Nintendo has always marched to the beat of its own drum among gaming giants and nowhere is that more clear than with Nintendo Labo.
The company is doubling down on the product, which debuted earlier this and allows users to build cardboard kits that turn Nintendo Switch controllers into a variety of things like musical instruments, a house or even a robot pack. In September, Nintendo will release the next generation of Labo kits focused on vehicles like cars, airplanes and submarines.
A YouTube video unveiling the new Nintendo Labo kits shows a kid switching between the various steering and control setups within the same game as a vehicle toggles between car, plane and boat. The kits debut Sept. 14 at a cost of $69.99.
The kits are essentially Nintendo’s take on augmented reality. The Switch’s tablet-like screen and/or Joycon controllers are dropped into the cardboard contraptions, bringing the player closer to the game, without taking them out of the physical world.
Nintendo has struck gold with Switch, and Labo is another way to improve the experience. In September, Nintendo will kick off its paid online service, creating another Switch-related revenue stream.
As of the end of Nintendo’s fiscal year in March, the company had sold 17.8 million Switch consoles. The surging console helped net sales for the company rise 105 percent for the year and boosted profits by more than 500 percent.
