Kits
Two Labo Kits, Variety Kit and Robot Kit, were announced for launch in North America, Australia, and Japan on April 20, 2018, and in Europe on April 27, 2018.[3] An accessory set containing stencils, stickers, and tape are available separately.[4] Replacement packs for individual parts and Toy-Con are available for purchase on Nintendo's online store, while free templates for the cardboard cut-outs are also available for download.[5] While Nintendo did not confirm any additional Toy-Con kits at launch, journalists observed that other Toy-Con configurations were shown in the announce trailer, suggesting that additional kits may be announced at a later date.[6][7]
Variety Kit
The Variety Kit contains kits for five individual Toy-Con:
The kit comes with a game cartridge that contains interactive instructions of how to assemble each Toy-Con, and at least one software package to use the Toy-Con. Some Toy-Con have multiple programs; for example, the motorbike handles allow the player to race along a track in stunt bikes, and gives the player the ability to create new track layouts, or to use any object detected through the IR sensor to create a track based on that object. Similar IR sensing abilities allows the player to create new fish to catch in the fishing rod Toy-Con, or to create new waveforms to use on the piano Toy-Con.[10]
- Two remote-controlled cars, where the vibrations from the Joy-Con serve to provide momentum and steering to the car. The game software allows the player to control the car like a normal remote-controlled vehicle using the console itself as the controller. The software also allows for the car to follow targets using the IR motion camera of the right Joy-Con.
- A fishing rod where the Joy-Con sit in the reel and the handle of the rod. The game receives motion input from the Joy-Con to simulate a fishing game.
- A toy piano with a full octave of keys; the console sits atop this to serve as a music stand.
- A motorbike with Joy-Con inserted into the handlebars on either side of the Console for steering. The Toy-Con Motorbike is also compatible as a motion controller in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[8] and in Moto Rush GT.[9]
- A house containing a slot to insert different components that can interact with the game software on the Console's display.
Robot Kit
The Robot Kit includes parts to make a mecha suit that includes a visor which holds the left Joy-Con for motion sensing and a backpack that holds the right Joy-Con to read hand and feet swings. This allows the player to rampage through a virtual world presented on the screen.[1] The software includes multiple game-modes: Robot, VS, Challenge, Robo-Studio, and the Hangar. Robot mode gives the player the ability to control the giant robot as it attacks targets across a cityscape, to control the robot as it flies over a city, and to transform in a tank. The two-player VS mode allows players to fight with their giant robots, though both players need a separate Robot Toy-Con for this mode.[10] In Challenge Mode, the player can complete missions to unlock special abilities that can be used in the game's other modes. The Robo-Studio mode allows the player to insert the Console into the Toy-Con and play sound effects based on the player's movement, while the Hanger allows the player to customize the color and appearance of their virtual robot.[11]
Journalists noted similarities between this Kit and Project Giant Robot, a software title for the Wii U that had players use the motion sensing of the Wii U GamePad to control a robot and rampage through a city. Project Giant Robot was teased during E3 2014 and believed to be tied to Star Fox Zero, but was ultimately cancelled by Nintendo.
Vehicle Kit
Nintendo announced its first post-release Labo Kit in July 2018, which was released worldwide on September 14, 2018. The Vehicle Kit includes the cardboard parts to make three steering consoles, one for a car, one for a plane, and one for a submarine, each with a slot for a "key" that is built around a Toy-Con. The associated game allows players to control cars, planes, and submarines in game, switching between these modes by moving their Toy-Con key between units, and supports cooperative play with a second person using another Toy-Con.[14] The kit also includes cutouts for a pedal Toy-Con to power each of the vehicles, two key Toy-Con, a spray can Toy-Con, and a stand for the console to sit atop the car Toy-Con. Included with the spray can Toy-Con are several "extra parts" made to aid in the Paint Studio, the mode made for it.
VR Kit
Released on April 12, 2019, the VR Kit centers around a cardboard pair of virtual reality goggles that allows players to view stereoscopic 3D images using the Switch console, similar to Google Cardboard. The main kit comes with parts to make five items, each of which can be attached to the VR Goggles: a Blaster, a camera, a bird, an elephant head, and a pinwheel. The parts to build a Wind Pedal that blows wind when pressed is also included with the main kit. A starter kit containing only the VR Goggles, pinwheel, and Blaster attachment is also available, with the other attachments to be purchased separately.[15] It is unique in being the only Nintendo Switch game to be wholly incompatible with the Nintendo Switch 2 via backwards compatibility, as the console is too big to fit into the goggles.[16]
Variety Kit
The Variety Kit contains kits for five individual Toy-Con:
The kit comes with a game cartridge that contains interactive instructions of how to assemble each Toy-Con, and at least one software package to use the Toy-Con. Some Toy-Con have multiple programs; for example, the motorbike handles allow the player to race along a track in stunt bikes, and gives the player the ability to create new track layouts, or to use any object detected through the IR sensor to create a track based on that object. Similar IR sensing abilities allows the player to create new fish to catch in the fishing rod Toy-Con, or to create new waveforms to use on the piano Toy-Con.[10]
- Two remote-controlled cars, where the vibrations from the Joy-Con serve to provide momentum and steering to the car. The game software allows the player to control the car like a normal remote-controlled vehicle using the console itself as the controller. The software also allows for the car to follow targets using the IR motion camera of the right Joy-Con.
- A fishing rod where the Joy-Con sit in the reel and the handle of the rod. The game receives motion input from the Joy-Con to simulate a fishing game.
- A toy piano with a full octave of keys; the console sits atop this to serve as a music stand.
- A motorbike with Joy-Con inserted into the handlebars on either side of the Console for steering. The Toy-Con Motorbike is also compatible as a motion controller in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[8]
Robot Kit
The Robot Kit includes parts to make a mecha suit that includes a visor which holds the left Joy-Con for motion sensing and a backpack that holds the right Joy-Con to read hand and feet swings. This allows the player to rampage through a virtual world presented on the screen.[1] The software includes multiple game-modes: Robot, VS, Challenge, Robo-Studio, and the Hangar. Robot mode gives the player the ability to control the giant robot as it attacks targets across a cityscape, to control the robot as it flies over a city, and to transform in a tank. The two-player VS mode allows players to fight with their giant robots, though both players need a separate Robot Toy-Con for this mode.[10] In Challenge Mode, the player can complete missions to unlock special abilities that can be used in the game's other modes. The Robo-Studio mode allows the player to insert the Console into the Toy-Con and play sound effects based on the player's movement, while the Hanger allows the player to customize the color and appearance of their virtual robot.[11]
Journalists noted similarities between this Kit and Project Giant Robot, a software title for the Wii U that had players use the motion sensing of the Wii U GamePad to control a robot and rampage through a city. Project Giant Robot was teased during E3 2014 and believed to be tied to Star Fox Zero, but was ultimately cancelled by Nintendo.
Vehicle Kit
Nintendo announced its first post-release Labo Kit in July 2018, which was released worldwide on September 14, 2018. The Vehicle Kit includes the cardboard parts to make three steering consoles, one for a car, one for a plane, and one for a submarine, each with a slot for a "key" that is built around a Toy-Con. The associated game allows players to control cars, planes, and submarines in game, switching between these modes by moving their Toy-Con key between units, and supports cooperative play with a second person using another Toy-Con.[14] The kit also includes cutouts for a pedal Toy-Con to power each of the vehicles, two key Toy-Con, a spray can Toy-Con, and a stand for the console to sit atop the car Toy-Con. Included with the spray can Toy-Con are several "extra parts" made to aid in the Paint Studio, the mode made for it.
VR Kit
Released on April 12, 2019, the VR Kit centers around a cardboard pair of virtual reality goggles that allows players to view stereoscopic 3D images using the Switch console, similar to Google Cardboard. The main kit comes with parts to make five items, each of which can be attached to the VR Goggles: a Blaster, a camera, a bird, an elephant head, and a pinwheel. The parts to build a Wind Pedal that blows wind when pressed is also included with the main kit. A starter kit containing only the VR Goggles, pinwheel, and Blaster attachment is also available, with the other attachments to be purchased separately.[15] It is unique in being the only Nintendo Switch game to be wholly incompatible with the Nintendo Switch 2 via backwards compatibility, as the console is too big to fit into the goggles.[16]
Toy-Con Garage
The Nintendo Labo software comes with a feature called "Toy-Con Garage", which allows users to create and program their own Toy-Con using simple programming commands, either starting with the available Labo kits, or with their own materials.[17] Toy-Con Garage is based upon creating simple commands by connecting input and output nodes. When an input is performed, it will trigger the connected output event. Additional middle nodes can be added to modify the input. For example, an input node can be a specific button press or a controller movement, while the middle node can set a required number of presses in order for the output to occur. Output nodes range from vibrating the Joy-Con to lighting up the Console's display. Toy-Con Garage provides multiple options for customizing each node, such as adjusting the sensitivity and direction of the control stick as an input node. Multiple input-output commands can be used in combination to create more complex creations.[18] In 2021, Nintendo released Game Builder Garage for the Nintendo Switch, which is largely based on Toy-Con Garage.
In other games
Following the release of Nintendo Labo, select software titles have received free updates giving them compatibility with certain Toy-Con. A free update to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in June 2018 allowed players to use the motorbike Toy-Con from the Variety Kit, to control their racer in the game.[19] In August 2018, Nintendo announced that the car steering wheel Toy-Con from the upcoming Vehicle Kit will also be compatible with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.[20] Nintendo updated The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey in April 2019 to support VR game modes through the VR Kit; the former allows for the entire game to be played with the headset, while the latter includes an exclusive mode for VR gameplay.[21][22] A limited VR mode for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate where players can view battles via the headset was released the following month.[23] The Nintendo Switch version of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
