The Nintendo Labo line is Nintendo’s way of showing us that gaming has come a far way. Who would have thought a dozen years ago that we would be building our own controllers from cardboard? I think it’s safe to say that nobody saw it coming but it’s clear that Labo is here to stay. The third Toy-Con pack, the Vehicle Pack, is perhaps even better at pointing out why Labo is such a great piece of technology.
Make
Just like the other two Nintendo Labo packs, the Vehicle Pack lets you create some new toys to play with from scratch. If you’re unfamiliar with the Labo line, let me explain. Unlike other games on Nintendo Switch, you can’t play with Nintendo Labo right out of the box. Instead, you’ll need to create your own controllers, called Toy-Con, out of the cardboard inside the big box. Don’t be afraid, the software comes with some of the best tutorials you’ll ever see. Just like the previous games, the Vehicle Pack shows you how to create your new Toy-Con step by step. You can go through the instructions faster if you’re a quick learner, or you can take it easy and zoom in on all the details in order to be certain you’re doing it right. I loved these instructions from the start and this feeling didn’t change, it’s the perfect way to create complex new products without having to struggle. Young and old will be able to create the Toy-Con of their dreams without having to struggle with the smaller parts.
Although it’s relatively easy to follow the instructions, prepare for spending a lot of your time building before you can play. This pack introduces new Toy-Con, all revolving around the pedal and special key. Before you can create the car, submarine or plane, you’ll have to create the pedal. Right from the start, it’s clear that a lot of thought went into the design. I even dare to say that these Toy-Con are the best on the market yet. The way you make a working pedal in just a couple of minutes is amazing and you immediately get rewarded for it in the form of the first playable game. Creating the Toy-Con is a bit harder than in the first Nintendo Labo pack, these Toy-Con use a lot more mechanics so be advised when you’re getting this for the younger gamers. Sitting next to a younger gamer, co-creating a new vehicle is the big selling-point of the pack and guarantees a lot of fun creative evenings!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI6QzU8NXFI
Play
Of course, building your new Toy-Con is just one part of the Nintendo Labo experience, playing with them is the other major part. As said before, this one is all about your own vehicles. Unlike the Robot Kit pack, it doesn’t force you to follow a set amount of missions. In the Vehicle Kit, you’ll have access to an open world where you can drive, dive, and fly just the way you like it. At first sight, the world feels a bit empty and small but the more you explore, the more hidden stuff you find. This is without a doubt the most fun game combined with a Nintendo Labo product. It offers the same freedom to explore just like the RC Car offered you in the Variety Pack and at the same time, it delivers a ‘real’ gaming experience just like the Robot Kit did. It looks like the team managed to find the right balance between the creating and playing part.
The open world is not the only game you can play. Discovering everything at your own pace is fun but I’m sure a lot of gamers are looking for a more guided experience. The Adventure Mode is here to solve that problem. In this mode, you’ll have to complete several tasks for the strange inhabitants of the island. Most tasks revolve around you constantly switching between your vehicles and thus your Toy-Con. If you insert your special key (you have to make it first) and insert it into the car, submarine, or plane Toy-Con, the game will immediately change into that vehicle. It’s amazing to see how responsive the new Toy-Con are.
As if this open world fun wasn’t enough to justify your time spend creating the amazing Toy-Con, there’s even a small but addictive game linked to the pedal. To control each vehicle, you’ll need the pedal and key, these are the first two things you’ll make but making the pedal will cost you some time. To immediately reward the gamers, Nintendo included a small racer where you only use your pedal to move forward. The trick here is the time your speed correctly if you don’t want to fall off the track. Although it’s not the main attraction of the game, I enjoyed playing this little gem a lot. It’s clear that a lot more time went into the games and I must admit, these are the best one of the Nintendo Labo this far.
Discover
The third and final pillar of every Nintendo Labo Kit is the discover part. Just like before, you’ll find out exactly how things work and you can even program your own games in the Toy-Con Garage. This is the perfect mode if you want to explain how the mechanics behind the Toy-Con work but at the same time, it addresses the creativity of the gamer a lot. If you can imagine it, you can make it. The other Labo packs already showed a lot of creative ideas but I think nothing will compare to the things you’re able to do with this Vehicle Kit. Once more, your imagination is the only thing stopping you this time since the possibilities really are near endless thanks to the new impressive Toy-Con.
Conclusion:
This third Nintendo Labo pack is without a doubt the most complete deal at this moment. The new Toy-Con vehicles are extremely fun to make although you’ll have to count on a couple of hours to complete them all. Besides that, the actual game is pretty fun too. The open world offers a new way of exploring your new toys while the adventure mode gives you a true purpose. The fun doesn’t stop there since the pack includes a lot more fun little games and you can even create your own thanks to the Toy-Con Garage. If you’re looking for a fun new experience to enjoy on your own or with younger gamers, this is the best option currently on the market.
We strongly recommend this Vehicle Kit.
