super Nintendo styled 8bitdo controllers, which are fully compatible with the Switch and great for using with those Neo Geo games.
Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Accessories
You can pick up a whole plethora of accessories to go with your Nintendo Switch Joy-Con. Younger Mario Kart players will love popping their Joy-Con in a wheel attachment to challenge their friends. There are also more ways to keep your Joy-Con topped up with power than you can shake a stick at.
Nintendo Switch Cases
One of the greatest investments that you can make for your Nintendo Switch is a case to protect it when you are travelling. Here are some of our favourites, along with a nice HORI case for storing your game cards to boot.
Nintendo Switch Playstands
Let’s be honest, the kickstand which flips out on the back of the Switch tablet allowing you to play games in tabletop mode is a bit flimsy. If you want a social game of Snipperclips on the train with a friend, we’d recommend getting a proper playstand for your Switch. The Nintendo Labo style mini arcade stand is a must-have also for retrogaming fiends.
Nintendo Switch Chargers
Do you ever worry about your Switch running out of charge at a critical moment in a game? We’ve got you covered. Battery packs are great to top up your Switch when you are on the move, in-car chargers are a must too, along with the classic AC wall adaptor for topping up your Switch quickly.
Nintendo Switch Micro SD Cards
Last but not least, you’ll want to make sure your Switch has enough storage for all those lovely games which you’ll be downloading. A micro SD card will give you a nice boost, we’ve listed three of the most popular options below, but be sure to check out our exhaustive Nintendo Switch Micro SD cards guide for even more ideas.
These are the Nintendo Switch accessories which we consider to be the most essential. Let us know which ones you already have or intend to pick up soon. Also be sure to leave a comment if there is a Switch accessory which we have missed that you absolutely adore.
