Recently, we heard rumors that some form of virtual reality experience might be coming to the Nintendo Switch, and today we got confirmation for that straight from Nintendo. The Japanese gaming giant has announced a new VR Kit as part of its Nintendo Labo series of DIY cardboard games that tie into the digital world. This is the fourth kit in the lineup, following the release of the Vehicle Kit back in September.
The Nintendo Labo: VR Kit aims to offer "a simple and shareable virtual reality experience for kids and families", with six new creations to build, one of which being the VR Goggles, which you"ll need experience any of the creations in games. Cardboard goggles being used for virtual reality isn"t a new concept, seeing as Google did the same with the aptly named Google Cardboard VR.
In addition to that, you"ll get a Toy-Con Blaster, Camera, Bird, Wind Pedal, and Elephant, all of which will offer a different experience. The Toy-Con Blaster will be used to "fend off an alien invasion", and the Toy-Con Camera can be used to take pictures of sea creatures as players navigate an in-game ocean. More details about the remaining Toy-Con will be shared in the future.
The VR Kit will be available on April 12, but it won"t be as simple as previous kits have been. It will come in a complete package for $79.99, but you can start off slow with the Starter Kit, which includes the VR Goggles and Toy-Con Blaster, plus a Screen Holder and Safety Cap, and it will cost $39.99. The Screen Holder is an accessory that allows players to enjoy the same gaming experiences without the VR side of it, should you not desire to do so.
If you choose the Starter Kit and end up wanting a little more, Nintendo will be selling two expansion sets, one including the Toy-Con Camera and Elephant, and another one including the Toy-Con Wind Pedal and Bird. The two packs cost $19.99 each, which means that buying them separately won"t cost you any more than the full package right off the bat. In addition to the default experiences, the VR Kit will include the Toy-Con Garage, which players can use to create their own projects with basic programming.