Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit revealed, out on April 12th

Last year, Nintendo released 3 sets for Nintendo Labo: Toy-Con 01: Variety Kit and Toy-Con 02: Robot Kit at launch, and Toy-Con 03: Vehicle Kit in September. Initial sales were fairly good, but in the end, this rather unique project failed to make a lasting impression. If you thought that was it for Nintendo Labo, and the rumoured 4th kit had been scrapped… you were wrong, as Nintendo revealed the Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit today!

In the past, Nintendo has expressed limited interest in VR, but confirmed that it was looking at the technology. A couple of months ago, it was even announced that the company would join the VRM consortium, though as a mere observer. However, there was no real sign that Nintendo had any “serious” VR projects currently in the works, and so it comes as quite the surprise that Nintendo Labo would be the one project to debut Nintendo’s Virtual Reality adventure!

Naturally, since the HMD (Head Mounted Display) in Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04 is made of cardboard, do not expect something cutting edge like the HTC Vive for example. In fact, Nintendo even describes it as a “first VR experience” for kids and families, and something they can build themselves (which is the whole point of Nintendo Labo, after all).

Right now, it’s not clear whether other developers can and/or will use the VR goggles in their own games (like the Toy-Con Piano is used in Deemo, or the Toy-Con Rod in Fishing Star: World Tour). It’s definitely too early to say!

Gameplay-wise, the Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit encourages players to use natural movements and gestures to interact with the world in-game. We don’t know what the individual games are, but we already know that the Toy-Con Blaster will involve fending off an alien invasion, and the Toy-Con Camera will have you snape pictures of the sea life.

Also, this kit puts focus on passing around the Toy-Con crations among a group of people, so that everyone can join in on the fun.

Here’s what this 4th set is all about:

With the new Nintendo Labo VR Kit, there’s more to Make, Play, and Discover together than ever before. Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit is a unique first VR experience kids and families can build themselves! The Starter Set + Blaster kit provides an action-packed introduction to the experience. You can then add to the fun with the Expansion Sets. Or, if you want an even broader experience right away, you can purchase the full Nintendo Labo VR Kit, which features six VR Toy-Con projects in one package.

The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit will be released on April 12th worldwide, and will be released in several “sets”:

Starter set + Blaster

• Toy-Con Goggles
• Toy-Con Blaster

The Starter Set includes the Nintendo Switch software, plus all the components to build the VR Goggles and Blaster, as well as the Screen Holder and safety cap. The Starter Set is a great entry point into the world of Nintendo Labo VR.

Expansion set 1: Camera + Elephant (requires the Starter set)

• Toy-Con Camera
• Toy-Con Elephant

Expansion set 2: Bird + Wind Pedal (requires the Starter set)

• Toy-Con Bird
• Toy-Con Wind Pedal

Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit

• Starter set + Blaster
• Expansion set 1: Camera + Elephant
• Expansion set 2: Bird + Wind Pedal

The complete Nintendo Labo: VR Kit includes the Nintendo Switch software and materials to build all six Toy-Con projects – the VR Goggles, Blaster, Camera, Bird, Wind Pedal and Elephant – as well as a Screen Holder and safety cap*. It’s a good option for kids and families who want to dive in to the full experience.

With this set, Nintendo chose not only to have even more Toy-Cons than ever before, which is a pretty good idea: the variety of the… well, Variety Kit was definitely one of its strongest points (and the reason it was much more popular than the Robot Kit). What’s more, having two additional sets offers more flexibility for users who may not be interested in all the Toy-Cons right out of the gate.

Unfortunately, Nintendo hasn’t shared a trailer for the Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit, so we don’t know what it looks like in-game. In the mean time, here’s some pictures of the sets:

Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit comes out on April 12th worldwide. The Upcoming Games page has been updated!

Source: Nintendo