The $100 Nintendo Alarm Clock

[crantheman]

Nintendo just announced new hardware today!! ....that wasn't Switch 2.

It's an alarm clock called Alarmo, and it's everything you could expect from an alarm clock, except it also has a motion sensor that automatically turns off the alarm when you get out of bed. I would buy it if it was $20-$30 but the big N is asking for $100 for the thing! Sheesh....

It's definitely the most "Nintendo" device I've ever seen. Thoughts?

 

[Andrew]

Filing this one away as "corporate wanted a bump in units moved this holiday so this helps fill a Switch 2 shaped hole".

It's an awfully long label for a cabinet with only one file in it, but sometimes I aim for accuracy above all else.

 

[ChunkOfWax]

Honestly? I think it’s hilarious and I kinda love it. Love it enough to spend $100?? Hell no. But still amusing

Lately, I’ve totally let myself get totally lost in the delirium of the Switch 2 rumor-mill and it’s been so entertaining. I made a Famiboards account and have been lurking everyday on that site since around mid September, just happy to be along for the ride. Everyone there is just so desperate for even the littlest of crumbs of Switch 2 news (myself included, I must admit). News of the Alarmo was one of the first things I saw this morning and was glad to witness reactions to it in realtime lol. Lots of interesting speculation

Honestly, having spend so much time letting myself get deluded and hyped for the Switch 2, the Alarmo has given me a lot to think about, but I’ll refrain from word vomiting too much here.

However! This is one thing I wanna say though about the Alarmo that I find interesting, It’s a little bit presumptuous and speculative, but that’s what makes this fun :)

Spoiler: Read more :)

So, during the post Wii U / Early Switch era, Nintendo shifted their brand identity to be a lot more “mature”. Specifically, you can see this in their advertising and especially in the Switch itself. (No menu music, flat design, etc.) Meanwhile, 8 years later, Nintendo is making the Alarmo, an alarm clock with a rounded, fun design that features video game music and characters helping you wake up. An inherently very silly concept. And not only that, they’re marketing it to adults! Which is really interesting to me! Everyone in that reveal trailer is an adult. Imagining the Nintendo of 8 years ago trying to market a product like this to adults feels almost unthinkable imo. You can tell they’re more comfortable and confident, no longer afraid of the Wii U’s baggage. Of course, the Wii U was a long time ago, but it’s still interesting to see this so definitively. And with the Alarmo being their first significant and new hardware product since the Switch itself, I hope this is a sign for how Nintendo is gonna present future hardware too! Switch 2 included! I think Nintendo opting to give the Switch a more “sophisticated” identity was definitely the right call, after everything that happened with the Wii U. But after all these years, I think I’m ready for something different! Even if it’s something as small as themes or eshop music, I’ll take it. I’m ready to see Nintendo go back to their roots and embrace an identity that’s more fun and lively :)

Anyways. Yeah. The Alarmo is funny. You put it the right way. A very “Nintendo” device lol. Even if it were to get a price cut, I don’t ever see myself buying one, I just find zero use for it personally. But, it’s absolutely a very fascinating thing to come out of Nintendo, especially right now

 

[jukemix_]

for 100 dollars Splatoon 3 salmon run players can get traumatized by the emergency alert sound, amazing

 

[mercedes]

wonder how well it'll sell for that crazy price

 

[Term]

No one you know will have it but it'll be visible on a shelf in the background of every Youtuber's face cam

and honestly this'll make a great Did You Know Gaming episode in 20 years