Nintendo Alarmo Alarm Clock Releases Before GTA 6

Nintendo's Surprise: An Interactive Alarm Clock and a Mysterious Switch Online Playtest

A Nintendo interactive alarm clock? It's a reality! Alongside the recently announced Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo, Nintendo has also launched a secretive Switch Online playtest.

The Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo

Free Alarm Sound Updates on the Way!

Priced at $99, the Alarmo uses game sounds to coax you out of bed. Nintendo boasts that it makes you feel like you're waking up inside a Nintendo game. Sounds are drawn from titles like Mario, Zelda, and Splatoon, with free updates adding more in the future.

The Alarmo's interactivity lies in its requirement that you fully leave your bed to silence the alarm. Nintendo playfully refers to this as a "brief victory fanfare," acknowledging the daily struggle of rising. You can wave your hand in front of it to lower the volume, but prolonged slumber only intensifies the alarm's insistent wake-up call.

Utilizing a radio wave sensor, the Alarmo measures your distance and movement speed without the privacy concerns of camera-based solutions. According to developer Tetsuya Akama, its sensitivity to subtle movements, functionality in dark rooms, and ability to penetrate obstacles (provided radio waves can pass through) are key advantages.

Early access for Nintendo Switch Online members in the US and Canada is available for a limited time via the My Nintendo Store. The Nintendo New York store also offers in-person purchases while supplies last.

Nintendo Switch Online Playtest Announcement

Applications Open October 10th!

Separately, Nintendo announced a Switch Online playtest. Applications open October 10th, 8:00 AM PT / 11:00 AM ET, and close October 15th, 7:59 AM PT / 10:59 AM ET, or sooner if the 10,000 participant limit is reached. Selection for non-Japanese applicants is first-come, first-served.

Eligibility requirements include:

• An active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership by October 9th, 2024, 3:00 PM PDT.
• Age 18 or older by October 9th, 2024, 3:00 PM PDT.
• A Nintendo Account registered in Japan, the USA, UK, France, Germany, Italy, or Spain.

The playtest itself runs from October 23rd, 2024, 6:00 PM PT / 9:00 PM ET to November 5th, 2024, 4:59 PM PT / 7:59 PM ET.