Michael Grothaus 31/01/2018 - 9:24am

The DIY cardboard accessory is the latest in gaming tech.

Nintendo had a massive hit on its hand last year with the Switch, the handheld gaming unit that lets you “switch” between being a Gameboy-like device and a console. The Switch sold millions of units making it one of the biggest consumer hits of the year. Because of that everyone wondered what–if anything–Nintendo would follow the Switch up with in 2018. Well, now we know and it's …cardboard. No joke. Nintendo’s 2018 product is officially called the Labo–and it really is made of cardboard. But just what does the Labo do? Here’s everything you need to know.

Nintendo Labo: What Is It?

The Labo isn’t actually just a single product. It’s a series of different kits made out of cardboard that you can transform into peripherals made to be used with the Switch. Each kit is a flat sheet of cardboard that has one snap out design. That means you snap or punch out the prefabbed cardboard accessory and then you bend and snap it into whatever accessory it’s supposed to take. Keep in mind that each kit can be used to make only one accessory; this isn’t something like a LEGO kit where you can make anything you want. These Labo kit accessories are then referred to “Toy-Cons” (like the Switch’s Joy-Con) controller.

Nintendo Labo: What Do I Do With The Assembled Labo Toy-Con?

Glad you asked. Once a Toy-Con is assembled you’ll place your Switch into it. Launch the compatible game that works with whatever Toy-Con you have the Switch in, and off you go using your new cardboard accessory.

Nintendo Labo: How Many Kits Are There?

There are six right now: a remote-controlled car, a fishing rod, a toy piano, a motorbike, a house, and a robot kit. The Robot Kit is particularly cool as it’s wearable by the user. You place your Switch into the kit’s headgear and use the Joy-Cons to control the associated game.

Nintendo Labo: But If It’s Cardboard, How Does It Work With The Switch?

Great question. The cardboard itself doesn’t have any electronic components. But the Switch knows what Toy-Con you are using thanks to its built-in infrared motion camera. That combined with the Switch’s Joy-Cons allows the Toy-Con you are using to control whatever associated Toy-Con game you are playing. It’s a brilliant way to implement and integrate what are essentially cardboard cutouts into your Switch game play.

Nintendo Labo: When Does It Come Out?

The Nintendo Labo launches on April 27 in the US, UK, and other countries. We suspect all the Toy-Cons will be available evenly across all territories, but some will probably be snapped up more quickly than others. Expect the Robot Kit and the fishing rod to be popular based on early access reviews.

Nintendo Labo: How Much Does It Cost?

It’s not clear how much Labo kits will cost in the UK, but in the US the Robot Kit will retail for about $80 (or around £60). Is that too much for cardboard? We’ll let you be the judge of that.