‘Arms’ brings shooter-esque boxing to the Nintendo Switch
Nintendo isn’t wasting any time with original games for its new Switch console. During its launch livestream tonight, the company announced Arms, a new boxing game that also shares a lot with shooters. It relies on motion controls to attack enemies from a distance. In practice, it looks like you’re punching with a bit of a delay, thanks to your freakishly long arms (get it?!). In many ways, Arms looks like the successor to Wii Boxing that we’ve been waiting for. Unfortunately, it won’t be ready for the Switch’s launch — you can expect it sometime in spring.
Click here to catch up on the latest news from Nintendo’s Switch event.
‘Super Mario Odyssey’ puts Nintendo’s plumber in the real world
Super Mario Odyssey is Nintendo’s latest Mario game and it’s due to hit the Switch during the holiday season this year. The new adventure is a sandbox-style game that throws Nintendo’s famous plumber into environments from the real world.
There’s also something strange going on with Mario’s hat — it has eyes and appears to be sentient in some way. Nintendo didn’t reveal many details about the plot of Super Mario Odyssey, but the hat definitely has a role to play. Also, Bowser and Peach are apparently having a royal wedding in the new game, but Peach doesn’t look too happy about it.
This looks like the 3D Mario game that we spotted when Nintendo revealed the Switch back in October.
Mario’s hat looks quite unusual. What role will it play in this adventure…? Coming to #NintendoSwitch Holiday 2017. #SuperMarioOdyssey pic.twitter.com/c0SwnRAbo9
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) January 13, 2017
Click here to catch up on the latest news from Nintendo’s Switch event.
‘Splatoon 2’ brings new weapons, stages and fashion to Nintendo Switch
When Splatoon announced that its late July Splatfest would be its last online multiplayer event, there was a collective sigh from Miiverse. The multiplayer shooter dragged Nintendo into a competitive gaming space it had never competed in before — it was fun, frantic and had a lot of personality. Thankfully, the franchise lives on. Today Nintendo announced that the Switch version of Splatoon isn’t a remastered port, but a full sequel.
At a glance, the game looks a lot like its predecessor, but the game’s producer, Hisashi Nogami, says there’s plenty of new content. In addition to getting what looks like a much improved frame rate, Splatoon 2 will feature new stages, new fashion styles, new special attacks and new weapons — including a pair of dual pistols called the ‘splat dualies’ that can apparently be used like rockets to propel the player across the stage.
Just like with the original game, players will have the option of using gyro-controls to aim — a control style Nogami says will be available no matter what controller the player chooses to use. And Splatoon 2 uses all of them: the game can be played using the Joy-Cons, in portable mode, detached from the TV and even with the Switch Pro Controller.
That’s all nice, but Splatoon 2 surpasses the original in one key way: it has local multiplayer. For the first time players will be able to face off in a proper battle (as opposed to the first title’s minigames) with other local players. Unfortunately, the game won’t be available at launch: Splatoon 2 is scheduled to hit stores this summer.
Click here to catch up on the latest news from Nintendo’s Switch event.
Nintendo Switch controllers tout sharing and object detection
It was evident from the get-go that the Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Con controllers weren’t just your ordinary gamepads. However, the console’s launch event has revealed that they do much, much more besides detach and offer local two-player play. The left-side Joy-Con has a sharing button, for starters — you can take screenshots to show off memorable moments. The Switch won’t share video right away (one area where the PS4 and Xbox One have an edge), but Nintendo is promising that it’s in the works.
The Joy-Cons have both motion detection and fairly sophisticated vibration feedback. In its promo clip, Nintendo claimed that you could not only tell that someone had dumped ice cubes into a glass, but how many cubes there were. And the left-hand controller can detect objects in front of it — Nintendo used the classic “rock, paper, scissors” game as an example.
Some of the mini pads’ features are expected. The right-side Joy-Con has an NFC pad for your Amiibo, and there will be wrist straps to avoid flinging controllers across the room. And did we mention that the Joy-Cons will come in blue and red? The best part: you won’t necessarily have to pay extra for this gear. The wrist straps are included in the box, and you can buy a Switch system that includes the blue and red Joy-Cons for the same price as the somber gray models. If you do need extra controllers, they’re $80 for a pair and $50 if you just need one for an extra player. An extra grip is $30, and the Pro Controller will set you back $70.
Click here to catch up on the latest news from Nintendo’s Switch event.
Source: Nintendo (YouTube)
‘Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’ lands on Switch at launch
Game consoles don’t tend to have stand-out, killer software at launch, but Nintendo is bucking the trend again. The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild will be released in concert with the console itself on March 3, 2017. Not picking up the new console? The game comes out the same day for the Wii U. If this seems familiar it’s because Nintendo did something similar with Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, launching it on the Wii and Gamecube simultaneously.
To help make the wait seem a little shorter, Nintendo also debuted a new trailer for the game, showing off a few familiar sights (like the Master Sword) as well as our hero of Time, Link rode on horseback, lighting up foes with fire arrows and of course, hang gliding and riding on horseback. It all looked seriously pretty, too. If you missed it during the stream, we’ll embed it as soon as NIntendo puts it on YouTube, just be patient.
Click here to catch up on the latest news from Nintendo’s Switch event.
Nintendo Switch battery lasts three hours of portable ‘Zelda’
Nintendo’s new hybrid console is rated for “more than six hours” of use away from an outlet, but mileage will vary depending on the game. In a press release sent out following last night’s Switch event, Nintendo says that launch title “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild can be played for roughly three hours on a single charge.” Obviously, less-taxing games will last considerably longer, allowing Nintendo to claim six hours of battery life with a clear conscience.
Whenever the Switch is docked to the TV it automatically charges, so you should leave the house with a full battery every time. However, the Switch uses regular USB Type-C for charging, so you could feasibly top up with the same charger you use for your laptop or phone.
Click here to catch up on the latest news from Nintendo’s Switch event.
Nintendo classics get online multiplayer on the Switch
The Nintendo Switch features a new, paid subscription model that grants players access to online multiplayer features — and something extra. According to the Nintendo Switch Online Service website, anyone who subscribes will be able to download and play one classic game from the Nintendo Entertainment System or Super Nintendo Entertainment System per month, “with newly-added online play.”
The wording on this one makes it unclear if both the NES and SNES games will have online play, but it would be a first for either platform. The full sentence reads as follows: “Subscribers will get to download and play a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) or Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super NES) game (with newly-added online play) for free for a month.”
We’ve reached out to Nintendo for clarification and will update this story as we hear back.
When the Switch comes out on March 3rd (for $300), anyone will be able to access online features, including multiplayer, for free during a public trial period. That ends in the fall, and Nintendo will then roll out the paid online service. Alongside online multiplayer, the subscription grants access to the dedicated Switch smartphone app, which players can use to talk with Switch-owning friends outside of games and during online matches in compatible titles. Plus, it looks like there will be discounts and other goodies for people in the online Switch club.
At launch in the fall, the Switch Online Service will be available only in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Click here to catch up on the latest news from Nintendo’s Switch event.
Source: Nintendo Switch Online Service
Nintendo will sell extra Switch accessories separately
You won’t have to trawl eBay or get a whole new unit in case you lose one of Switch’s tiny Joy-Cons or if your dog chews on its dock. Nintendo will sell extra accessories for the console separately — it has even revealed how much each one would cost you. A single Joy-Con is $50, while a pair (in any color combination) will set you back $80. Too lazy to plug and unplug the dock into different TVs in your home? You can get an extra dock set, which includes an AC adapter and an HDMI cable, for $90. Sure, they’re kind of expensive, but at least you can buy them, unlike the Wii U’s GamePad.
Nintendo will also sell a $30 charging grip that combines your extra Joy-Cons into one controller and gives you a way to keep playing even when your controllers’ batteries are low. Finally, the company will sell two Joy-Con Wheels as a $15 set for any racing game coming to the platform. The Switch, which won’t be region-locked and has online multiplayer, will land on March 3rd for $300.
Source: Nintendo
Intuition Robotics ElliQ Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Intuition Robotics
We saw no shortage of Amazon Echo copycats at CES. ElliQ is another such device in the mold of Amazon’s always-listening speaker, except ElliQ is specifically designed for the elderly.
From Intuition Robotics, a startup focused on technology for social companionship, the ElliQ was designed by Yves Behar’s firm fuseproject, and it has the look of a slick, futuristic device. The main piece has what looks like two all-white lamps stacked on each other. The top one moves around and lights up to give ElliQ a personality. The secondary piece is essentially a tablet that ElliQ can control to show more information and start video calls.
Tailored for senior citizens
At first glance, nothing about ElliQ screams “Echo for the elderly” to me, but apparently, it’s meant to have personality without looking like a robot and thus being off-putting for those uncomfortable with new tech.
Other Alexa imitators
- Rokid Pebble
- Baidu Little Fish
- SmartBeings WooHoo
Like the Echo, ElliQ can play music or podcasts. You can control it with your voice without having to read or touch anything. Beyond the Echo, ElliQ will tell you if you’ve received a message and help you interact with social media. In the debut video, when a young relative posts a picture message, ElliQ informs the convivial grandmother, and offers to show the picture on the screen. The grandmother then dictates a response to ElliQ.
I like the idea of vocal push notifications — something the Echo doesn’t have — which would be especially useful to help a senior citizen with the tech. ElliQ can also offer reminders about appointments, and urge you to take your medicine or go out for a walk. Supposedly, ElliQ learns and adapts to behavior over time.
Showing off ElliQ
On display starting today at the Design Museum in London, Intuition Robotics will start trial runs with ElliQ in the bay area next month. Since it doesn’t work with Amazon’s Alexa, the Google Assistant or Apple’s Siri, I’ll need to see it to believe that it responds as seamlessly to voice commands as shown in the company’s video.
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Check out all the smart home products at CES 2017 (so far)
As the first always-listening voice assistant that’s proactive as well as reactive, ElliQ will also need to walk the line with those push notifications and avoid becoming annoying. I admire the active approach to using tech to engage with elderly relatives, but my grandma, for one, would toss it in the garbage the first time it overstepped its bounds and annoyed her. We don’t have any pricing information on ElliQ yet, but hopefully the gamble of giving your older relative a high-tech companion will be a reasonable splurge.
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