Nintendo Switch Critic Reviews

While the Variety Kit did provide some entertainment, I felt that the replayability of that initial Labo came up short, which led to my reduced enthusiasm in the product line. If you had a similar feeling to what I did, don’t let that previous experience prevent you from trying out this new offering. Whether Nintendo learned some lessons during the first run or if the extra time in development allowed them to release a more polished experience, I’m not sure. But what I do know is that the Labo Vehicle Kit is miles ahead of its predecessors and has made me excited again about the future of this franchise.

If you've got the time and patience for the assembly process, the reward of getting to enjoy this world is worth it. [Issue #36 – November/December 2018, p. 90]

Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 03: Vehicle Kit is the most challenging and intriguing to piece together so far, and the set that has the most longevity - their software/adventure pieces may not be the most in-depth RPG/open-world fest, but it's fun and puts the kit to good use. The wheel and joystick, in particular, are what's likely to carry momentum going forward - the Toy-Con that could easily be applied to future games and concepts.

The third Labo kit is perhaps the best one yet; it offers a solid building experience and a genuinely entertaining way to control three distinct modes of transport, as well as a fleshed-out gameworld which is not only packed with things to do, but is augmented by a range of mini-game modes which will provide many hours of enjoyment – although the multi-player ones require you to have a second Vehicle Kit to hand, which might not be feasible for everyone. On the downside, the build time for the three main Toy-Con modules may test your resolve, and we're not convinced that the core game offers enough gameplay to make the storage of these cardboard monsters a realistic prospect for space-short families.

If you're in that target demographic, then these otherwise rote activities become a little more engaging. My nine-year-old son was my primary partner in this review (occasionally joined by his four-year-old sister, who just really wanted to fly that plane), and from his perspective, the gentle pace and steady exploration afforded by Adventure Mode was immensely appealing.

Just as Multi-kit and Robot-kit, Toy-Con 03 brings an interesting experience with some cool and creative features. Unfortunately, the the mini-games that uses those creations appears too simple and would have needed more work from developers.

While the Vehicle kit is no show-stopper, Nintendo Labo is still surprising us in very fun and clever ways. It might not be everyone’s calling, but there’s no limit to creativity. We just can’t wait to see what’s next.

The Vehicle Kit is definitely the best Labo kit so far, it has the best of the Variety Kit, actual variety and the best of the Robot Kit and that's a proper game. It's also a lot of fun to build, even if it does take a while to get started. The Adventure mode is leaps and bounds over anything in the other kits and the other included modes are just a nice icing on the cake. If you only pick up one Labo kit, it's this one.

The quality of the cardboard peripherals is way higher than the quality of the games that come with it.

Nintendo Labo: Toy-Con 3 - Vehicle Kit is undoubtedly a clever idea that genuinely works. Sadly, once you've gotten past the actual building stage of the game, you'll find there's precious little to keep you occupied for long.