Nintendo Labo

Submission 43,266

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About

Nintendo Labo is a supplementary Nintendo product for the Nintendo Switch that consists of several pieces of cardboard that can be used to create a variety of toys, such as a piano or a fishing pole, which supplement the Switch's controllers and pad. The player can then play games on the Switch related to the object they created with the cardboard.

History

On January 17th, 2018, Nintendo unveiled the Nintendo Labo via a YouTube video and a link to the product's website.^[1]

The product was extensively profiled on The Verge^[2] by writer Andrew Webster the day it was announced. Webster detailed his time with the product, and how he created an RC car and fishing rod. He also reported no significant technical issues with the product in terms of responsiveness. He also praised the educational aspect of the product; after the various objects in Nintendo Labo are built with the cardboard, the Switch explains how they work. Webster wrote that he anticipated the product would be particularly popular with children and compared the experience to building Legos.

A separate item for the Labo is a "robot suit" which one can wear and play a game in which one plays as a robot destroying a city. Kotaku^[3] noticed that the game was reminiscent of Project Giant Robot, which Nintendo producer Shigeru Miyamoto demonstrated for the Wii U at E3 2014.

The Labo was covered by many media outlets, including Wired,^[4] Metro,^[5] and USA Today.^[6] It will sell for $69.99 and be released on April 20th, 2018.

Online Reactions

Online, users joked about the console and expressed excitement. Twitter user @MikeDrucker uploaded a joke about how adult gamers did not understand how the product was intended for children, gaining over 13,000 retweets and 37,000 likes (shown below, left). User @akfamilyhomeak joked about Nintendo's pattern of new products, gaining over 120 retweets and 300 likes (shown below, right).

Additionally, memes about the announcement were created online. Twitter user Nibellion uploaded a Drakeposting parody with Miyamoto that gained over 9,000 retweets and 24,000 likes (shown below, left). Tumblr user f1ng3rs uploaded a parody of Metal Gear showing its protagonist, Snake, being excited about the box (shown below, right).

Release

On April 20th, 2018, the Nintendo Labo was released worldwide, retailing at $70. The product was met very favorably by critics. The Verge^[9] wrote a very positive review of the Labo, calling it "an incredible learning tool" and "a blast to play." They also noted that the Labo held up well after five days with two children, reporting only minor durability issues and that the Labo comes with instructions on how to fix the constructions in the product. Wired^[10] gave the product a 9/10 rating, praising the zen-like quality that came with the construction of the various items as well as the on-screen tutorials which added an element of whimsy to the construction. Kotaku^[11] noted that Nintendo was now selling replacement parts for the Labo in case some pieces were destroyed. Tech Radar^[12] said the fact the Labo did not come with replacement parts was a negative, but also praised the game's good-humored instructions and "potential and depth."

Nintendo posted a video on the 20th of Bill Nye playing with the Labo, gaining over 60,000 views in several hours (shown below, left). Polygon posted a video on the 18th demonstrating the building process (shown below, right). On /r/nintendo,^[13] a thread about the game icons for the Labo on the Switch gained over 4,500 points. On December 5th, 2018, TIME Magazine listed Nintendo Labo as one of the "Best Inventions of 2018."^[14]

LaboMan

LaboMan is a cardboard stickman featured in the Labo's promotional video and Variety Kit. Its first appearance in 4chan's /v/ board, along with its transparent screenshot, was on January 18, 2018.^[7]^[8] Since then, it has gained many photoshopped varieties.