Remember Nintendo Labo, the unique mix of cardboard toys and video games which the Japanese company announced earlier this year? It was originally its own thing, introducing a variety of mini-games around the special cardboard controllers called Toy-Con, but it seems the company is now ready to expand the usefulness of the creations by allowing more of its games to use them.
Nintendo has released a new update for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which was released over a year ago, adding support for the Toy-Con Motorbike controller. This controller is part of the Nintendo Labo Variety Kit, and it features a design that resembles that of a motorbike handle, allowing players to rev up the engine by twisting the right handle and steer as if they were driving a real bike.
Using the controller in Mario Kart 8 works as you'd expect, and similarly to what's found in the Nintendo Labo game itself. The update also adds a new camera position which provides a zoomed-in over-the-shoulder view while playing, adding a degree of immersion to the experience. There isn't, unfortunately, a first-person camera, which probably would work best for some players.
The update also includes a number of fixes for the game, and players will be required to update in order to keep playing online. Installing the update also makes it impossible to play via local wireless with players who don't have the update, but users can share the update with nearby devices through the Switch's menu.
Alongside the announcement of the update, Nintendo also said that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is just the first of its titles to receive support for the Toy-Con controllers, with more games coming in the future.
A new contest related to Nintendo Labo has also been announced, giving players the chance to win a special edition Nintendo Switch console with a cardboard-inspired paint job plus some other goodies. To participate, players will have to create a custom experience using the Toy-Con Garage section of Nintendo Labo fitting in one of the two categories: "Best Toy-Con Musical Instrument" and "Best Gaming Experience Using Toy-Con Garage". You can read the full details of the contest here.
