If you're a parent who wants to introduce their children to a new frontier in gaming or a previous adopter of Labo who just wants to build more incredibly inventive Toy-Con from the masters of imagination, then I can't recommend the Labo VR Kit highly enough. That old Nintendo magic is everywhere you look, and even the most hardened VR veteran will struggle to suppress a smile at some of the surprises the VR Toy-Con have in store.
It may have taken a while, but Nintendo’s take on modern VR is perhaps the perfect complement to the Switch itself. With its tablet / console hybrid, Nintendo went in a completely different direction than its competitors, and the same could be said of Labo VR. It’s not virtual reality as you’ve come to know it — and that’s what makes it so interesting.
The Nintendo Labo VR Kit is a work of genius, for the most part. The Blaster and Elephant are particular highlights which transform the way the Nintendo Switch works, but the Fan and the Bird ToyCon are just… somewhat useless. Great for the family, great as a weekend crafting project, and definitely the best Labo kit yet.
Being made of cardboard may make them sound like some sort of cheap novelty but they’re actually extremely robust and the ingenuity in how they’re built, and how they function with the software, is hugely impressive. They’re primarily aimed at kids but in the best possible way, as not only are they encouraged to customise them with paint and stickers but also to learn how they work – learning real science and programming lessons along the way.
This kit comes with the VR goggles, four main Toy-Con, and a couple of other little twiddly bits to go with them. Unsurprisingly, the VR goggles are the undeniable star of the show, and the gateway you’ll need for all the Toy-Con to be even remotely useable. However, if you like the look of the games but you’re not able to enjoy VR properly for whatever reason, you might have more luck with the included holder designed to replace the goggles. This simply holds the Switch in place and is a really nice touch for anyone who is unable to (or just doesn’t want to) use VR.
It’s not surprising that Labo VR cannot compete with the likes of Oculus, Vive, and PlayStation VR, but I was impressed by the software and the general cleverness of how it all works. The price point is welcoming for Switch owners who want to experiment with VR, and with a 7+ suggested age rating, it’s the best VR for younger players (other headsets typically suggest players be at least 12 years old). Labo VR is a novelty, to be sure, but it knows its limitations and constructs some fun experiences within those boundaries.
The beauty is that the VR Goggles themselves not only function as a VR game system in their own right but also then slot into the various other creations (which basically act as peripherals), meaning that you don't need a headstrap to keep your Labo VR attached to your eyes. It's designed to ensure that the age rating for Labo VR is as low as possible (seven years and up to be precise), so that it's as family friendly as it can be. I thought that would mean Labo VR would get very tiring to use for long periods of time, but the majority of the games are designed for short-burst play sessions, so that's never an issue.
This is the best Labo kit yet in just about every respect. The designs are more creative, the tech is more impressive, and there’s a breadth and depth of gameplay that none of the previous Labo sets can match. The games remain fundamentally simplistic - and they’re definitely not all winners - but there’s enough here to win over skeptics, and a sense of creativity and playfulness that runs through the game from start to finish.
The full Labo VR kit certainly feels more immersive than the original Labo offerings, we just worry that it still suffers from the same concerns of longevity we’ve seen previously. […]The bottom line is that the full Labo VR kit is incredibly creative, imaginative and great fun while it lasts. However, you might find that fun doesn’t last as long as you wish it did from the included games.
At this moment in time that's basically it for Labo VR. The two heaviest hitters — Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey — are coming later this month, and weren't available for testing. It's kind of like how the wheel and pedal kit shipped with various (albeit fun) tech demos and not Mario Kart 8 Deluxe support until it was quietly added later.
Assuming you’ve already got the Switch hardware, Labo: VR Kit offers a solid value in terms of affordable and easy VR experiences. It feels like the next step beyond what Google started with its Cardboard viewer, but you’ll want to keep in mind that Nintendo’s offering still suffers from the same side effects that cheaper VR solutions are notorious for. The limited frame rates, sub-HD graphics, and lag in motion tracking will leave some users feeling queasy. I never experience motion sickness, but I find I can only play with one of the VR Toy-Cons for about ten minutes before I start to feel the effects.
I asked my oldest son, who worked on Labo with me a year ago, to rate the experience with Labo VR. He said he loved it, but he noticed that the pixels were "a little too big." Maybe a new Switch, he suggested, with smaller pixels and a new controller, could benefit better from a full VR headset?
Funnily enough, I was thinking the same thing. The Nintendo Switch is 2 years old. A new version with a better display and processor and controllers could handle VR in ways that are more convincing. After all, the upcoming Oculus Quest is doing exactly that in a standalone mobile game system
While it's ultimately a bit cumbersome to hold, and it certainly doesn't hold a candle to PSVR or Vive in terms of its technology, it's a pretty cheap and easy way to experiment with VR, and a great proof of concept that Nintendo really could step in and fill a gap in the VR market. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I'd be much more likely to play Breath of the Wild in VR a few weeks from now if I had a plastic version of this with a headstrap so I could rest my arms.
Sakaguchi is coy about Nintendo’s vision for the future of VR. When asked about the news that Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will introduce VR features, he demurs. He does, however, reveal that the team behind Mario Odyssey were inspired by an early showcase of the Labo software, and were immediately eager to implement VR into their own project. He emphasises that for both Mario and Zelda, virtual reality is merely a bonus feature.
This is, in many ways, true of Labo, too. You can’t deign much on Nintendo’s long term view of VR from it – but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a whole lot of fun.
Ultimately, the Labo VR kit is a prime example of why I love Nintendo. It’s a weird and inventive product that almost no one could’ve produced. Is it going to change your views on VR? Not one bit, but it is fun, if somewhat flawed.
While they’re hardly the first to do such things, it’s fascinating to see Nintendo increasingly putting the tools of creation in the hands of players. Though there’s the sheer madness that is Super Mario Maker, Labo is much more of an educational tool for children, and Labo as a whole is really all about creating, playing, experimenting and learning from it.
If you’ve never experienced VR, or have and weren’t fully convinced by the other hardware on the market, I think you’ll find Nintendo’s Labo VR kit worth checking out. At worst, you’ll spend a few hours having fun putting together some charming cardboard toys and seeing what parlor tricks your Nintendo Switch can do with them. At best, you’ll dive into one of the most inexpensive, yet engrossing, VR experiences out there.
My biggest concerns were whether the screen on the Switch was too low a resolution for VR and whether Labo is the right pilot for the technology. I’m happy that after spending a week with the VR headset and a handful of games left me impressed and my concerns unfounded. Nintendo Labo VR left me impressed.
The Nintendo Labo VR Kit is the most impressive and powerful Labo game we've seen yet. The VR effect is immersive, even if it's limited to 3DOF and not particularly sharp, and the different Toy-Cons provide some amusing, unique experiences. But the best part is Toy-Con Garage VR, which is a massive step forward in making game creation accessible to anyone. While we'd like to see the ability to share the games you create online, it's still a brilliant first step in making your own 3D experiences, in VR or not. If you have a Nintendo Switch, the Labo VR Kit is easy to recommend, and an Editors' Choice.
VR is a natural fit for Labo, providing a less intense gateway to virtual reality than much of the competition. But it is its addition to Labo’s greater whole that impresses the most, enhancing the tactility and diversity of those toys.
In the end, it’s important to look at Labo VR for what it is. It’s not comparable to the other VR sets on the market. The resolution is lackluster, and it’s made out of cardboard! And if you understand that you’re purchasing this set for the fun of building the goggles and Toy-Con constructs and playing short minigame-type experiences, then it’s much easier to decide if it is worth the price of admission.
Playing Nintendo Labo VR Kit feels like seeing the next layer in a series of nesting proofs of concept. The Wii U tech demo Project Giant Robot served as inspiration for Labo’s Robot Kit. The Wii U itself is pretty much a beta version of the Switch. Labo answered many questions about seemingly random Switch hardware features like HD Rumble, a touch screen, and an IR camera. And Labo VR shows the value of cheap cardboard alternatives of more intimidating cutting-edge tech.
The Nintendo Labo VR Kit offers amazing, immersive VR technology, and its quick-to-build Toy-Cons feel satisfying and worthwhile to construct without putting too much strain on parents.
But the best part of the VR Kit is the games. Not only does each Toy-Con offer its own unique experience or two, there are 64 games to play in VR Plaza and the VR Garage gives inventive young game designers a chance to create their own. I just wish there was a way to strap the VR Goggles to your hea,d so you can play without tiring.
The VR Kit is the best set put out so far, and well worth a look if you’ve been intrigued by the Nintendo Labo.
The Labo VR kit is fun to build, really fun to play with. The charming games create many joyous laugh out loud moments but they are very short, simple and don’t hold much in the way of replayability. There is some immersion and while it’s impressive, it’s basic at best. However this cardboard kit really pushes against the limitations of the Switch hardware, and the kit is a great way to experience cheap but effective VR. While there is nothing earth shattering, it’s a really enjoyable experience and easily the best use Labo that Nintendo have cooked up so far.
Two of the Switch's biggest first party games, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey, will be supporting VR which sounds amazing. Odyssey will even have some specific areas designed for the new mode. I am very curious to see how the Switch copes with VR in these more graphically demanding games. This functionality will be available from the 25th of April, and the best bit is you won’t need to start a new game.
Disney + is ridiculous!!!! $7 for star wars shows, marvel shows, SANDLOT SHOW! Every disney movie, fox movies, every simpsons, nat geo stuff.
It's pretty impressive. while I doubt it will stay at that price level for more than a year, that's a really good intro price. So far they're doing everything right. That said, for me it all comes down to whether or not they have those old Disney TV shows from the 60s like Zorro.
Did you see episodes 1 through 3? It wasn't good long before Disney got it.
That's true, but even those movies felt a bit more like the real thing...though it is like saying Metallica's Black Album sounded more like Master of Puppets than St. Anger did. Either way, the prime has long since passed.
A genius. Along with yourself good sir.
If only I could grow such a majestic moustache as his.
DO IT AT ALL COSTS
Disney + is ridiculous!!!! $7 for star wars shows, marvel shows, SANDLOT SHOW! Every disney movie, fox movies, every simpsons, nat geo stuff.
Labo VR is getting great reviews it seems
Eurogamer - No Score
Because not everyone needs dildos penetrating their eyeballs to enjoy Nintendo using their imagination again.
It's pretty impressive. while I doubt it will stay at that price level for more than a year, that's a really good intro price. So far they're doing everything right. That said, for me it all comes down to whether or not they have those old Disney TV shows from the 60s like Zorro.
Star Wars!!!!!!!! The rise of skywalker!!! Whatever that means!!!!! Palpatine!!!! Wooooo!!!
Looked quite dumb.
Don't get me wrong it'll be enjoyable and I'll go watch it, but the trailer did nothing for me.
Not sure how anyone can get excited about Star Wars anymore. It's crap. Disney destroyed it. Watered down wet turd.
That's true, but even those movies felt a bit more like the real thing...though it is like saying Metallica's Black Album sounded more like Master of Puppets than St. Anger did. Either way, the prime has long since passed.
I’m very hyped for the Star Wars Episode IX myself, so can’t wait to see it. Very cool to see Palpatine return.
Currently in Italy for work. Just passed a kitchen shop called 'LUBE'. True story.
Here's hoping their website is just called www.lube.it
Jedi Fallen Order trailer is cool, looks like it will be an uncharted like game but with Jedi. No gameplay shown.
Star War movies are always fun.
Yep, still love them. The Disney are much better than the prequels.