Nintendo Labo seems to have done the impossible: bring Nintendo back to virtual reality. The Nintendo Lab seemed a bit like a trackball when it hit shelves last year. A plugin that allows you to make your own devices, it was easy to get rid of what seemed like overpriced cardboard that wasn't ready for immediate use. But a year later, Nintendo confidently releases new Labo kits and realizes what seemed impossible a few months ago: turning the Nintendo Switch into a virtual reality system. Just last year, we heard Nintendo execs brush off the VR assist issue, saying VR wasn't fun enough to let the company get involved, after the move to Labo devices reflected continued interest. in real world games, rather than just. on the screens. The Labo VR kit was a surprise, as was the VR support for Zelda and Mario headlamps on console, but it's clear to us that Nintendo thought through the type of VR experience they wanted to deliver.
Laboratory first, VR second
Our initial tests with the VR kit clearly showed that it was primarily a Nintendo Labo product. While staring at the Switch's 6.7-inch screen rather than gaming with a better Joy-Cons with a docked console, the manufacturing process remains the same before starting your first VR game. .
(Image: © TechRadar) The first job is to build simple VR goggles, which should only take 30-60 minutes to make (30 for experienced lab users, 60 for the rest of us). Like the rest of the Labo line, it follows an eye-catching video tutorial on the console, telling you which cardboard cutouts to use, where to fold and fit them, and what the finished product will look like. The instructions are clear (designed for ages 7 and up) and allow you to study the object on the screen at 360 degrees to make sure you have completed all the steps. This process offers the kind of rewarding DIY experience that makes me want to have kids, just to have the satisfaction of having Labo with them. None of this is new, but that's what's remarkable about the Labo VR kit: It's still like Labo. What could easily have been a gimmick or throwback to the oft-derided Virtual Boy manages to justify its place by referencing Labo's proven formula.
(Image: © TechRadar) You'll be filming moons in space, smashing trucks and launching virtual toys, but VR gaming can seem almost secondary through Labo gameplay, giving the impression of being less of a basic demo demo than exploring what what you, as a player, can do. VR gaming is basic though, as it reflects both the nascent nature of VR and Nintendo's decision not to push the Switch's processor too hard. The Switch's resolution is relatively low (1280 x 720) compared to most VR headsets on the market. It is then divided in half by dividing the screen for each eye. However, the simple graphics and kid-friendly approach mean it's not really a problem. .
You can switch to VR mode in a split screen simply by pressing a button. (Image credit: Nintendo) In addition to glasses, there are a variety of ways to customize your Switch console: Blaster, Swan, Elephant, Wind Pedal, and Camera. Some feel more justified than others: the Camera and VR glasses aren't all that different in shape, and could probably have been combined into one. And there's something disappointing about making a cardboard elephant with your own hands and then not being able to look at it during use: your eyes are trapped on the screen, and the shape of the case seems less important when you're inside. The lack of a strap for the VR headset also seems to be an oversight: you have to hold it in one hand and juggle the Joy-Con and a cardboard button with each other. But other than that, using the VR kit is convenient and fun, with educational videos on depth perception and how to handle the kit carefully, proving that Nintendo has spent a lot more time on the VR experience than we what we expected We'll be gathering our thoughts in more detail for our full Nintendo Labo review, but it's clear that Nintendo has found a problem for VR that isn't asking for much.