Nintendo Labo VR Kits for Nintendo Switch on sale for only $20 at Best Buy
The Nintendo Switch is offering amazing deals and Nintendo Labo is one of them, currently on sale at Best Buy
These Nintendo Switch Labo VR Starter Sets are on sale for only $20
These kits are sure to entertain the whole family for hours on end, and they're super cheap right now
Nintendo’s Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Receives Labo VR Kit Support
Nintendo released its Lobo VR Kit for portable console Switch back in April, following that up with virtual reality (VR) compatibility for Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This week the company has announced another for that list Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, releasing a 1.3.0 update in Japan.
The update doesn’t allow for full VR support throughout the videogame like Breath of the Wild, instead, it takes a leaf out of Mario Odyssey offering a curated selection. The VR mode provides four courses to play on, The Treasure at Mushroom Ruins, Walleye Tumble Temple, Briny Bowl Swimming Hole, and Mine Cart Tunnel Throwdown with the Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit.
The announcement was made by way to Nintendo Japan’s YouTube channel, with a new trailer showcasing what to expect. At present, there’s been no confirmation regarding western availability. Additionally, for Japanese Switch Online subscribers, Nintendo will be offering a free trial period where they can access the entire videogame between 1st – 11th August.
Hopefully, this will be the start of many more VR updates to Nintendo’s Switch lineup, enticing more players to try the VR kit. The recently announced Nintendo Switch Lite, on the other hand, won’t support Labo in any way due to its all in one design and a smaller 5.5-inch touchscreen.
While the Labo VR Kit design is fairly basic, harking back to the look of Google Cardboard, Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto recently addressed concerns the company was behind when it came to the immersive tech. During a Q&A with shareholders at Nintendo’s 79th Annual Meeting the veteran designer said: “We have actually been conducting practical research on these technologies from the very beginning.”
The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit is available as a full kit retailing for $79.99 USD / £69.99 GBP featuring six buildable parts, the VR Goggles, Toy-Con Blaster, Toy-Con Elephant, Toy-Con Camera, Toy-Con Wind Pedal and Toy-Con Bird. There’s also a cheaper kit featuring the VR Goggles and Toy-Con Blaster for £40. VRFocus will continue its coverage of Nintendo and its Labo VR kit, reporting back with all the latest VR updates and announcements.
Nintendo Switch Lite Won’t Support the Labo VR Kit
Today, Nintendo announced a long-rumoured console addition to the Switch family, the Nintendo Switch Lite. This new version sees the company focus the design towards handheld gaming, and as such the overall form factor has now changed. This means that the Nintendo Switch Lite won’t be compatible with the Labo Kit series, so there’s no virtual reality (VR) compatibility.
Several sites were given access to the new console and CNET confirmed the device won’t be Labo compatible ‘because it’s a completely different size.’ Unlike the original Nintendo Switch which comes supplied with a dock so owners can choose to play on a TV, removing the Joy-Con controllers in the process, the Nintendo Switch Lite doesn’t feature that functionality.
A complete single body system, the Nintendo Switch Lite features a smaller 5.5-inch touchscreen with the same resolution as the original (which has a 6.2-inch screen). So if you own any Labo kit there’s no using it on both devices. They’ll be sold alongside each other, with the Nintendo Switch Lite retailing from $199 USD when it arrives on 20th September 2019, offering a cheaper entry point for Nintendo fans.
Due to the lack of detachable controllers – which also means the loss of rumble and the IR sensor – only handheld-mode-capable Switch titles will work (shown on the back of each case), so videogames like 1-2 Switch will need additional Joy-Con controllers.
The Nintendo Labo: VR Kit is the latest addition to the cardboard peripheral series, featuring six buildable devices offering a range of VR experiences. The VR Goggles is the core part of the kit, and the component the Nintendo Switch slides into. The Joy-Con controllers would then attach for particular games or be located in other parts of the cardboard construct to facilitate certain gameplay characteristics.
It’s unclear at present whether Nintendo plans on releasing new Labo sets specifically for the Nintendo Switch Lite – which it would need to do – or if it has no intentions due to the handheld focused design on the console. Whatever the case, Nintendo seems to still have an interest in VR thanks to a recent comment by Shigeru Miyamoto. If anything VR related happens, VRFocus will let you know.
Nintendo Isn’t ‘Behind’ When it Comes to VR States Shigeru Miyamoto
Nintendo is a very innovative company when it comes to videogame technology and quite often ahead of everyone else in many respects. However, that didn’t quite seem the case when it came to virtual reality (VR) recently, releasing the rather basic Nintendo Labo: VR Kit for the Switch console a few months ago. Today, during a Q&A with shareholders at Nintendo’s 79th Annual Meeting, veteran designer Shigeru Miyamoto addressed a concern the company was ‘behind the curve’ when it came to VR.
Up until the release of the Labo VR Kit the gaming giant remained fairly coy when it came to discussing VR, always saying it was ‘interested’ or ‘looking into’ the tech. It has widely been assumed Nintendo has been somewhat standoffish when it comes to VR thanks to the failure of Virtual Boy way back in the 90s.
When asked about VR Miyamoto gave a rather candid response reports SoraNews24: “While we entered virtual reality and online gaming later, it isn’t a matter of us being ‘behind’. We have actually been conducting practical research on these technologies from the very beginning. During that time, we have been thoroughly checking whether users can use the technology with ease, and whether or not we can provide such services at an affordable cost.”
“The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con04: VR Kit recently went on sale, and I believe this product is a great and easy way for users to engage with virtual reality. As the Nintendo user base is composed of a wide range of ages, including the very young, we work to develop and release products that we think everyone can enjoy,” he added.
So it sounds like Nintendo isn’t done with VR just yet. No figures have been released just yet regarding sales of the Nintendo Labo: VR Kit, and how well (or bad) it has done in comparison to the other Labo products.
When answering a question regarding 5G, Ko Shiota, a senior executive at Nintendo responded with an answer that really sums up Nintendo’s approach to any tech: “It must be said, however, that Nintendo is not in the habit of following trends just because they are popular. We prefer to consider what experiences said technology can give to our players, how to use it in our games and the results of implementing it.”
Hopefully one day Nintendo will decide to release a far more grownup VR device. Until that happens, keep reading VRFocus.
Nintendo’s Labo VR Kit Sells Out at Major Online Retailers
With Nintendo’s latest ‘Labo’ kit for Switch, the company made its first real strides into VR (not counting Virtual Boy). Within only a week of its release, the cardboard VR headset maker-kit is already sold out all over the web in the US and in parts of Europe.
Large online retailers such as Amazon US, Best Buy, Target, Walmart and NewEgg are all sold out of the $80 full set, which includes Nintendo Labo software, VR headset, Wind Pedal, Camera, Elephant, Bird, and Blaster. The cheaper $40 starter set is still in stock almost everywhere, which only includes the headset and attachable blaster.
European standbys such as Germany’s MediaMarkt and Amazon.de, France’s Amazon.fr and Fnac, and the UK’s Currys PC World and Game are all out of stock of the full set as well. If you can’t wait, Italy’s Amazon.it and the UK’s Amazon.co.uk still have availability, both of which ship to many European countries.
In the US, price gougers on Ebay are currently listing pre-order guarantees for around $130 and up, underscoring just how rare Nintendo’s No. 4 Labo VR Kit has become in the days following its release. Most other ‘buy now’ options come from Japan or Korea, of course with their own hefty markups.
We suggest scouring your local big box store for any leftover units that may still be around. If you find any online, make sure to comment and we’ll try to include it in an update here.
Product Description (full set – $80)
The Nintendo Labo: VR Kit includes a variety of creations to Make, Play, and Discover: Toy-Con VR Goggles, Toy-Con Blaster, Toy-Con Elephant, Toy-Con Camera, Toy-Con Bird, and more. Make cardboard controllers called Toy-Con, and then use your creations to play the software’s variety of fun, immersive games. Sharing the fun is as easy as passing Toy-Con creations from one player to the next; there’s no head strap or complicated equipment to get in your way. Interacting with creations translates into in-game actions to create a truly immersive experience—from firing your Blaster to flapping your Bird’s wings—and each creation enhances the sense of immersion with real-world sensations like movement resistance, sounds, and gusts of wind. Discover how your creations work with the Nintendo Switch technology through handy tutorials, and when you’re ready to try making something uniquely yours, use the software’s intuitive, interactive Toy-Con Garage and Toy-Con Garage VR programming tools to explore new ways to play with your creations, invent new ones, and even make your own quick-play VR games!
The post Nintendo’s Labo VR Kit Sells Out at Major Online Retailers appeared first on Road to VR.
New Screenshots and Details for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s VR Update Released
The Nintendo Labo: VR Kit is now available, allowing Switch users to delve into the world of virtual reality (VR) by creating all sorts of cardboard machinations. Nintendo isn’t stopping there, adding VR support to two of the console’s biggest titles, Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild next week. Today, the company has released a couple of new images as well as further information regarding The Legend of Zelda update.
In a posting on Nintendo’s Blog, the technical director for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Takuhiro Dohta explains that while the core gameplay experience – controls/content etc. – remain untouched, in VR: “you’ll be able to get a new perspective on Hyrule,” he says.
By the sounds of it, VR support has really been designed as a drop in and out experience rather than playing an entire quest or shrine all the way through. “We recommend taking a look through the VR Goggles when there’s something interesting to see, like a location with a great view, a favourite character, or a favourite piece of equipment,” Dohta notes. “The concept of this update is to add a little twist to the world of Hyrule to give players, even those who’ve played the game a lot, a reason to come back and get even more enjoyment out of the game.”
Players won’t need to start a new campaign to enjoy the VR support, they can easily use their existing save data. All that’s needed is to update the videogame, then while playing go into the menu, select System and Options. Then turn the Toy-Con VR Goggles option to ON. Pop the Nintendo Switch in the VR Goggles, attach the Jon-Con controllers and away you go.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild features ‘Aim with Motion Controls’ when using items like the bow or the camera. Some users may want to turn this setting off when in VR as it may cause discomfort by the sounds of it.
The Nintendo Labo VR update for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will arrive next Thursday, 25th April, free of charge. For further Nintendo VR announcements, keep reading VRFocus.
Nintendo is bringing the latest Zelda and Mario games to its VR headset
The Nintendo Labo VR Kit launches this month and two of the Switch's biggest games, Super Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild, will get free VR support via an update that goes live a couple of weeks after the VR Kit launch.
The post Nintendo is bringing the latest Zelda and Mario games to its VR headset appeared first on Digital Trends.
Nintendo’s Adding Labo VR Support to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild & Mario Odyssey
It was only a few weeks ago that Nintendo announced its virtual reality (VR) venture with the Labo VR Kit for its portable console, Nintendo Switch. With a range of cardboard contraptions and videogames to suit, the kit is due for release next week. To bolster its VR offerings even further, Nintendo has suddenly revealed VR support to two of the Switch’s biggest titles, Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Mario Odyssey in VR won’t be the full version, instead, it’ll be three mini-games where players have to collect coins and musical notes to complete objectives. Familiar locations return such as the Cap, Seaside and Luncheon Kingdoms.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a different matter entirely as it looks like Nintendo has managed to make the entire experience VR compatible. It’ll still have the same third-person viewpoint as before, with the camera fully controllable as well – which will be interesting when it comes to comfort.
Both titles will only need to use the ‘VR Goggles’ part of the Nintendo Labo: VR Kit. The VR update for both will be released on 25th April completely free.
The Nintendo Labo: VR Kit will be arriving next Friday, 12th April, with the full kit retailing for $79.99 USD / £69.99 GBP, with pre-orders up and running. The fourth in the Labo series, the full kit comes with VR Goggles, Toy-Con Blaster, Toy-Con Elephant, Toy-Con Camera, Toy-Con Wind Pedal and Toy-Con Bird, each with its own unique title to complement the accessory. There will also be a smaller kit featuring the VR Goggles and Toy-Con Blaster for $40.
Additionally, there’s also the VR Plaza filled with 64 bite-sized videogames and experiences, a lot of which only use the VR Goggles part of the system. And for the budding videogame developers out there, Toy-Con Garage VR is a new tool that allows players to create their own VR content.
How long players will want to hold the VR Goggles up to their face to play the epic The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild adventure remains to be seen. Should any further title get VR support VRFocus will let you know.
Details Released on Nintendo Labo: VR Kit, Pre-orders now Open
Nintendo announced its return to virtual reality (VR) earlier this month by unveiling the Labo VR Kit for its hybrid console, the Nintendo Switch. At the time only brief details were released showcasing the various cardboard components and what the cost would be. Now, Nintendo has released a new trailer going in-depth with some of the actual software that’ll be available for launch next month.
Thanks to the six different parts of the Nintendo Labo: VR Kit (VR Goggles, Toy-Con Blaster, Toy-Con Elephant, Toy-Con Camera, Toy-Con Wind Pedal and Toy-Con Bird) Nintendo has created quite the mix of videogames to compliment each particular peripheral.
So for the big Toy-Con Blaster, there’s a videogame called Blaster where you have to battle an alien invasion with giant bosses to contend with. Or Kablasta, where players can challenge a friend to competitive hippo feeding by flinging different types of fruit. While the Toy-Con Camera offers a much more relaxed set of titles like Ocean Camera and House Camera, where players can take underwater snaps or interact with the strange house creature respectively.
As weird as it looks, the Toy-Con Elephant offers a much more creative approach, using Doodle users can create 3D artwork using various in-game tools and styles, in a similar vein to Google Tilt Brush. Or for puzzle fans there’s Marble Run, with physics puzzles to complete by using various objects to guide marbles through rings.
And then there’s the Toy-Con Wind Pedal and Toy-Con Bird contraptions. Use the Toy-Con Wind Pedal to play Hop Dodge as a jumping frog, or combine it with Toy-Con Bird to play Bird Dash. Race through checkpoints in the sky with the Wind Pedal delivering an extra boost of speed. Or just use Toy-Con Bird by itself to soar on the back of a bird, in Bird.
That’s not all Nintendo has in store, there’s also the VR Plaza filled with 64 bite-sized videogames and experiences, a lot of which only use the VR Goggles part of the system. And for the budding videogame developers out there, Toy-Con Garage VR is a new tool that allows players to create their own VR content.
The Nintendo Labo: VR Kit will be available from 12 April, with the full kit retailing for $79.99 USD / £69.99 GBP. If you’re eager to jump into Nintendo’s VR world you can pre-order the kit now, here for US customers, and here for UK customers. For any further updates, keep reading VRFocus.