We were first introduced to the Nintendo Switch at Brick Live 2017 and it immediately went to the top of the kids Christmas list.
Thankfully Father Christmas got their letters and delivered it under the tree and immediately overtook the Xbox 360 and the Wii U as their favourite games console, thanks to its quirky games and ease of use.
We started out with Arms, Just Dance 2018, Mario Odyssey and have been gradually adding games to the collection over the last 6 months, with the latest being Nintendo Labo.
I have to admit I was a little skeptical at first –Â why on earth would you want a game that makes you build things out of cardboard boxes?
Because it’s FUN!!!
Inside the huge box are pieces of perforated cardboard that can be popped out, folded and assembled into a variety of accessories; everything from a small remote control car that drives around using vibration, a fishing rod that can be used to catch fish to motorbike handles and more.
The instructions for assembling the cardboard models are part of the game. Simply pop the game card into the Switch, and it takes you through the process of how to build whatever you are making in a series of simple steps, either on the Switch screen or on your TV.
At first, it does feel like the kids are just making a huge mess, but once you see the first model coming together, it all becomes clear.
Once Isaac had made his first project – the vibrating car, he was itching to move onto the next.
These games are not just fun, but encourage active learning, combining spatial awareness and creativity with lessons including coding, building and design.
Once you have made your cardboard creation, you can play games on the switch with it and one of our favourites has to be the fishing rod. Simply insert the switch into the cardboard holder and see how many fish you can catch with the fishing rod.
The fishing rod uses the finely sensing accelerometers in the Switch’s controllers to sense when you’re turning the virtual reel, with a genuinely incredible precision.
If you are worried about storing all these models, they can be dismantled so the kids can build them again and again, although I would probably make a note on them of which model they belong to.
The motorbike uses a smart collection of cardboard and elastic bands to create a throttle that you can actually twist to drive.
Once you have finished making all the kits provided, you can invent your own ways to play by reinventing some of the creations, once you know how it all works.
We still have the house and the piano to make here, but Isaac is already eyeing up the Robot kit to add to his collection.
If you want to steer the kids away from platform games and get them something that will inspire their creativity and get them actively learning, then Nintendo Labo is for you!
Disclaimer: We were sent Nintendo Labo for the purpose of a review. All thoughts and opinions are our own
Nintendo Labo sounds amazing. My nephew would love it for sure!
I love how this gives another dimension to the Nintendo Switch. We still haven’t ventured into the realms of Labo but sounds like it is definitely worth a try.
WOW!! This looks so cool – I love the cardboard motorbike. What a brilliant way to mix screen time with engineering and learning. I had no idea this was even a thing – but will definitely buy something like this for my little boy when he’s a bit older. Thanks for sharing!
I haven’t tried this before but I think it’s a wonderful idea to get kids working with their hands and minds before being able to play a video game. I really need to pick a switch up, I used to love my Wii!
Katie xoxo
This is so cool! I love how it gets the children thinking and creating rather than just sitting looking at a screen
Assembling the cardboard kits looks complicated but once its finished it looks like so much fun, glad your boys had such a good time with it.
This sounds like a really great idea for little gamers. Being able to do something practical as well as virtual is a great idea
This sounds like a great idea for children. I love that there is more to it than just a game and there is an educational aspect to this.
My kids love our Switch so we’ve thought about this, it just seems quite expensive for what you get. I guess we’ll see how much my 8 year old really wants it!
My nephew absolutely loves building things and this just seem like the perfect gift. Thanks for sharing!
I never understood these games haha, but maybe because I’m not a boy? It’s actually a very good idea to give them something practical to do and put their brains in action 🙂
This looks very fun. My friends kid would love this
Oh this looks like fun! Mine aren’t quite old enough for Nintendo yet but I’m sure any day now they will discover it and I’ll hear all about it!
This is great. My nephew loves building things and I think this will make for a good gift. Thanks for sharing!
I didn’t even know this kind of thing existed! It looks like a lot of fun, a great activity to enjoy with kids. Thank you for sharing!
What a fantastic idea. I’ve not heard of this game before but it’s certainly something I would encourage my kids to play
I can really see the appeal of this, it reminds me of lego in a sense but with the technological advancements! I love the motorbike and the use of rubber bands to create a throttle.
I have never heard of this but wow – what a brilliant idea! I would have loved this as a child and mine would now for sure!
I havent heard of this before, but it looks like great fun to put together the cardboard piece ready for a game!!
This sounds like a great idea for children. My nephew absolutely loves building things and this just seems like the perfect gift.Thanks for sharing.
I’m torn between thinking this is cool, and thinking it’s dumb, because after all, it is just a bunch of card board that they’re charging you astronomical prices for… $70 for a box full of cardboard -_-
Plus, kids + cardboard? It’s only a matter of time before it gets completely destroyed.
On the positive side, I’m sure they’ll have plenty of fun with it while it lasts!