Garage – “Bad Trip” trailer

tinyBuild has readied a new “Bad Trip” trailer for its new Switch eShop game Garage. Have a look at the video below.

Johnny Turbo’s Arcade: Sly Spy Switch trailer

As we reported last week, Johnny Turbo’s Arcade: Sly Spy will be coming to the Switch May 3. Flying Tiger Entertainment has uploaded a new trailer for the game. Take a look below:

Animal Super Squad apparently launching tomorrow on Switch

Animal Super Squad is making its way to Switch this week, a listing on the eShop reveals. In fact, it’s apparently launching tomorrow – May 1.

Here’s a brief overview and trailer:

Animal Super Squad is a physics-based adventure game that lets you play as your favorite animal. Speed through a world full of dangers and bananas. Create your own levels, share them with the community, or forget all that nonsense and just play other people’s stuff.

DoubleMoose Games, a studio co-founded by Goat Simulator developer Armin Ibrisagic, handled development. The company also partnered with popular YouTuber PewDiePie on the project. 

If you plan on downloading Animal Super Squad, you’ll need 269MB of free space. 

Source: Switch eShop

Free 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia content update confirmed for FIFA 18 on Switch

Today, EA officially announced a content update for FIFA 18 based on the 2018 FIFA World Cup. It’s due out for Switch on May 29 as a free download.

Here’s what you can expect:

The 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia update lets players choose one of 32 qualified nations to live out their FIFA World Cup dream and write their own history from the group stage to the final in Moscow in Online Friendlies and Online Tournament modes. Dive into Custom Tournament mode to select any licensed national team in FIFA 18 to create a unique tournament draw with non-qualified nations, including Italy, Chile, USA, among others. Additionally, experience the authentic stadium atmospheres in a quick Kick-Off experience, either solo or with friends.

Feel the excitement on and off the pitch through official FIFA World Cup elements, from immersive atmospheres that include all 12 stadiums from Russia to authentic pitch environments, and national team banners. 

Jump into FIFA World Cup Ultimate Team and benefit from a revised chemistry system featuring dynamic player items related to the real-world tournament to build a dream international squad. Also featured in FIFA World Cup Ultimate Team are FIFA World Cup ICONS, some of the most iconic players from the tournament’s history.

Watch a trailer for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia content update below.

Cast of the Seven Godsends footage

Footage is in showing one of this week’s Switch eShop releases Cast of the Seven Godsends. Take a look at 25 minutes of gameplay below.

Breakers: Dawn of Heroes gameplay videos

CyberStep has readied a pair of gameplay videos for Breakers: Dawn of Heroes, its upcoming action RPG for Switch. We’ve included both below.

Saturday Morning RPG Switch launch trailer

Last week, Limited Run Games published Saturday Morning RPG on the Switch eShop. Get a look at the official launch trailer below.

Sushi Striker footage

Nintendo updated the Japanese Sushi Striker website with several new gameplay clips. We’ve rounded them all up in the video below.

Cast of the Seven Godsends Switch trailer

Merge Games has published a trailer for Cast of the Seven Godsends, which is out on the Switch eShop this week. View the video below.

UK software sales (Week ending 4/28/2018)

This week’s UK software sales are as follows:

Individual formats

All formats

Source 1 Source 2

NXLoader released: Run Fusée Gelée (RCM) payloads on your Switch from your Android device!

With the Nintendo Switch being blown wide open last week, some hackers decided that they didn’t want to always be near a PC when they wanted to run Fusée Gelée hacks on their device. Due to this, NXLoader has been released which allows you to send the payload over from your Android phone/tablet!

What is NXLoader?

NXLoader is a launcher for Fusée Gelée exploits by David Buchanan for your Android phone that doesn’t even need root! In other words, running hacks on your Switch no longer needs a computer thanks to USB-OTG and this piece of software.

Currently, the UI is pretty sparse and basic but it’s enough to get the job done!

As opposed to the web launcher, this doesn’t need an internet connection so it’s a step-up from the web-based launcher which also works on Android.

Currently, NXLoader can only launch Fusée Gelée payload files on your Switch, such as the famous fusee.bin that you’ve been seeing all over the internet. This is still an early release but the developer is planning to add the following in future releases:

• Support for Linux so you won’t need a PC to kickstart your favourite Linux distro on the Switch! – This, coupled with the various emulators available for Linux can make your Switch the ultimate portable console for retro gaming, taking the crown from the PSVita!
• A better UI and user experience.
• Code improvements so that it’s less hacky.

What do I need to use it? How do I use it?

To use NXLoader, you need the following:

• A Nintendo Switch (duh)
• A USB-OTG cable for your phone (your phone’s charging port to full USB-A) and a USB-C cable to connect your smartphone/tablet to the Switch.
• An Android device that’s not ancient as it requires a phone that has a XHCI USB chipset. For example, a Nexus 5, a smartphone from 2013, has XHCI support so as long as your device isn’t too old, you should be fine!

You can now hack your Switch on the go and marvel at the basic RCM-mode exploits. Loading Linux will be implemented in a future release!

To actually use it, these are the instructions:

• Launch the application
• Plug in your Switch via USB OTG and the aforementioned USB-C cable
• Put your Switch into RCM mode (have fun shorting your right joy-con rail!)
• Once your Switch is in RCM mode, allow the app to access USB devices and witness the sorcery take place!
• Have fun hacking your Switch!

Conclusion

To get NXLoader, simply follow the link below and get the APK (obviously, you need unknown sources to be allowed on your Android device). If you have any issues, report them on the GitHub link below and remember, the developer isn’t responsible if you mess up your Switch!

Download Link: https://github.com/DavidBuchanan314/NXLoader/releases/latest

---

---

The readme (which you should really check out): https://github.com/DavidBuchanan314/NXLoader/blob/master/README.md

David’s Twitter (further updates): https://twitter.com/David3141593

More details on Fight of Gods’ Switch release

Cosen was present at Tokyo Sandbox in Japan recently, and had a bit more to say about the Switch version of Fight of Gods.

In Japan, the game will cost 1,500 yen. It’s due out sometime in 2018.

Cosen will be publishing Fight of Gods in Japan. However, original developer Digital Crafter is also on board for the Switch version.

DLC characters already distributed for PC are included. Also, character abilities will be adjusted on Switch. There’s no word yet on whether online play will be included.

Here’s another interesting thing about Fight of Gods for Switch. During a live stream at Tokyo Sandbox, Cosen specifically said that they’re only handling the Japanese release. We’re not sure at the moment if a different publisher will be releasing the Switch version in North America and Europe. Though even if Fight of Gods only remains in Japan, Switch owners in other territories will still be able to make a purchase thanks to the system being region-free.

Thanks to m_t for the tip.

Source 1, Source 2

Psyvariar Delta coming west this summer

Dispatch Games will release Psyvariar Delta for PlayStation 4 and Switch in North America and Europe this summer, the company announced. 

Psyvariar Delta is an enhanced version of the Success Corporation vertical scrolling shoot ’em up up Psyvariar Revision. If you missed it last week, catch the first information and screenshots here.

Pre-orders will go live today at the Dispatch Games Online Store. If it follows the same pattern as other Dispatch Games-published titles, the physical version should also be available at retailers.

In Japan, Psyvariar Delta is due out on August 30.

Watch the western announcement trailer below.

24 minutes of KORG Gadget footage

Some lengthy footage has come in for the new music creation app KORG Gadget. Check out the video below for a look at the Switch release.

New Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 and 2 footage

During a stage show at Niconico Chokaigi 2018, some new footage from Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 and 2 was shown. A few videos recorded from the event can be found below.

A look at some amazing creations made with Nintendo Labo

It’s been about a week since Nintendo Labo debuted around the world – though Europe just joined us on Friday. Since then, users have proven that Labo is more than just a toy or a simple add-on for Switch. 

Part of the reason that people have been able to come up with a wide variety of creations is thanks to the Toy-Con Garage. With this aspect of Labo, Nintendo is allowing for rudimentary programming. That means you’re not just stuck with the standard Toy-Cons and software. 

We thought it might be interesting to spotlight some of the creations that have been shared online over the past week. Continue on below for a look at a few creations that have gained some attention.

LINK

Japan’s best-selling games of March 2018

The latest issue of Famitsu has shared a listing of the top 30 best-selling games in Japan for the month of March 2018, including debut digital sales for Kirby Star Allies. You can check out the full results below.

1. [NSW] Kirby Star Allies – 349,504 (317,961 physical, 31,543 digital)
2. [PS4] Hokuto Ga Gotoku – 170,508 (155,378 physical, 15,130 digital)
3. [PS4] Monster Hunter: World – 105,327 (88,389 physical, 16,938 digital)
4. [NSW] Splatoon 2 – 97,730 (92,362 physical, 5,368 digital)
5. [PS4] Ni no Kuni II – 64,021 (51,741 physical, 12,280 digital)
6. [PS4] Valkyria Chronicles 4 – 57,906 (46,852 physical, 11,054 digital)
7. [NSW] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – 57,171 (55,410 physical, 1,761 digital)
8. [NSW] Dragon Quest Builders – 49,984 (44,346 physical, 5,638 digital)
9. [NSW] Zelda: Breath of the Wild – 48,251 (45,606 physical, 2,645 digital)
10. [NSW] Super Mario Odyssey – 46,741 (45,118 physical, 1,623 digital)
11. [PS4] Attack on Titan 2 – 44,947 (37,884 physical, 7,063 digital)
12. [NSW] Attack on Titan 2 – 41,708 (38,433 physical, 3,275 digital)
13. [3DS] Detective Pikachu – 35,985 (34,037 physical, 1,948 digital)
14. [PS4] Rainbow Six Siege Advanced Edition – 32,028 (23,011 physical, 9,017 digital)
15. [3DS] Pokemon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon – 30,689 (30,230 physical, 459 digital)
16. [PS4] NieR: Automata – 29,701 (4,356 physical, 25,345 digital)
17. [PS4] Metal Gear Survive – 25,884 (19,001 physical, 6,883 digital)
18. [NSW] Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition – 24,169 (21,064 physical, 3,105 digital)
19. [PS4] The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel I: Kai – 22,506 (15,551 physical, 6,955 digital)
20. [NSW] Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle – 17,629 (17,033 physical, 596 digital)
21. [PSV] Attack on Titan 2 – 17,573 (16,541 physical, 1,032 digital)
22. [PS4] Girls und Panzer: Dream Tank Match – 17,392 (12,644 physical, 4,748 digital)
23. [NSW] Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 – 15,893 (15,266 physical, 627 digital)
24. [NSW] 1-2 Switch – 14,448 (13,657 physical, 791 digital)
25. [PS4] Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet – 14,248 (12,104 physical, 2,144 digital)
26. [3DS] Doraemon the Movie: Nobita’s Treasure Island – 13,869 (13,517 physical, 352 digital)
27. [PS4] Dynasty Warriors 9 – 13,326 (11,194 physical, 2,132 digital)
28. [NSW] Pokken Tournament DX – 12,603 (11,950 physical, 653 digital)
29. [PS4] Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition – 12,001 (5,170 physical, 6,831 digital)
30. [PS4] Devil May Cry HD Collection – 11,567 (8,243 physical, 3,324 digital)

Note that these sales are based on data between February 26 and March 25.

Footage of Attack on Titan 2’s new Expulsion Mode

Attack on Titan 2 added a brand new Expulsion Mode this week. The Battle Royal style competitive mode supports a maximum of six players. For a look at the new feature, check out the gameplay video below.

KORG Gadget Switch trailer

To promote the launch of KORG Gadget on Switch this week, a new trailer for the music creation software is now available. Have a look at the video from KORG below.

Amazon: Save $21 on Attack on Titan 2

Attack on Titan 2 has received its first big sale. Right now, the retailer has it for $39.06, which is $21 in savings. Place an order here if interested.

Nintendo submits a new version of the left Joy-Con to the FCC to further address connectivity issues

On Monday, Nintendo submitted several different documents to the FCC. They all appear to be tied to a new version of the left Joy-Con. Though the controller is never mentioned by name, it’s clearly shown in photos from a couple of the documents.

Here are those photos in question:

When Switch launched last year, some users experienced significant issues with the left Joy-Con. Compared to the right controller, there’s less robust Bluetooth hardware without an antenna. Although Nintendo has made strides over the past year, this version of the Joy-Con looks to be a more robust hardware fix.

Thanks to Jake for the tip.

Source

Nintendo Labo Easter egg transforms Joy-Con into lightsabers

A Star Wars-esque Easter egg is tucked away inside Nintendo Labo. For the tutorial portion, simply press up or X along with the shoulder buttons. After doing so, you’ll notice that your Joy-Con has become what pretty much looks like a lightsaber. 

Here’s a look at the Easter egg in action (note: autoplay):

Nintendo Labo Easter Egg! To activate it press up or X along with the shoulder buttons.

Sonic Team boss talks Sonic Mania Plus – origins, additions of Ray and Mighty, more

SEGA delivered plenty of Sonic Mania Plus news this week. The big announcement is the release date of July 17, and the first official trailer was shared online.

Japanese magazine Famitsu also had its own coverage of Sonic Mania Plus this week. In a two-page feature, an interview was published with Sonic Team boss Takashi Iizuka. Iizuka was asked about how Sonic Mania Plus came to be, including Ray and Mighty, and more.

You can read the full interview with Iizuka below.

Famitsu: Please tell us the details on how you got to produce Sonic Mania Plus.

Iizuka: Sonic Mania started as a digital-only title at first, but when we tried creating it, we received a lot of requests from both inside and outside the company to “release it physically as well,” so we decided to release it as our gratitude to everyone. However, since it would be difficult to sell the physical version with the same price as digital, we’ve prepared something as additional value to compensate the price hike, which turns out to be new characters and the Encore Mode.

Famitsu: How did you decide on the additional features?

Iizuka: Sonic Mania’s lifeline is giving stimulus to fans’ curiosities and expectations, so we thought of something that if added would make it the most exciting, and the results were Ray and Mighty. There were people requesting them, who appeared in the arcade version, to appear again. Personally to me, they were supposed to be “sealed characters” that would never be planned to be added to games. But in this title we are squeezing in all series materials aimed for specific manias, so the stage for them to appear has already been prepared. In that case, we should unlock that seal (laughs).

Famitsu: How did you decide on the two’s unique actions?

Iizuka: Mighty the Armadillo has a trait of being a strong guy, and he has a hard shell on his back. By making use of that, we made it into a technique to drop vertically to the ground and make it shake. Also, he can repel enemy bullets with the shell, and when he’s curled up he can prevent damage once. Doing a sudden drop to the ground is a rare action in the classic series indeed.

Famitsu: What about Ray?

Iizuka: Since he’s a flying squirrel, we instantly decided on a gliding action. Although it may be similar to Knuckles’ gliding, Ray can raise up with effort. Depending on the [player’s] technique, he can fly for very long.

Famitsu: What kind of gameplay will Encore Mode have?

Iizuka: The stages themselves are the same as Sonic Mania, but by re-arranging the objects and gimmicks, you can enjoy them with a different sensation. Besides, it also makes Mighty able to make use of his actions more. For example, we’re adding the ability to open holes in the ground with Mighty’s Hammer Drop.

Famitsu: Finally, please leave a message to the fans.

Iizuka: Thanks to everyone who bought the original Sonic Mania, we’re able to continue it to Plus, and we’re really grateful for that. There may be some impressions that Sonic Mania was aimed for people who knew of the Genesis-era games simply because it is a 2D game that feels like the past, but in actuality, people from a very broad age range are playing it. Especially outside Japan, the highest user demographics of digital downloads came from grade schoolers. This time we’re selling it in a form and price that’s easy to obtain, so to those who haven’t got to play this yet, please kindly get this. I can proudly recommend this title to Japanese grade schoolers as well.

---

Nintendo Everything extends its thanks to BlackKite for this translation.

Outlast dev talks Switch sales, porting process, decision to go with 30 FPS, more

Red Barrels conducted a Reddit AMA this week all about Outlast on Switch. Philippe Morin, co-founder and senior game designer, as well as senior programmer Mathieu Gauthier participated.

Between the two, they spoke about how the games have been selling on Switch, porting them to the console, why they run at 30 frames per second rather than 60, and more. We’ve rounded up some of the more noteworthy comments below. 

On a physical version and sales…

So far, we have no plans for a physical release, but it’s not out of the question. Sales are good, we’re making a profit. We’ll see in the long run how it compares.

On how the Outlast games came to Switch…

We didn’t really “plan” anything at first. After Outlast 2, in the middle of the summer last year, i kept reading how the Switch was selling super well. Phil and I talked about it for a second and a couple weeks later I had a devkit on my desk. We had no tangible idea of the processing power of the machine before we got it (besides the specs, which don’t tell you everything) but we were hopeful we could make it work.

On a potential Outlast 3 for Switch….

We want to do an outlast 3 game at some point and at this point I don’t see a reason why it wouldn’t make it to the Switch.

On porting to Switch…

Porting was pretty smooth. The Nintendo tools and devkits are great. Most of the challenges were in the second game, for which we needed to do a few content changes. Most of the vegetation, for example, (trees, plants) had to be remodeled since they had too many vertices.

By content changes, I only mean changes necessary to meet our resolution/performance targets. The Switch version DOES include the new Story mode, but does NOT include the restored previously censored content. Besides that, the game is exactly the same. Nintendo never asked us to remove any gore or anything like that. That’s what ratings are for.

Outlast 1 uses a near-stock UE3, we simply ported it Switch and thankfully everything worked, but Outlast 1 is not a very demanding game.

For Outlast 2, we found that UE3 was getting a little old so we modified it to support more “modern” graphics features. We also made it able to make better use of the modern consoles (more cores, more RAM, etc.). Some of these features are pretty demanding for the Switch but with a little bit of effort we managed to get everything working.

On their next game, which isn’t Outlast 3…

We’re in the early phase of conception of a new game, so it’s too soon to confirm anything, but we love the Switch.

On optimizing for Switch…

The first thing was to get the game sort-of running, once we got that, we have tool (from Nintendo) that can help us figure out exactly what the CPU/GPU is doing, how much time everything is taking.

From that we can start making decisions on what do change (if anything). For Outlast 1, we almost didn’t change anything. For Outlast 2 it became obvious that some assets just had too many triangles (most of the vegetation for example). One of our artists went over the worst offenders. Some other stuff had to be toned down as well. Code was optimized a lot too.

Another thing we had to consider is the size of the game. In Oultast 2, we limited the size of the textures a bit to keep the game relatively small. It does not make sense to release a 20GB game (the size on PS4/XB1) on a system that has 32GB. It is just going to make people angry.

On going with 30 FPS over 60 FPS…

Much like the DOOM guys, we were fortunate enough to have our game run at 1080p/60fps on PS4/XB1, so cutting the the resolution in half (720p is a bit less than half the number of pixels) and the framerate in half means you can run on a machine that is 4x less powerful, which is pretty much what the switch is in handheld mode.

Keeping the 60fps on switch would have been impossible. I mean, we would have had to cut so much that it would not have been the same game. Games like Mario do it but their lighting is extremely simple, most objects don’t cast shadows or anything, which obviously doesn’t work for a game that is all about hiding in the dark. They also barely have post-fx or anti aliasing.

Source

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Trilogy footage, Switch vs. PS4 comparison

Follownig its release yesterday, we have several videos for Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Trilogy below. Aside from actual footage, we also have a comparison between Switch and PlayStation 4.

Nintendo Labo Toy Variety Kit review — fun and clutter come together

Above: That's a self-driving cardboard car.

Image Credit: VentureBeat / Karen Spiegelman

I knew that, as the mother of a geek girl and the spouse of a Nintendo fanboy, I was doomed to get the Nintendo Labo. It’s a combination of a model-building kit and a video game that clearly hit all the marks for my family. And if you’re enough of a Nintendo fan to have a Switch already, you might also have to go for it. In short, if you think you might like Labo, you probably will.

Friday morning, the day of its release, I ordered the Nintendo Labo Toy Variety Kit ($70) from Target for in-store pick-up and headed out to get it and a playtester — my 10-year-old daughter, Molly.

The main interface leads you through Make, where you follow instructional animations to build the pieces; Play, where you get to put those controllers to use in the games themselves; and Discover, where you learn how to expand on the controllers’ abilities. For a single user, this progression works quite well.

Make walks you through building a variety of projects using pre-punched cardboard pieces. The directions were clear and the animations allow the player to control their own pace, zooming and tilting the view and running the instructions forward and backward.

Discover presents itself as a chat between the player and three NPCs: Professor Gerry Riggs (lol, get it?); a technical expert named Lerna Lotte (ha ha ha, get it?!); and Plaise Allatyme (get it? So punny), a kid game tester. This is perfect for a pre-tween like Molly, who does not have a phone but who really enjoys Google Hangouts and chatting in Animal Jam.

What you’ll like

RC car FTW

One of the easiest builds, with the biggest payoff, was the RC car. I was wondering how we would put together rolling wheels out of cardboard. The secret: no wheels.

Instead, the car moves using vibrations from the Joy-Cons, which jiggle its jagged cardboard legs to move it forward. The right controller has an infrared camera that lets you see what’s ahead of the car, even in the dark — the instructional video showed someone driving the car inside their kitchen cabinet, navigating around green-glowing cups using the display.

You can control the car using a console on the Switch screen, but even cooler, you can set it to drive itself. The camera reads signals off reflective tape dots (included in the kit) to read when to stop. Apparently you can also set up paths using reflective tape for the car to follow. “That car amazes me so much, and it only took 5 minutes to make,” said Molly. “I drove a car just using vibrations.”

Above: Molly drives the Labo RC car in our already crowded living room.

Image Credit: VentureBeat / Karen Spiegelman

Fishing for fun

Fishing seems to be the classic demonstration of game technology, and I’ve played fishing games on consoles such as the GameCube and devices like the Oculus Rift. The gameplay is pretty standard here: You drop the line into the ocean, jerk up a little to hook a fish when it nibbles, and then reel it in. But the magic is that you are building the controllers, so you know how and why they work.

“Technology’s amazing,” Molly said, after assembling the fishing rod and the ocean-in-a-box. “So both [Joy-Con controllers] are motion-sensing. One senses the reel, and the other, the handle.” This game really pulled back the curtain.

This game also inspired us to see if we could modify how we viewed the game. “It would be cool to just chill on your couch and fish,” Molly said thoughtfully. So we hooked the Switch up to the TV — instead of dropping the console into the pocket on the front of the ocean box — and did just that.

Above: You can play Labo games on your TV, just like any Switch titles.

Image Credit: VentureBeat / Karen Spiegelman

Doing so let us both enjoy the game, whoever was actually playing, and also kept the Switch charged (otherwise we ended up having to recharge the console after about 3 hours of play).

Piano as nerve center

The piano is both the hardest model to build and the most powerful. Its module lets you play music on a one-octave keyboard. You can also trigger different sounds, switch between different scales, and even record your music in the studio (although I don’t know how or whether you can share your work outside of the Switch, except by recording it on your phone).

The top slot on the piano is the secret weapon. Within the music game, you can insert a punch card to trace out rhythm effects: hi-hats, cymbals, snare drums, and bass drums executed on the beat. But that’s also where you insert the template for generating your own fish designs for the fishing game.

Learning about that feature had Molly skipping past the other projects to build the piano, and now our ocean (and her aquarium) are filled with fish that look like polka-dotted toothpaste tubes and striped bow-ties. “I still think it’s weird you need a piano to make fish,” she said — then made more fish.

Above: A custom fish Molly created on the Labo piano.

Image Credit: VentureBeat / Karen Spiegelman

The Garage is where you go to program using the Labo parts and the Switch. You can set up combinations with and/not operands, use different kinds of input as triggers, and set various kinds of output — including specific piano and guitar notes. That set me thinking about how I could create a music box card to make the model into a player piano. Honestly, I probably won’t do it, because I’m lazy, but I bet one can. And this is the Labo effect; it made us feel inspired.

Dirt bike action

If you’re a racing game fan, the bike game is pretty enjoyable. I had fun speeding and leaning and bumping along on the various tracks, but the throttle vibrations authentically made my hands unpleasantly buzzy. It is kind of cool to have a handheld home version of the arcade ride-on racers, though.

What you won’t like

Not-so-easy rider

I have to say, the bike build was maybe even harder than the piano. Molly had to get her dad’s help at one point, and even after that, I ended up having to reattach rubber bands to the throttle when I finished the build. Whether you find it worthwhile or not depends on how much you like racing games. “I’m bored,” the kid announced after one race and went back to the piano to lay down rhythm tracks.

What the house?

This review barely touches on the house game, mostly because I have no idea what you’re supposed to enjoy about it. For me it’s the only misfire. It feels more like a demo of Labo’s capabilities than anything fun. Molly liked customizing the critter who lives inside the house by feeding it colored candies, but the other actions, like turning water and lights on and off, were underwhelming. The actions themselves were technically interesting, but not enjoyable as a game.

Not ideal for multiple users

The bike build, which we took turns attacking, revealed a flaw in the dummy-proof build animations: You can’t easily skip ahead to the Play section under a different username. Even if all the parts are already built, you seem to have to fast-forward through the build instructions in Make to get to the games. Adding a way to indicate your controllers are already set up would improve the experience for multiple users.

Too many fiddly bits

My main concern with Labo is whether the cardboard will survive a pre-tween, a mom prone to spilling her coffee, and a cat who is extremely interested in boxes. It’s been less than a week, but so far, so good. Nintendo is selling various replacement sets for $3 to $12 ($14 for the Labo Robot Kit’s main body set), but you can make your own using the free downloadable templates.

The most annoying aspect for me has been keeping track of all the little fiddly bits. We seem to be missing one grommet, which makes our ocean look pretty chintzy, but I also did some dumb-ish things like poking out and discarding some dots and bars that turned out to be important to the piano’s rhythm card and the clock overlay. (In my defense, most of the little circles and slots that needed to be poked out were to be discarded. Just not, apparently, all of them.) We immediately lost the foam stickers, but fortunately, they don’t seem to be vital.

Above: So many little cardboard pips to keep handy.

Image Credit: VentureBeat / Karen Spiegelman

Classic Nintendo upsell

Exploring the games more deeply led to a very Nintendo element: the upsell. The video that leads you through all the advanced features of the RC car (including such high-tech ideas as drawing on the cardboard shell to turn it into a cat) mentions that you can stage robot fights by using a second set of Joy-Cons. Now guess what my kid wants us to buy next.

It would also be nice if Nintendo provided more reflective tape in particular, since the RC car and house projects both list a bunch of cool things you can do with the reflective tape — but you don’t have any spare tape to explore.

Double-edged cardboard sword

The coolest and simultaneously most annoying thing about Labo is the cardboard models. I did have an instance or two where I wanted to turn the piece in a way that apparently wasn’t allowed, which increased my swear count significantly (I’m bad at both building models and not cussing).

Some of the models rely heavily on the cardboard being in good shape — notably, the RC car won’t move properly if its legs are bent — which worries me. And the more complicated pieces, like the piano, are certain to fall apart with more than a few hours of use.

Even more, as I look around my living room, I wonder what exactly I’m supposed to do with two filing cabinet drawers’ worth of cardboard models between Labo jags. Most of my limited storage space is already taken up with plastic fishing rods, nunchucks, balance boards, cords, Amiibos, and all the other peripherals endemic to a Nintendo household. But I guess Nintendo knows how much we’ll put up with.

Above: Setting up the Labo house and its three controls.

Image Credit: VentureBeat / Karen Spiegelman

Conclusion

What Labo evokes for me, more than anything, is the Wii. When that console came out and you could fish and hula-hoop and do yoga with a pair of controllers and a place to stand, it blew my mind. 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.

This is what I expect from Nintendo: innovative designs that make you feel clever. The company is never likely to match the sheer power or realistic rendering Sony and Microsoft push, but the level of access you get to game-making with Labo reminds me of favorites like Mario Maker, where you create your own Mario levels .OK, yes, this is an awful lot like a real-life version of the PlayStation classic LittleBigPlanet. Which my kid also loved.

“Isn’t it cool that a piece of cardboard just drove a car? Self-driving cardboard!” Molly marveled. And yeah, OK, it’s cool.

Score: 80/100

Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 01 Variety Kit came out on April 20 for Nintendo Switch. We purchased our own copy for the purposes of this review.

SOURCE