*This project is not affiliated with Nintendo
Interaction Design, Toy Design, Programming & Prototyping
Project Overview
"Pikmin and the Rocket Pinball" is a concept I created for Nintendo Labo when it first came out in 2018. Players build the two-part spacecraft from cardboard cut-outs together and enjoy the co-op game experience with their Nintendo Switch console.
How might I create an engaging and cooperative experience for Nintendo Labo players?
CORRUGATED BOARDS
Learning the Materials
I built study models to understand how Nintendo Labo works before it was released. My first design on the right failed miserably, which taught me the properties of corrugated boards.
ROCKET SCIENCE
Piece by Piece
Capt. Olimar's rocket was chosen because of its friendliness and familiarity towards Labo's target audience. I taped cardboard scraps together to build the spacecraft. Ways players combine their consoles with the rocket were also explored in this stage.
USER TESTING
Pull that Trigger
Different cardboard button configurations were tested. Shown in the picture is my subject testing the trigger that worked 90% of the time. It was a challenge to make smooth cardboard springs that last long enough.
Refining the rocket
Pizza Time
I learned ArtiosCAD to simulate how each part would come together without any fasteners and glue. Each laser cut rocket took 40 minutes to manually crease and assemble. I refined the tolerance after each test run.
The E-flute corrugated board, used by Nintendo Labo, turned out to be much harder to source. I ended up using C-flute corrugated boards from the moving boxes.
PIKMIN & THE ROCKET PINBALL
This is a co-op experience where players build the rocket together, following the step by step video on their consoles. The rocket could be separated as controllers for two players. Player one controls the plunger and flippers while player two guides Capt. Olimar and defeat enemies on the touch screen.
Unfortunately my concept was not possible to program in the built-in software Nintendo Labo Garage. Therefore, I modified my game concept and made another co-op game which players evade and shoot the meteors. The following video is my entry for Nintendo Labo Creator's Contest.
Timestamps:
00:20 Installing the console
00:45 Single player mode
01:35 The code for Labo Garage
02:20 Multiplayer mode
Part of the code created in Nintendo Labo Garage. My program was too complicated that the console slowed down about 30%.
