While we twiddle our thumbs waiting for the Nintendo Switch 2 to arrive next year, Nintendo dropped a surprising gadget announcement today. The gaming company revealed the Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo, an alarm clock featuring sound effects and theme songs from well-known Nintendo franchises like Mario and Splatoon.
The alarm clock is also a sleep monitor that can track your sleep patterns. Nintendo claims the clock can track your body movements and respond based on your actions.
At its core, Alarmo is a Nintendo-themed alarm clock. Here's what makes it stand out just a bit:
The clock will launch with themes and sound effects from five Nintendo games, including Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Pikmin 4, Splatoon 3 and Ring Fit Adventure. There are multiple themes connected to each game.
When your alarm goes off in the morning, it'll start playing the theme of your chosen game. As you get up or don't, the built-in motion sensor responds to your movements, including playing music more intensely or using other sound effects to encourage you to get up. Once it reads that you're up, it will play a celebratory sound, like collecting coins in Mario, and then it stops. A button on the top of the clock stops the noises.
According to Nintendo, the motion detector is a 24GHz sensor that will also detect movements through the night. It will act as a sleep monitor and provide some data on how you sleep.
During the day, the clock animates with characters from your selected theme game at the top of the hour with unique animations and chimes.
Alarmo does have a Wi-Fi connection and it sounds like it will be able to get software updates with new themes with future ones coming from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Price and availability
Currently, the Alarmo is only available for pre-order by people who have signed up for Nintendo Switch Online in the United States. If you're interested you can purchase one via the My Nintendo Store today.
Nintendo says that the clock will hit retailer shelves in "early 2025", but if you can't wait and happen to be in New York City, it is available for purchase at the Nintendo store in Rockefeller Plaza.
This is not a cheap alarm clock with the gadget costing $99.99, about half of what a Nintendo Switch Lite costs.
If you must have a new Nintendo device, this is an option. Otherwise, we'll have to wait until next April when Nintendo is expected to launch the Switch 2. The company is supposed to make a formal announcement before the end of the fiscal year, which is on March 31, 2025. Though it will probably happen before that date.
