Kids Will Go Crazy for Nintendo’s New DIY Cardboard Creations

It should go without saying that cardboard is one of the best packaging materials out there, but here at Ernest, we started a revolution in the way people think about it! There’s so much fun that can be had with cardboard, whether you’re catching a wave or sitting down for a jam session.

Thankfully others are catching on, and Nintendo is about to bring some of their magic to the corrugated game!

Nintendo Labo is the Japanese game maker’s attempt at merging video games with DIY fun, and cardboard is the star of the show. (We’re not sure what “Labo” means, but our guess is that it stands for “Let’s All Be Ernest-Oriented” but they dropped the E by accident!) When you unbox one of the two Labo kits being released in April all you’ll find is a stack of simple cardboard sheets, but those sheets just added $1.4 billion to Nintendo’s net worth.

Once you follow the assembly instructions, you’ve suddenly got your hands on a corrugated accessory for Nintendo’s massively popular Switch console, which recently became the fastest-selling video game system of all time.

The way Labo’s corrugated magic is brought to life is by using a couple sneaky bits of technology inside of the Switch’s controller. In one game you’ll build a cardboard fishing pole and insert the Switch controller inside of the pole’s handle. When you’ve got a bite, the controller’s vibration functions will let you know it’s time to start reeling. In another game, you’ll slide objects into a cardboard house, and the controller’s infrared camera will display them on the screen.

Photo courtesy of Nintendo

Here you’re looking at an entirely cardboard piano. Once assembled and the Switch console is popped into place, you can tap on any of its 13 corrugated keys to play notes and the sound will come from the console’s speakers. In typical Nintendo fashion, you can even turn a cardboard dial to alter the piano’s sound to cute noises like a cat’s meow!

Photo courtesy of Nintendo

In another Labo kit, you’ll find everything you need to make a cardboard backpack. It looks simple enough on the outside, but inside the backpack is an intricate series of pulleys and strings. With your backpack on and your hands and feet strapped in, you’re suddenly in control of a giant robot on your video game console. Go smash some buildings (but don’t smash all that cardboard you’ve lovingly assembled!)

Check out the reveal trailer to see more of what Labo has to offer:

While the tech industry invests more and more into virtual and augmented realities, it’s nice to know that one company has their eye on a real, tangible source of entertainment. Packaging materials are a constant source of inspiration here at Ernest. Learn more about how we’re Moving Packaging Forward every day through work and play.