Nintendo Labo: First Impressions

Folding under pressure?

       Nintendo Labo has finally arrived, and the first thing I've got to say is, I'm glad Nintendo is making the window between announcement and release so small! Four months was, in my opinion, a very reasonable amount of time to get the community pumped up, but not too long that we begin to grow tired of waiting. So, needless to say, before I even opened the box, I was impressed with how Nintendo was handling this product. But, at the end of the day, none of that matters in the slightest if Labo itself isn't any good. And, from my time with the Variety Kit, I'd say the Labo line is off to a positive start.

       The best element of Nintendo Labo is by far the act of assembling the Toy-Con. The cardboard is tactile and sturdy, without feeling too stiff. Folding the pieces and slotting them together is likewise satisfying, in the same way that sliding the Joy-Con onto the Switch is. The pop noise that you hear when two pieces are affixed together is great feedback, and furthers the feeling that these Toy-Con truly are solid; even though they're made out of cardboard. It also can't be understated just how intricately designed these Toy-Con are. The videos Nintendo released gave a nice overview of the mechanics behind the Toy-Con, but never revealed just how elaborate each element is. While the RC Car and Toy-Con House aren't very complex, the Fishing Rod, Motorcycle, and Piano are all very impressive. I did find the Piano slightly finicky though, and did have to use a little bit of tape to get the sharp keys to stay in place. But, that is really the exception, not the rule. On the whole, Nintendo did a wonderful  job designing the Toy-Con, and I just a fantastic time putting them together.

       The presentation of Nintendo Labo complements the building aspect, and is just as well thought out. The 3D rotatable instructions helped keep me on track, and not once did I find myself unsure of how to put something together. The directions were always crystal clear. The Treehouse also wrote a very charming script to accompany the instructions, and while the jokes can be somewhat corny, they add some humor to monotonous building segments (like, for example, when assembling five identical piano keys). This dialogue in conjunction with the menus and music give the whole experience a level of personality I wasn't expecting from Nintendo Labo, and I feel it is all the better for it.

      In contrast to this level of detail in the creation aspect, the mini-games themselves feel somewhat thin. The piano has the littlest appeal to me. I have no ability to play the instrument, this is merely a creation tool. There are no gameplay aspects to it at all. That's fine, but it does leave me feeling somewhat disappointed. A simple rhythm game, or a host of classic Nintendo songs to play along to would've gone quite a way toward making this feel like a more inclusive experience. I feel a similar way about the RC Car and the Toy-Con house. They are both very interesting, but serve as little more than curiosities due to their, again, general lack of actual gameplay elements. The motorbike fares much better, and is honestly a pretty fun little racer. This is by far the most fleshed out of the five Toy-Con, and I do see myself returning to this one from time to time. But, by far my favorite, and the most conflicting, is the Toy-Con Fishing Rod.

       For as deep as the Toy-Con ocean is, the gameplay is (pun 100% intended) very shallow. Using the Toy-Con Fishing Rod to explore the depths of the ocean to catch a whole host of fish is a lot of fun, and a very tactile experience. It all comes back around to the creation of the Toy-Con. It is simply a lot of fun to spin the reel, and hear it click. It is very impressive to see the line move in real life, and be 1:1 reflected in the the game. This Toy-Con melds the real world and the game shockingly well. Surprisingly, I believe this is the most immersive fishing experience I've ever had in a game. There is a ton of strategy to the catch as well. It is not as simple as dropping in the line, and waiting for the fish to bite. They'll fight you right to the surface, and reeling one in feels like an actual accomplishment. I find the fishing to be a good balance of high-energy excitement, and simple relaxation. I can easily see myself booting up Labo just to drop a line in the water to unwind after a long day. However, that is all that there is to do with the ole' rod and reel. There is only the one mode, and only one batch of fish to catch. Simple additions like a score based, pass-the-controller multiplayer mode or even a simple online leader board would've gone a long way to giving this a sense of replayability. The content that is here is great, but what is here, is simply not very much.

       That is, from my time with it so far, Nintendo Labo in a nutshell. The Toy-Con themselves are very innovative and fun, but the actual gameplay just isn't quite there. However, it is important to note that I haven't used all of the extra features yet; such as the track/fish builders. I also haven't experimented with Nintendo Labo Garage yet, which will certainly add on some more playtime. On the whole, I'm quite glad I decided to pick up Nintendo Labo. It has its undeniable shortcomings, but it is such a creative and original way to interact with my Switch. If I can, I hope to get the Robot Kit soon, as it seems to have the gameplay aspect that is somewhat lacking in the Variety Kit. I do hope that we see some dedicated, core software made for Labo (Pokemon Snap 2 please? We already know a camera is coming!) because I think this has wonderful potential. As I experiment more and really experience everything Labo has to offer, I'll write a follow-up post in the event that my thoughts on the project swing more towards one side or the other. For now though, Nintendo Labo has my hesitant approval. If you've got the money, I'd give this one a look.