Nintendo's Alarmo smart clock will hit retailers in March — no membership needed this time

Nintendo has a pretty big product on the horizon that we're all very excited about... and you'll be able to buy it in March from selected retailers.

That's right, the Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo will be available to buy "in stores at participating retailers" in just two months' time. You'll have to be quick though as Nintendo also confirmed the clock will be in stores "while supplies last".

Oh, I'm sorry — were you thinking about the Nintendo Switch 2? Unfortunately the big N is still keeping quiet about when we'll see that particular gaming juggernaut break cover. But if the rumors are to be believed, it'll be very very soon.

Right, back to Alarmo for the time being: the good news here is that you now won't need a Nintendo Switch Online membership to buy one. If you recall, Nintendo made the little device available on the My Nintendo Store in October, but would only sell one to subscribers. Now anyone can go ahead and pick one up, providing there's a store nearby that'll stock it.

Nintendo says Alarmo will be able to work as a sleep monitor that can track your body movements and respond based on your actions. Naturally, it features sound effects and theme songs from games including Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Pikmin 4, Splatoon 3 and Ring Fit Adventure.

If you don't immediately spring out of bed and reach for your sword the second you hear the Zelda theme, Alarmo's built-in motion sensors will know and play the music more intensely. Then, once you're out of bed, you'll hear a victory chime, like Mario's coin collection to give you a little sense of accomplishment. A nice alternative to one of the best sunrise alarm clocks.

During the day, the clock face will animate with characters from your selected theme game at the top of the hour.

Unfortunately, Alarmo isn't cheap at $99 — roughly half the amount you'll pay for a Nintendo Switch Lite.

For those in the U.K., the device will cost £89 but seemingly won't be available in stores. Nintendo posted to its U.K. X account that Alarmo "will remain a timed exclusive offer for Nintendo Switch Online members until early March, postponed from mid-January. After that, it will continue to be available only on #MyNintendoStore in the UK and Ireland."

Which isn't great for Nintendo fans across the pond, but I'm willing to bet most of them will be hoarding their Mario coins right now in anticipation of the Nintendo Switch 2 making an appearance in the coming months.

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