In an unexpected turn of events, Nintendo made an alarm clock. Yes, you read that right. It is an alarm clock that wakes you up in the morning. However, in a Nintendo twist, they are gamifying everyone’s least favorite process to start the day with the Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo.
The new Alarmo is not your standard alarm clock. Instead, it features interactive alarm sounds that change depending on your movement in bed. Nintendo’s Alarmo does not just use game soundtracks to wake people up. There is a combination of music and game sound effects that are amplified by the clock.
Upon release, five different games will be used for sounds: Super Mario Odyssey, Pikmin 4, Ring Fit Adventure, Splatoon 3, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. An example of some of the stuff you can hear is ink splats from Splatoon 3, like you’re battling as you shift around in bed. Or the sound of collecting coins in Super Mario Odyssey. Each game mode has seven different alarm sounds, which Nintendo calls “scenes.”
The sounds start off as pleasant, then become more urgent the longer you stay in bed and don’t get up. When you finally wake up, Alarmo rewards you with a cheerful tune to start your day off right. And how does it know if you’re in bed or not?
Well, Alarmo uses motion sensor technology that tracks your movements in bed, allowing you to snooze or turn off your alarm without touching it. Since the motion sensor captures your movement, the in-game sounds respond directly to your actions.
Besides waking someone up, Alarmo can also help you sleep, playing more calming game-inspired sounds to help wind down. Additionally, the clock keeps records of your sleep logs and movement in bed that you can look back on whenever. Alarmo also has a feature known as “hourly chime,” where a Nintendo character will signal a new hour has started.
Alarmo can be connected to the internet to receive free updates on alarms, with them potentially adding more games in the future. The announcement video hints at this when they show the covers of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Animal Crossing.
The Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo will be available through retail in early 2025 for $99.99. However, if you are a Nintendo Switch Online member in the U.S. and Canada, you can purchase Alarmo early on the My Nintendo Store right now. The Alarmo is also available to purchase in person at the Nintendo New York store.
