Nintendo announced today that Nintendo Labo: Vehicle Kit is available now at retailers. The game, which allows players to build projects related to various vehicles out of cardboard and then play related software, carries an MSRP of $69.99 USD.
The included materials enable Toy-Con projects to build a car, plane, submarine, spray can, pedal and two keys. Then it's time to engage in the provided mini-game activities.
Adventure, a game for one or more players (additional players may need Joy-Con controllers or even another vehicle kit to participate), lets gamers explore a "mysterious" world featuring such bizarre and wondrous attractions as snowy mountains, a futuristic city and archaeological ruins.
Rally, which lets players race through checkpoints in an off-road race, is another prime attraction that takes place in the same space as Adventure. There also is Circuit, where you can punch at your opponents, Slot Cars (which you control using only a pedal) and Battle. The last of those events lets you participate in automotive showdowns with friends or the AI.
"Fans of all ages have embraced the originality and creativity of Nintendo Labo," said Doug Bowser, Senior Vice President of Sales at Nintendo of America. "Nintendo Labo: Vehicle Kit expands the possibilities of what Nintendo Labo can do, with a variety of fun gameplay modes and deeper programming elements to explore."
Another mode today's press release discussed is Paint Studio. Players use their Toy-Con Spray Can to adjust in-game vehicles, as if they are painting with an actual spray can. They will hear a sound, as if a metal ball is rattling around in an aerosol can, when they shake the Toy-Con Spray Can.
There are other features, such as the ability to turn household items into part of the experience. The press release suggested using a sponge and a notebook to make an additional pedal for a friend, since cardboard is apparently too expensive for Nintendo to provide enough in the box for multiple players. But those are life's harsh economic realities, right?
One final point worth noting is that Nintendo Labo: Vehicle Kit will eventually allow players to control vehicles in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. That functionality will be added to the other game by way of a free software update due to arrive on September 19. Remember that if you own the Nintendo Labo: Variety Kit bundle, you can already use similar functionality with that title's Motorboke project.
Have you tested out any of the Nintendo Labo games yet, to see if they might amuse you and/or your offspring? I keep thinking it looks like a really neat idea, but my wallet weeps and my apartment is already crowded enough without me trying to build half a car in the front room out of cardboard...
