Nintendo Labo Named One of Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2018

Nintendo Labo Named One of Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2018 Nintendo Labo, developed for the Nintendo Switch, captured industry attention as one of Nintendo’s most distinctive product launches.

Released in April 2018, Nintendo Labo introduced a new dimension of interactive play through do-it-yourself cardboard kits, allowing players to build functional controllers—referred to as 'Toy-Con'—for use with a suite of creative minigames on the Nintendo Switch platform.

Despite a launch that garnered moderate commercial momentum compared to other prominent Nintendo console accessories, such as the Wii Balance Board or the Wii Zapper, Nintendo Labo achieved critical acclaim for its innovation.

Media outlets quickly took notice of Labo’s novel approach to gaming hardware.

Most notably, Time Magazine recognized Nintendo Labo as one of 2018’s Best Inventions, highlighting its ability to blend physical creativity with digital gameplay in compelling new ways. A Time Magazine article praised the concept, underscoring how designing customizable cardboard peripherals offered a strikingly original form of interactivity on the Nintendo Switch.

The publication’s editors cited Labo’s capacity for fostering creativity and hands-on experimentation as reasons for its inclusion among the year’s top technological achievements. Since its launch, Nintendo has reported sales of more than 1.3 million Nintendo Labo kits worldwide, reflecting steady if not breakout adoption among consumers.

While these figures do not match the runaway sales success of earlier Nintendo peripherals, they demonstrate a strong reception from families, educators, and fans attracted by the product’s unique DIY ethos. Nintendo Labo's appearance on Time Magazine’s annual list mirrored similar recognition the previous year, when the Nintendo Switch earned a place among Time’s 25 Best Inventions of 2017.

This consecutive acknowledgment underscores Nintendo’s continuing leadership in innovation and creativity within the gaming hardware sector. Nintendo Labo remains available through the eShop and retail channels, supporting the company’s ongoing efforts to diversify the ways players interact with video games on the Nintendo Switch.

The product’s acclaim cements Labo as a key example of Nintendo’s willingness to expand the boundaries of traditional gaming, reinforcing its reputation for inventiveness within the industry.

Nintendo Nintendo Labo Nintendo Switch Time Magazine Wii Balance Board Wii Zapper