Indeed, the innovation in gaming and what could be possible with video game interaction has been the hallmark of Nintendo. And so when the company comes up with something as bold as attempting to merge with the realm of virtual reality, you have the Nintendo Labo VR Kit, a DIY experimental system unto itself, bringing creativity, friendly family fun, and a whole new gaming experience. Since its launch, many of the finest titles by the reliable Nintendo have come with VR support, and each has been a mixed bag. Read on to dive deep into every Nintendo Switch VR game, ranking and scoring them so you can decide which are worth your time.
Introduction
Nintendo Labo VR isn’t some incredible technological leap forward in the same vein as Oculus or PlayStation VR, but what it does provide is kind of unique: it’s an interactive build-yourself experience perfect for families and casual players. The cardboard construction kit plus mini-games introduced us to a fun way of using virtual reality. However, despite its charms, the technical limitations of Switch and Labo VR hardware remain less than satisfactory. With blurry screens and basic tracking as well as rudimentary input controls.
Even with such drawbacks, the Nintendo Switch VR Game has included VR in most of its classic titles so that its fans can experience their beloved characters and worlds in a whole new virtual reality environment. In this article, we have discussed the best Nintendo Switch VR games good, the bad, and the rubbish.
1. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker – Hidden Gems?
Nintendo Switch VR Games
Score: 6/10
Now Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker’s VR mode might just be the most pleasant addition to the Nintendo Labo VR lineup. That is if you’re into cute adventures of lighthearted navigating through tiny, puzzle-filled courses as you play as Captain Toad and evade dangers and solve puzzles that help get him out of a spot of trouble. The diorama-style level design translates nicely to VR, making these miniature environments look adorable and accessible with only 720p at their disposal.
Simple but smooth art style, this game feels a bit comfy to play through, although the spinning stages can get a tad disorienting. In any case, VR content remains woefully bare, with only four hilariously extended short levels on offer and no positional tracking to make the experience feel anything less than it might have. Still, though, the VR mode of Captain Toad offers hope that the Nintendo Switch VR Game might start to take virtual reality more seriously in the future.
2. Nintendo Labo VR Kit – Wonky Fun
Score: 5/10
The Nintendo Labo VR Kit is an interesting experiment. Merging the DIY spirit of crafting with basic VR gameplay. It includes a step-by-step guide for building several cardboard creations. Including a blaster and an elephant. With their mini-games. The highlight is the novelty of interacting with your handmade toys in VR.
Some mini-games are cute and funny. Such as a bird-flying game similar to Pilotwings. Others are painful in their dullness or awkward to control. The Joy-Con’s motion controls leave much to be desired, with games like the boomerang-throwing mini-game feeling more like a chore than entertainment. Yet within those limitations. The creativity of the Labo VR Kit and family-friendliness make it a great way for beginners, especially younger players or people looking to share the experience with children.
3. Super Mario Odyssey – Astro Not
Score: 4/10
Super Mario Odyssey has only a few VR levels, to give a glimpse at a fully fleshed-out VR Mario game. In the levels, you navigate three recognizable settings in the larger game, accomplishing simple challenges. It is great fun to see Mario in VR at first, especially when he has to deal with the camera.
But the limitations are quickly evident. As you pull away from the camera, Mario looks more and more like his pixelated 8-bit roots and it’s tough to make out details in the 360-degree space. The levels for VR are pitifully short, so you’re left hanging just when you were getting the hang of controls. Although fun in short spurts, it doesn’t do justice to the Nintendo Switch VR Game to Mario in terms of potential in VR, leaving fans hoping for a more robust experience in the future.
4. Super Smash Bros Ultimate – Wasted Potential
Score: 3/10
On paper, the idea sounds exciting: bringing Super Smash Bros Ultimate into VR. You get to face renowned characters like Mario, Zelda, and Pikachu in a 3D space; it sounds really interesting. Unfortunately, it falls flat, and it is one of the weakest VR integrations Nintendo ever attempted.
You can choose to play with the character on Single Player matches against AI or spectate the battles, setting the camera. This however, with that small scale of the stages and fast action, becomes a task to enjoy the 3D effect. This brings it down to a jarring experience where you are feeling more like an outsider than an active participant in the battle. Spectating is slightly more engaging but also lacks the excitement and immersion supposed to be brought by VR.
5. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Blur of the Wild
Score: 3/10
But when Nintendo announced that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild would be available for play in VR. Fans could only be elated with glee. Exploring the vast world of Hyrule in virtual reality. Swinging in hand the mighty Master Sword. Standing agog in contemplation at the sheer vista beauty created a feeling almost of awe. How does this, then? Become something so thrilling yet seem so far from reality?
In the case of Breath of the Wild. VR makes the experience more of an add-on rather than an immersive one. The camera remains locked to Link, which means moving the head does not achieve the liberty that VR is supposed to deliver; instead, in Nintendo Switch VR Game one is merely moving the in-game camera as one would while simply playing a game, often causing disorientation and nausea in some players. The game is about the world of Hyrule, which is really beautiful, and it deserves so much more than a sad, low-quality VR mode.
6. Nintendo Labo VR Kit: A Family-Friendly VR Experience Nintendo Switch VR Games
However, it’s much more than playing individual game experiences for Nintendo Labo VR. It’s the most immersive and robust Nintendo Labo kit to date as it combines DIY creativity, family-friendly games, social play. And the magic of VR gaming. With an entire variety of Toy-Con creations – ranging from VR Goggles to Blaster and Camera, it pushes the players to take hands-on responsibility in their gaming experience.
The real charm of the Labo VR Kit is its versatility and accessibility. Built to be shared between members of a family and among friends. Pass-and-play functionality allows for interactive and engaging multiplayer experiences without making complicated setups. And. Not to mention, the Toy-Con Garage programming tools users can use to create their own VR games and experiences add even more value to the package.
The Future of VR on Nintendo Switch
Given the rather thin lineup of games for the Switch at launch. And given its fairly unimpressive and slightly mediocre look, hope remains in the notion that Nintendo will continue to experiment with this technology. Fully immersive VR in Mario, Zelda. Metroid holds enormous potential, but for Nintendo to get up to the level of more evolved VR platforms, it must improve on the hardware of the Switch and focus more on engaging and immersive content.
Conclusion
Nintendo Labo VR is an interesting experiment where DIY fun gets blended with virtual reality. Even though the technical limitations of the hardware do not result in lousy VR experiences for most of the titles currently available. There is just a glimpse of what seems to be potential in some games such as Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. Even while a game like Super Smash Bros Ultimate or Breath of the Wild fails to bring out the depth of VR. The overall creativity and family-friendly. The nature of the Labo VR Kit makes it a worthwhile purchase for those looking for something different.
With Nintendo as unlikely a pioneer of VR on the Switch, all one can do is wait for even more refined and immersive possible versions of a future upgraded package. The Nintendo Labo VR Kit remains a unique, if imperfect, glimpse into the budget reality of virtual reality.
