May 22, 2025 at 8:44 AM EDT
Alarmo can now wake you with Animal Crossing: New Horizons sounds.
Following the addition of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe scenes (what Nintendo calls its alarm clock's wake up experiences) last December, Alarmo is getting another free update with a collection of seven new Animal Crossing: New Horizons scenes. Samples of the new alarm sounds are available on Nintendo's Japanese site and include Isabelle doing morning exercises and K.K. Slider singing the game's theme song.
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The Verge
41 minutes ago
- The Verge
The Switch 2 gives Splatoon 3 a fantastically fresh coat of paint
Charles Pulliam-Moore is a reporter focusing on film, TV, and pop culture. Before The Verge, he wrote about comic books, labor, race, and more at io9 and Gizmodo for almost five years. Splatoon 3 already looked phenomenal on the original Switch, in a way that seemed to defy the console's hardware limitations. The game's paint-slicked visuals were gorgeous, and its chaotic battles were a testament to how well the Switch could run software that was fine-tuned to make the best of its specs. What was most impressive, though, was the way Splatoon 3 kept refreshing itself for years after its initial 2022 release with a steady stream of new clothes, weapons, stages, and a nifty DLC expansion. Splatoon 3 felt like it had reached its zenith on the original Switch — so much so that a full-on sequel seemed like the franchise's logical next step as Nintendo prepared to release the Switch 2. But thanks to an unexpected update, Splatoon 3 plays like a slicker, sleeker, and more modern shooter on the new console. And while the improvements aren't quite as dramatic as what we saw with Fortnite, they're big enough to make Splatoon 3 feel like it's more than capable of holding down the fort while Nintendo focuses on developing whatever's next. While battles within Splatoon 3 have always maxed out at 60fps, the first thing that jumps out about the game post-update is how that high framerate can now also be seen basically everywhere you guide your Inkling character. In the past, nonmatch locations like Splatsville, Inkopolis, and the Grand Festival Grounds never looked bad, per se. But there was a roughness to characters' animations as they walked around and a stiffness to the way the environment moved that made those places feel like they were trying hard to not push the original Switch past its limits. After the new Switch 2 update, which also bumps the game's resolution up, everything in Inkopolis flows with a delightful slickness that makes the place feel alive. Inklings' steps and idling poses are still measured and slow, but there is a gracefulness to them now that made me pay closer attention to people's avatars. And while the update doesn't bring any drastic changes to Splatoon 3 's character models, you can clearly see the fine details of their stylish hypebeast fits and the way light interacts with the glossy, reflective surfaces of their skin. Better-looking NPCs hanging out in lobbies might not seem like a big deal, but it's an important part of the Splatoon experience because of the way most of the characters you see in places like Inkopolis are actually other players' avatars. The added visual polish works to remind you that Splatoon 3 is very much a community-focused game that still has a dedicated playerbase, and as I walked around, it was great seeing so many higher-resolution characters sharing messages about how they were enjoying the update. You can also feel how much more horsepower the Switch 2 is working with in how quickly Splatoon 3 now breezes through its loading screens as you're getting ready to dive into a match. Once you're actually in a battle, you can really start to get a sense of how the update impacts Splatoon 3 's core gameplay on the Switch 2 and why, for people still playing on the original Switch, Nintendo decided to strip out some of the background visual elements in certain competitive modes. On the whole, regular PvP matches ran every bit as well at 60fps as they did on the first Switch, but you can see that background elements in the far off distance, like the jellyfish spectators, now move much more smoothly. It stands to reason that Nintendo chose not to drastically change how Splatoon 3 battles run on the Switch 2 so as not to put players on the original Switch at an unfair disadvantage. That's also probably why, after the update, some of the background elements in the Splat Zones / Tower Control /Rainmaker / Clam Blitz modes have been removed on the first Switch. In my experience, this didn't really change all that much because you're meant to be focused on painting the ground and splatting your enemies. But those changes likely help the Switch dedicate more of its energy to displaying the important things well. Even when there's a horde of enemies swarming in Salmon Run mode, their animations are much, much smoother, which actually makes it easier to keep track of what's going on as matches become more hectic. It was still almost impossible to get my teammates to pull it together when a Horrorboros showed up and started hurling paint bombs at us, but that felt like the sort of issue that might be more easily addressed in a follow-up game that makes use of the Switch 2 's voice chat feature. For both consoles, the update also introduces a slew of remixed weapons. Giving standard weapons, like the Aerospray, different sub-weapons has always been a core part of Splatoon, and the new kits are essentially an invitation to try out your old favorites with a couple of new tricks attached that encourage unique play longtime Splatoon 3 players, everything about the update really serves as a reminder of how much fun the game has always been. But it also feels like Nintendo is making an effort to bring more players into the fold ahead of Splatoon Raiders ' launch. And, as nice as it would have been to have a new Splatoon title for the Switch 2's launch, it's fantastic to see Nintendo making moves that benefit the entire Switch family as a whole. Featured Videos From The Verge Inside the Meta monopoly trial | The Vergecast After more than a month of testimony, the Meta antirust trial is beginning to slow down. The Google search remedies trial, meanwhile, is about to heat up again, with closing arguments coming soon. The Verge's Lauren Feiner has been in the DC courthouse for all of it, and has finally emerged to tell us about what she's seen, and learned, from two all-important monopoly trials. After that, The Verge's Victoria Song tells us about her latest experience with Google's smart glasses prototypes, what Google is doing differently from Meta and Apple, and what she thinks Jony Ive and OpenAI might be building. Finally, we answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline about what to do now that Mozilla is shutting down Pocket.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Review: Switch 2 a significant upgrade, but the extra muscle comes at a cost
TORONTO — Nintendo bet big on innovation when it launched the Switch in 2017. Able to transform seamlessly from a home console to a handheld gaming device, and with an attractive price point, the video game system became a hit. According to Nintendo, the Switch has sold more than 152 million units as of March 31, making it the third-highest-selling console of all time. Eight years later, Nintendo has released the Switch's long-awaited successor. The Switch 2 doesn't break any ground, but packs a lot of extra power — at a price — while retaining what the original did well. Iteration, rather than innovation. With a couple of notable exceptions, the look and feel of the Switch 2 is fundamentally unchanged. The newer system boasts a significantly bigger screen when in handheld mode — 7.9 inches for the Switch 2 compared to 6.2 inches for the original — and the larger, more robust Joy Con controllers use an improved magnetic system when being attached to the sides of the unit. The biggest changes are under the hood, with a more powerful processor and the ability to play games in 4K resolution when the unit is docked and hooked up to a television. While necessary for being able to handle the more resource-intensive games slated for the Switch 2, the upgrade in hardware means a noticeable performance boost when running original Switch games. The extra muscle, however, comes at a cost. The Switch 2 retails at a hefty $630, a roughly 57-per-cent increase over the launch price of the original Switch. The increases don't stop with the hardware. "Mario Kart World," the big draw in the Switch 2's initial lineup of games, is listed at just under $110, about a $20 increase over the average price of a new Triple-A game for the Switch. The price tag is softened somewhat with the option to buy a $700 bundle that includes the system and the new "Mario Kart" game. In fairness, gaming has become a more expensive hobby across the board. In November, Sony launched the PlayStation 5 Pro console, a modest improvement over the original PS5, with the whopping price tag of $960. Those big numbers, however, do not seem to be deterring enthusiasts from opening their wallets. Demand for the Switch 2 has outstripped supply, with Canadian gamers wanting to get their hands on the system lined up at launch parties across the country when it went on sale at midnight ET on June 5. Nintendo said in a recent press release that the Switch 2 sold 3.5 million units worldwide over its first four days, making it the company's fastest-selling console. The Switch 2 is almost completely backwards compatible with the Switch, with most games and controllers working on the new system without issue. A significant exception, however, comes in storage. The Switch 2 uses microSD Express cards for extended storage, which are considerably more expensive than the standard microSD cards compatible with the Switch. This is mitigated somewhat by a far more generous 256 gigabytes of internal storage (224 GB more than the original Switch), but still bad news for any Switch users hoping to use expensive large-capacity microSD cards with the new system. Nintendo has also built improvements to its online experience into the Switch 2. The right Joy Con has an extra button that launches a "Game Chat" feature that allows communication with friends through a built in microphone, which can be upgraded to a video chat with a USB camera sold separately. The feature is free until March 21, 2026, after which a Nintendo Switch Online membership will be required (prices for individual memberships range from $25 to $64 annually). With a new "Mario Kart" game headlining the lineup of launch titles, Nintendo once again leveraged its array of blockbuster intellectual properties to sell a new system out of the gate. There is no other place to go to play in the immensely popular "Super Mario" and "Legend of Zelda" universes. But when it comes to third-party support, Nintendo's less powerful systems have lagged behind Sony's PlayStation and Microsoft's Xbox units for some time. That could be changing. One of the best games at launch is a port of the resource-intensive game "Cyberpunk 2077." The Switch 2 version performs very well in both docked and undocked modes, serving as an example of what the new console is capable of. And there are more intriguing ports on the way, including the 2022 megahit "Elden Ring." The Switch 2's draw will undoubtedly be its catalogue of exclusive games, and it's unlikely to become the third-party console of choice for high-end technophiles who are looking for top frame rates and peak graphical performance. But if Nintendo has closed the gap to the point where the differences in performance are less noticeable to the average gamer, then it will have gone a long way to neutralizing the original Switch's main disadvantage. A Switch 2 was loaned to The Canadian Press for review. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2025. Curtis Withers, The Canadian Press
Engadget
4 hours ago
- Engadget
Switch 2 Pro Controller review: Nintendo's best gamepad simply costs too much
Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products . For as long as I can remember, Nintendo's gamepads have been a core part of my life. The NES's original rectangular controller was awfully unergonomic, but I still loved it, and it set me down the path of being a lifelong gaming and gadget geek. The SNES's rounded gamepad practically defined my childhood. It's so iconic, you can still see echoes of its layout in most controllers today. I didn't have much love for the Nintendo 64's triple-armed monstrosity (or that system in general), but the Gamecube's cartoonishly quirky controller was fantastic, especially when Nintendo's WaveBird finally made wireless gaming a reality. And while I didn't like the Wiimote or Wii U tablet much either, I can respect the swings Nintendo took with both of them. Nintendo 88 100 Expert Score Switch 2 Pro Controller The Switch 2 Pro controller is clearly the most refined gamepad Nintendo has ever made. It's just a shame that it's so expensive and doesn't have Hall effect sticks. Pros Incredibly smooth joysticks Responsive face buttons Accurate D-pad Comfortable ergonomics Customizable rear buttons Cons So expensive No Hall effect sticks No analog triggers $85 at Best Buy So, believe me when I say this: The Switch 2 Pro Controller is the best gamepad Nintendo has ever made. It feels wonderfully ergonomic and luxurious in your hands, its joysticks are buttery smooth and all of its buttons deliver excellent feedback. It's a huge step up from the original Switch's Pro controller, which felt weirdly cheap and plasticky, especially when rotating its analog sticks. And, as an added bonus, the Switch 2 Pro controller is also customizable, thanks to two rear buttons that can be quickly programmed in any game. There's even a 3.5mm jack to plug in wired headphones, something I've never seen on a Nintendo controller before (but which has been standard on Xbox and PlayStation systems for decades). Switch 2 Pro Controller Switch 2 Pro Controller The Switch 2 Pro Controller isn't perfect, though. For one, it costs $85 (up from its originally announced $80 price, thanks to the Trump administration's tariffs). I suppose that's not as bad as buying a whole new pair of Joy-Con 2s for $95, and it's not too far off from the PlayStation 5's $75 Dual Sense 2, but it still stings. It's even more painful when you consider that 8Bitdo's excellent Ultimate wireless controller currently costs $50 (down from a $70 launch price), it works with the Switch 2, has rear buttons and it features Hall effect joysticks. That means they're impervious to the drifting problem that plagued the Switch 1's controllers. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement While gamers have been begging Nintendo to implement Hall effect sticks for years, the company still hasn't listened. Both the Joy-Con 2 and Switch 2 Pro Controller appear to use the same mechanism as the Switch 1's accessories. In an interview, Nintendo producer Kouichi Kawamoto said the company "redesigned everything from scratch," for the Joy-Con 2, and from my time with the Pro 2 Controller it also feels significantly different than before. But really, all I can do is hope and pray it doesn't start drifting. One Reddit user claimed that their Switch 2 Joy-Cons were drifting right out of the box, but that doesn't appear to be a widespread issue. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Beyond the pricing and technical disappointments, though, the Switch 2 Pro Controller is a dream to play with. It seriously leveled-up my Mario Kart World performance, since it was easier to drift around corners and hop up to rails without cramping my hands, something that's unavoidable with the Joy-Con 2. I was able to play for several hours with the new Pro controller and I didn't notice any pain, and I could also still hold it easily as my palms got sweaty. As someone who was raised on every version of Street Fighter 2 on the SNES, I also had to put the Switch 2 Pro Controller through its paces for fighting games. And let me tell you, the hadoukens came easily. The controller's D-pad sits under my left thumb comfortably, and it's a cinch to click and rotate to perform Street Fighter 2 moves. While playing Soulcalibur 2 (now available as part of the Gamecube Classics for Nintendo Online subscribers), the Switch 2 Pro controller was also comfortable while holding my right fingers above the face buttons, similar to an arcade stick. (That's a Soulcalibur technique I learned on the Dreamcast and never let go.) Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Despite being fine-tuned for Mario Kart, the Switch 2 Pro Controller isn't ideal for more realistic racing games since it doesn't have analog triggers like its predecessor. Nintendo engineers have said in interviews that the company opted for digital triggers since they're quicker to respond. Premium gamepads like the Xbox Elite have switches that let you choose between quick trigger modes and long analog presses, so there's clearly a cure for Nintendo's analog aversion. But implementing that sort of customization also makes gamepads far more complex and expensive. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement At least Nintendo gave us a modicum of customization with the Switch 2 Pro controller's rear GL and GR buttons, which sit right above the handle grips. You can instantly remap their functionality in any game from the Switch 2's quick settings menu, making it easier to do things like switch weapons or jump without moving your thumbs away from the joysticks. I ended up remapping the drift and action buttons in Mario Kart World to GL and GR, which helped me avoid reaching up to hit the top trigger buttons. You can also remap all of the Switch 2 Pro Controller's buttons from the Switch 2's accessibility menu, where you can create presets for different titles too. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget After around 10 hours of playing a variety of games, the Switch 2 Pro Controller's battery fell to 82 percent. Nintendo claims it can last up to 40 hours, but unfortunately I haven't been able to play that much during this review. Based on what I'm seeing, though, the gamepad should reach 40 hours easily. As much as I like the Switch 2 Pro Controller, it's undoubtedly an extravagance at $85 when 8Bitdo's Ultimate gamepad offers even more features for $50. But if you're a dedicated Nintendo fan, or you just can't accept third-party controllers, it's also one of the best gamepads you can buy today.
