Five Switch Games That Deserve Nintendo Labo Support

Nintendo Switch games that should support Labo

Love it or hate it, Nintendo Labo is a wildly inventive product line.

Cardboard turned into engineering works of magic, it’s sort of insane all the things Labo sets can do. Remote control cars, fishing rod accessories, and even robots run on draw string.

With the latest announcement of Mario Kart 8 supporting Labo’s cardboard handlebars, it’s got us thinking. What are some other Switch titles that should also get Labo support? Here’s our pick of five of them.

Mario Tennis Aces

Once upon a time in the not so distant past, I can recall Wii tennis rackets that lined brick and mortar stores the world round. It’s a simple idea, throwing the Wii’s motion-sensing controller into the handle of a tennis racket, one that evidently worked because I don’t know anyone who didn’t own one – besides me. After all, it helped games like Wii Sports feel just a touch closer to the real thing.

Since Nintendo’s mustachioed plumber’s very own tennis franchise has finally made it onto the Switch, what better game to carry on in that tradition? Set up could be a breeze, lodging the Switch’s Joycons snugly into a cardboard tennis racket handle and a quick update to the game could solve any controlling hiccups in the transition. All people would have to do is make sure they don’t throw those things into their televisions, again.

Arms

Nintendo’s offbeat arena fighter may not be taking up the main stage at EVO anytime soon, but there are few games that could utilise Labo as well as Arms. Despite its cartoon aesthetic and motion control focused design, there’s plenty to dig into here.

Lobbing punches at your enemy, dodging left or right, and even blocking or countering opponent’s moves – it’s as engrossing as any other fighter. Now imagine all of that, only wrapped into the giant cardboard spring fists of a newly put-together Labo set. The joycons could track your motion just as they do when you’re playing in motion control mode with the added benefit of a few hard-buttons built onto the kit. Although this idea is probably the most prone to damage of the bunch…

Splatoon 2

Okay, Splatoon 2 is admittedly a bit of a stretch, but hear me out.

This action packed paint-based shooter has been kept alive with content updates and seasonal events, so it already has an engaged player base from the outset. Splatoon is also already known for its gyro control scheme, so why not take it a step further? Maybe it’s like the Wii’s Zapper lightgun accessory, turning Splatoon 2 into a more straightforward point-and-shoot arcade style game? Or maybe you construct a paint roller out of cardboard and play the game in a brand new specialised Labo mode?

Whatever the best choice ultimately is, the thrill of Splatoon 2 feels like the perfect fit for something as wacky and creative as Labo.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

For me, the moment when Labo changed from build-a-kit novelty toy to a bona fide work of mastery was when I saw a cardboard arcade cabinet for the Switch. While it’s impressive and all in good fun, I haven’t been able to get the idea of a real, functioning arcade cabinet Labo set out of my mind since. Since Nintendo’s flagship fighting game is on its way later this year, this time with every character from every game plus some, what better time to release an official Smash Bros.-themed Labo arcade cabinet?

Sure, they’d probably break faster than the first bite into a taco shell, but if Nintendo could slap some nice artwork onto the side of the mini cabinet, I’d probably just keep my Switch in there and never play the thing again, just admiring it from afar.

Minecraft (Labo Edition)

I’m not sure there’s a better game to pair with Labo than Minecraft. The two products’ target demographics overlap like a double decker sandwich, not to mention that Minecraft’s immense popularity is probably the only thing that could give Labo the signal boost it deserves (outside of maybe Ninja and Drake streaming it on Twitch).

With so many items from the game already sold as toys, like the pickaxe and diamond sword, it would be simple to just release a pack of Labo-compatible items that follow in a similar vein. Putting a joycon into a pickaxe while you use the other to move around; the joycons rumble feature could even work with the pickaxe to provide feedback when mining. A Minecraft Labo set also would have the added benefit of reminding people how chummy Microsoft and Nintendo have become as of late, which is sort of the coolest thing ever.