Another new Pokemon game is coming to Android, but you can’t play it yet
Pokéland is out for Android now, as long as you’re one of the lucky few to have signed up already.
Nintendo and The Pokémon Company are pulling out all the stops with Pokémon on mobile this year. Immediately following the launch of the simpler Magikarp Jump, a new game called Pokéland has hit the Google Play Store. Before you get too excited, the game is currently in a limited beta, initially available only to the first 10,000 people to sign up. As you can imagine, that number was reached quite quickly, so the rest of us will be waiting a while.
Instead of wandering the real world in search of creatures to catch or swimming around with a single Magikarp, Pokéland is all about combat. The game is very much in the style of the Pokémon Rumble game, only aimed at phones instead of Nintendo products.
For the uninitiated, Pokémon Rumble features more polygonal, toy-shaped versions of Pokémon which break out of quarter vending machine-style capsules for you to collect and fight with. Matches are usually quick, and the “story” mode usually features increasingly complex battle mechanics with larger “boss” versions of the toys later on.
The most interesting thing we know so far about the game is that your Nintendo Account will be a part of the login process. This means your Nintendo Mii will be a part of the game and allow you to interact and fight with other players, but it may also mean some form of connection with previous games in this style.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on this one, but if you were one of the 10,000 to get in be sure to sound off in the comments!
Moto Z2 Play announced as Verizon exclusive in July, coming unlocked ‘later this summer’ for $499
The Moto Z2 Play is a solid upgrade over the Z Play in all but one area, and offers one of the best software experiences on any Android phone right now.
The rumors are true: Motorola has no intention to release a “plain” Moto Z this year — or at least it isn’t talking about it right now. What it is talking about is the follow-up to the successful and surprising performant battery leader, the Moto Z Play.
Aptly called the Moto Z2 Play, it will be available sometime in July once again as a Verizon carrier exclusive in the U.S., though this year it is wisely doing without the “Droid” addendum. It will also be sold unlocked through Motorola.com later this summer for $499, which amounts to a $50 premium over the Moto Z Play when it debuted last October.
More: Moto Z2 Play specs
The phone isn’t particularly different than last year’s Moto Z Play, and in one big way is a downgrade, but it’s still an impressive and well-rounded handset that achieves the company’s goal of consolidating two devices into one. We now have a smaller 3000mAh battery (compared to the original’s 3510mAh), but it’s also thinner, at 5.99 mm, and manages to maintain the beautiful aluminum back of the Moto Z and the popular headphone jack that phone went without.
The design is almost the same, but the new fingerprint sensor more than makes up for it.
While the design is largely unchanged from all of the other Moto Z products, the Z2 Play adopts the much-improved oblong front fingerprint sensor (and the useful One Button Nav feature that debuted on the Moto G5 earlier this year). It also features a slightly faster Snapdragon 626 processor, and a standard configuration of 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage
— slight bumps over the 2016 version.
On the back, a 12MP sensor with Dual Autofocus abilities and 1.4-micron pixels, along with an f/1.7 lens, promises vast improvements in the optics department. But camera aside, the real story this year is actually in the software: Motorola has done a fair amount, along with its upgrade to Android 7.1.1, to make the Moto Display and general Android experience that much better for the average user.
More: Fresh set of Moto Mods announced alongside Moto Z2 Play
Along with the announcement of the Moto Z2 Play, Motorola is launching a bunch of new Moto Mods, including a $79.99 JBL SoundBoost 2, a $79.99 Moto TurboPower Pack charger, a $39.99 Wireless Charging Style Shell and, later this summer, a very exciting $79.99 GamePad, which adds physical gaming controls to any Moto Z device.
See at Motorola
Motorola’s GamePad Moto Mod is arriving this summer for $79.99 alongside other fresh Mod options
Game better, charge better and listen better with new Moto Mods coming soon for the Moto Z lineup.
Back at Mobile World Congress, Motorola announced a number of interesting Mods for its Moto Z line, and we now know how much they’ll be and when they’ll be available.
If you’re not familiar, Moto Mods are Motorola’s take on augmenting smartphone features by magnetically attaching accessories through very strong magnets to a high-speed data port on the back of the phone. Exclusive to the Moto Z series, the accessories run the gamut from simple batteries to a Hasselblad-branded camera and portable pico projector.
Now, there are three new ones coming in July, with a fourth, the much-anticipated GamePad accessory, arriving later in the summer. And remember, these aren’t exclusive to the new Moto Z2 Play — they’re backwards-compatible to the rest of the Moto Z line as well.
The ultimate list of Moto Mods
JBL SoundBoost 2
Not sure that this one needed a sequel, but JBL’s second SoundBoost speaker Mod is rounder and considerably more portable than the first, with the same excellent bassy sound and 10-hour battery life.
It now comes in black, red, and blue variants, with a reinforced metal kickstand that props it up when listening on the go. It’s also splashproof, which is nice that, along with the Moto Z line’s water resistant nano-coating, it can stand up to being by the pool or caught in the rain.
Coming in July for $79.99.
Moto TurboPower Pack
Love this one. A 3490mAh battery that’s barely thicker than all of Motorola’s previous battery Mods, the TurboPower pack charges using Moto’s fast charge spec — up to 15 watts — which should bring any of the Moto Z products up to very, very quickly. It’s also easily rechargeable using USB-C independent from the phone, which is a bonus.
Coming in July for $79.99.
Moto Style Shell with Wireless Charging
This one is fairly simple: it’s a regular textured Style Shell that, for $39.99, adds both Qi and PMA wireless charging to your Moto Z. Looks pretty good but adds too much thickness to keep it permanently attached to the back of my Moto Z or Z2 Play. Maybe just leave it next to the bed and swap it in every night.
Coming in July for $39.99.
Moto GamePad
I got to try an early prototype of this one, and it’s really neat. There are two analog sticks and nice, clicky buttons, and while Motorola won’t currently comment on whether it is working with developers to optimize specific games for the GamePad, all games with built-in controller support will work out of the box.
We don’t have a specific shipping date other than late summer, but we know that it’s coming soon for $79.99.
More: Moto Z2 Play review
See at Motorola
Moto Z2 Play specs
The Moto Z2 Play is here, and this is what’s inside!
The Moto Z2 Play is Motorola’s first Android flagship of the year, and while it bears a close resemblance to its predecessor, it has a few tricks up its sleeve. First and foremost, the Snapdragon 626 processor is 10% faster than the Snapdragon 625 in the original, and additional RAM and storage make for a more flagship-like experience. The rear camera is considerably improved — a 12MP sensor with an f/1.7 lens and 1.4 micron pixels — and the software has been given a bump up to Android 7.1.1 with a brand new Moto Display experience.
But the battery has taken a hit: the 3510mAh battery has been reduced 17% to 3,000mAh, reducing the thickness by a full millimeter.
| Operating system | Android 7.1.1Moto Display, Voice, Actions |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 processor Octa-core Cortex-A53 @ 2.2 GHz 14nm process |
| GPU | Adreno 506 GPU @ ~650 MHz |
| Screen | 5.5-inch Full HD (1920×1080, 403 ppi) AMOLED |
| RAM | 3GB4GB (Moto Maker) |
| Storage | 32GB64GB (Moto Maker and international) |
| Expandability | microSD up to 2TB |
| Rear camera | 12MP, Dual Autofocus Pixel phase-detect, laser autofocus 1.4-micron pixels f/1.7 lens dual-LED flash |
| Video capture | 720p (120fps), 1080p, 4K (30fps) |
| Front camera | 5MP 1.4-micron pixels f/2.2 wide-angle lens front-facing flash |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.5 mm headphone jack |
| Moto Mods support | Yes |
| Water resistance | Water-repellent coating |
| Security | One-touch fingerprint sensor |
| Battery | 3000mAhTurboPower charger (8 hrs battery in 15 min) |
| Colors | Lunar Gray, Fine Gold, Nimbus Blue, Super Black |
| Dimensions | 156.2 x 76.2 x 5.99 mm |
| Weight | 145g |
| LTE Bands | CDMA 850, 1900 MHz GSM/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz HSPA+ 850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz LTE Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 41, 66 |
Moto Z2 Play review: Midnight in the garden of good and sequel
The Moto Z2 Play is a great phone, but it’s not a great sequel.
The quick take
Motorola went iterative for its Moto Z Play sequel, announcing it just nine months after the original. It’s not a complete overhaul, and in two major ways is a downgrade, but it’s also one of the most well-rounded and enjoyable-to-use Android phones on the market.
The Good
- Excellent performance
- Beautifully made and well-designed
- Good battery life
- Commendable camera quality
- Moto Mods support
The Bad
- Higher price than its predecessor
- Choice of aging processor isn’t great
- Worse battery life than previous generation
Last year was tough for Motorola. It fundamentally altered the way it approached building, marketing and selling phones, upending its traditional flagship X lineup for something more exciting and far less traditional: a series of ultra-thin phones with add-on capabilities.
Moto Z. Moto Mods. A distinct and predictable design and screen size for at least two years to ensure compatibility. We’re now into the second year of the Moto Z line, beginning with the Moto Z2 Play, and despite a few deserving criticisms, I could not be happier with the device.
About this review
I, Daniel Bader, am writing this review after using the Moto Z2 Play for one week on both the AT&T network in the U.S. and the Rogers network in Canada. It was running Android 7.1.1 build NPS26.74-34 with the May 1, 2017 security update. It was not updated during the review period.
Thin, at the cost of battery
Moto Z2 Play Hardware
If you’ve used a Moto Z or Moto Z Play, you’ll know what to expect here. In fact, the Moto Z2 Play is a hybrid of those devices, thinning out the girthy frame of the original while replacing its scratch-prone glass back with the same smooth aluminum of the higher-end flagships.
That alone can’t justify the extra $50 base — the Moto Z2 Play will cost $499 when it debuts unlocked in the U.S. later this summer — but there are a few choice upgrades that do.
Still great, but more expensive.
For starters, the Snapdragon 626 that powers the phone is 10% faster than the 625 in the Z Play, and the phone now comes standard with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. Its 5.5-inch 1080p AMOLED display is not changed from the original, which is fine: the 626 can’t support higher-resolution displays, and doesn’t need to, since I’ve found this size and density to be a long-term sweet spot for battery life.
Underneath the screen, you’ll find the only major aesthetic difference between the Z2 Play and its predecessor: the front fingerprint sensor is now rounded, and much wider, making it easier to find and activate. There’s also the optional One Button Nav feature, which I don’t care for but understand many people, including our own Harish Jonnalagadda, have fallen in love with since it debuted on the Moto G5 series. To be honest, I’d update to the Moto Z2 Play for the improved fingerprint sensor alone, but there is more.
The phone is a full millimeter thinner than the Moto Z Play, owing to a 17% smaller battery cell that the company hopes you’ll augment with one of the company’s new high-capacity battery Moto Mods. Yes, there’s only a 3000mAh battery in here now, and while it doesn’t completely decimate the superior uptime of the original, it definitely cuts into its legacy a little bit.
The phone is a millimeter thinner than the Moto Z Play, but that doesn’t make up for the loss in battery life.
This is a vexing and, in my opinion, ill-conceived move by the company; the Moto Z Play built a legacy on incredible multi-day battery life, and now I’m lucky to finish the day with 15% remaining in the tank. There are other reasons to buy the Moto Z2 Play, for sure — the camera is a huge upgrade, for instance — but the $449 original grew into an low-key battery darling through word of mouth and effective advertising.
Standard slick Moto
Moto Z2 Play Software
Though the older phones in the series may receive the same upgrade at some point this year, right now the Moto Z2 Play showcases the best of Motorola’s understated software effectiveness. Nowhere is that better conveyed than the updates to Moto Display, which now support image thumbnails quick replies without having to unlock the phone.
Here’s what I wrote about Moto Display last year, in the Moto Z Play review:
Moto Display. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: If you value notifications — and if you’re using an Android phone, you likely do — Motorola’s screen-off implementation is the best there is.
It’s amazing how, despite improvements in always-on display technology from Samsung, LG, and even Google, nothing can touch what Motorola continues to do here.
Another interesting, but far less useful, feature this year is something called “Show Me.” Inserted as part of the Moto Voice suite, it allows you to launch a number of screen overlay widgets, or any app on the phone by saying “Show Me X” when the display is off. The whole thing is remarkably, annoyingly simple: it uses Google’s Voice Search API to recognize that single phrase paired with a host of commands like “Show me the weather” and “Show me my schedule,” or “Show me Twitter.” Of the commands that are pre-programmed, a fullscreen widget sits on top of the screen until you dismiss it; when asked to open an app, a small graphic shows up near the top beckoning you to pull it down.
I don’t anticipate anyone will really find much use from this extremely limited and poorly-implemented feature, and it’s worrisome that something so ham-fisted and half-baked was included on a Moto device, but I hope that Motorola takes it back to the engineering team with plans to either drastically improve it, or eliminate it altogether, especially since the Moto Z2 Play also supports screen-off “OK Google” prompting.
That brings me to the launcher, which is adapted from the one found on the Moto G5 Plus and is about as close as you’ll find to the Pixel Launcher without Google’s name on it. Google’s Feed (formerly Google Now) is a swipe to the right, while the app drawer is a swipe up from the translucent icon dock. Thanks to Nougat’s improved screen scaling options, you can now fit more icons on the screen at a time, and the entire thing just flies. I love this launcher, and hope that older Moto devices inherit it in a future update.
Questionable decisions
Moto Z2 Play Performance and battery life
The Moto Z Play is well known to be one of the biggest battery surprises of 2016: it just keeps on going. It’s easily a two-day phone and can be, with a Moto Mod battery attachment, a long weekend phone if you’re careful with use.
The Moto Z2 Play shaves 17% from its predecessor’s battery capacity while adding 10% of clock speed to a chip that has otherwise no additional energy efficiencies. So while I would not say that the Z2 Play disappoints when it comes to uptime, I would quickly follow up by saying that it no longer impresses, either. It’s just good, and in 2017, that’s not good enough.
Performance, on the other hand, is demonstrably improved over the Moto Z Play, particularly in app load speeds. Coupled with that additional performance from the Snapdragon 626 SoC, Motorola has upped the base RAM amount to 4GB (though a cheaper 3GB option will be available if you care to save $50 from the unlocked MSRP, though I wouldn’t bother). I really tested this phone, and came away impressed each time: despite the lack of high-powered Cortex-A72 cores, the Snapdragon 626 is a fine chip, and one that managed to keep up with my demanding workload every time.
Much better
Moto Z2 Play Camera
The front-facing camera on the Z2 Play is identical to its predecessor’s, and it’s good. Fine.
The rear camera, however, has been G5’d, dropping from 16MP to 12MP while expanding the aperture to f/1.7 and adding Dual Focus Pixels to make the laser-assisted and phase-detection autofocus options even more accurate.
In daylight shots, I came away impressed with what this shooter was capable of. And despite it not coming close to the lifelike sharpness and accuracy of the Galaxy S8, it did a great job taking digital photos that, well, look digital.
In low light, the Moto Z2 Play really impressed me: it managed to find the right exposure and focus in even the most challenging of lighting situations. And unlike the Moto G5 Plus, which on paper has an identical camera setup, I came away from the Moto Z2 Play with a bunch of great low-light shots that I wanted to share.
The problem with the Z2 Play’s camera is its speed: its aging image signal processor just can’t keep up with the latest-generation stuff from Qualcomm. That angst is exacerbated by the fact that the phone doesn’t run Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 630 SoC, which features a much-improved image signal processor.
If you don’t use a Style Shell back cover, the camera hump can get annoying to avoid, and distracting.
There were more than a few situations I found myself with a photo of action past, or action blurred. The camera just doesn’t know when to ramp up light sensitivity (ISO) in order to preserve a higher shutter speed and avoid a blurry subject. Anyone with a dog or a kid knows how crucial that intelligence is, and newer phones, like the Galaxy S8, do a far better job in this respect.
Chip questions
Moto Z2 Play Odds and ends
Like last year’s model, the Z2 Play features maximum LTE download speeds of 300Mbps and 150Mbps, with 2x carrier aggregation. That’s far behind the incumbents, and half the potential of the newer Snapdragon 630 and 660 chips, the latter of which is coming to phones very shortly and will eat up a lot of space in this $500 price point.
It may have been a mistake not to wait for the Snapdragon 630, or opt for a slightly higher price with the Snapdragon 660.
While I had no connectivity problems at all, and managed to find LTE-Advanced in a number of areas around New York and Toronto, I can’t help but feel that Motorola did itself a huge disservice not waiting for the Snapdraogn 660, even if it meant eating some of the profit from this new phone. The Snapdragon 626 is old news from a network standpoint.
But I did use the phone to make calls and listen to music over Bluetooth and connect to Wi-Fi and do a bunch of other things people do with their portable computers and loved how reliable everything was. Not a dropped call nor a stuttery connection. And the single front-facing speaker? Pretty darn good.
The bottom line
Moto Z2 Play: You should probably buy it
I love this phone. I don’t even want to go back to my Samsung Galaxy S8 right now because the Moto Z2 Play does everything I need it to, and has the deep (and growing deeper) Moto Mods ecosystem to help do what it can’t out of the box. That’s great.
But I am also partial to many things Motorola does, including (especially) Moto Display and a low-fat version of Android. I am also not overly concerned about the diminished battery, despite the fact that I no longer get the same astronomical uptime as I did on the Z Play. That’s because I always have a portable charger with me, and the Z2 Play still — even without anything external — still manages to last the whole day with room to spare. That room is just a little more cramped this time around.
Finally, I love the little things, like the speed and placement of the fingerprint sensor, and the way the camera takes reliable photos in basically any lighting condition. I appreciate the aluminum back, which means I don’t have to wear a Style Shell if I don’t want to. I love the well-calibrated side buttons.
I am also aware that the phone is probably too expensive, at $499 unlocked, for most people, and that when it’s available at a carrier (for an unknown price right now) it’s once again going to be a Verizon exclusive for a while before an unlocked model comes available. I know that the chip inside the phone is already old, and will get older quickly. And I know that the 3000mAh battery is going to turn off the very people that made the Moto Z Play such a cult hit in the first place.
I know all these things and yet, after using the phone, I don’t really care. After using the phone yourself, you probably won’t care, either.
See at Motorola
Google and KISS made Live Cases, and you can buy them
This marketing opportunity was totally a coincidence.
Gene Simmons owns, and according to a blog post from Google really loves, Google’s Pixel. It’s a solid phone to be sure, and it looks like he’s a big fan of the camera which makes a lot of sense. The thing he really loves about his Pixel nowadays? The money he and his bandmates are going to make from the new line of Live Cases with Kiss artwork all over the back.
It’s not really clear how many people fall into the venn diagram of Pixel or Nexus owners and hardcore KISS fans, but if you head to the Live Case creator tool you’ll see 12 KISS designs you can set up on your case however you choose. And, because it’s a Live Case, you set whatever you want on the hot button on the back of the case when it arrives. It’s in the Artwork section, just in case you get lost looking for it.
Do these cases give you Reason to Live, or are they something out of the Psycho Circus? Sound off in the comments!
How much did you pay for your Galaxy S8?
A little? A lot? Did you get a deal through a wholesaler? Share your secrets with others in the Android Central forums.
The weird thing about smartphones is that despite the manufacturer’s original price tag, not every device is equally priced. It’s too bad, too, because that means that some of you are paying incredible prices for the same technology your friend maybe saved a few bucks on. Pricing configurations can be strange.
That’s why this is your chance to help another person out — more specifically, one of your fellow Android Central forum members. Have you received an amazing discount on Samsung’s Galaxy S8 or S8+? Or perhaps you’ve seen a bundle sold somewhere else online that seemed too good to pass up? Or maybe your carrier isn’t holding out on you, and you want to spread the good word?
Forum member mrwally is all about that discount from Sprint:
mrwallyy
05-29-2017 11:46 AM“
Hey all,
I’ve been ready to upgrade to a new phone and finally decided to pull the trigger on the S8+. Of course, the price threw me off and made me look at other phones, until I decided to contact my phone company Sprint and ask if they had any specials.
Well, the customer service rep gave me a deal of $35.xx per month for 24 months – $16 monthly credit for 24 months = $19.xx per month *…
Reply
There are a few caveats with regards to getting the phone through the carrier, however, and that’s the fact that you don’t actually own the phone until it’s paid off. But some people, like vjh425, still think it sounds like a “pretty good deal!”
05-29-2017 02:40 PM“
When you lease, you have the option to pay the remaining payments (6 more to equal 24) I believe so that you own the phone. Otherwise, you can upgrade and return the leased phone, I believe.
OP that sounds like a pretty good deal!
Reply
What about you? Have you received a great deal from your carrier or favorite brick and mortar store? Or perhaps you managed to find a bundle somewhere that’s worth the deal? Leave a comment in our forums or leave a comment below!
Join the discussion in our forums!
These are the Oculus Rift games launching in June
What Rift games are coming out in June?
Updated May 29, 2017: We will continue to refresh this list at the beginning of a new month to ensure you’re in the know when it comes to the Rift games being released soon!
The library of Oculus Rift games continues to grow each month, both on the Oculus store and on Steam. To help you decide what to save up for, or just to give you something to look forward to, here are the Rift games confirmed to be coming June 2017.
See the full list of June Oculus Rift games at VR Heads!
Amazon Echo vs Google Home: Where today’s best voice assistants fall short
Tell me about the things Amazon Echo and Google Home don’t do.
We talk a lot about the cool things Amazon and Google have pulled off with the Echo and Home speakers, but the one big thing these speakers have in common is room to grow. Neither system is perfect, and the things these speakers get wrong or just plain can’t do are an important metric of what the teams working on these gadgets see as a priority.
With that in mind, we’ve got a quick guide for you to see what exactly these connected speakers are missing or don’t get quite right.
| Multiple Wake Words | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Multi-room music | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Sleep Timer | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Audiobooks | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Track Packages | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Separate voice recognition | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Chromecast support | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Custom shortcuts | ✔️ | ❌ |
Multiple Wake Words — Echo has it, Home does not
While the world waits for the ability to set whatever word you want as the trigger for waking up a connected home speaker, Amazon Echo speakers have multiple options while Google Home only has one.
It’s slim pickings, but being able to choose between Alexa, Echo, Amazon, and Computer is way better than choosing between Hey Google and OK Google.
Multi-room music — Home has it, Echo does not
The only thing better than one Google Home is two Google Homes, at least when you’re trying to play some music throughout your house.
Google Home is part of the Google Cast system, which means you can connect to any Google Home and play as one speaker and even add in Chromecast Audio speakers if you use the Chromecast function on your phone. Amazon Echo doesn’t do anything even close to this yet.
Sleep Timer — Echo has it, Home does not
Listening to music or podcasts is one of the best parts of having a connected speaker nearby. Having that podcast continue on without you because you fell asleep halfway through is considerably less cool.
If you feel yourself getting tired, you can ask an Amazon Echo to set a sleep timer, which means when the timer ends whatever you are listening to stops. Google Home doesn’t do this yet, and it really should when you consider how many things you can play through it.
Audiobooks — Echo has it, Home does not
Despite both Amazon and Google having book services which include the ability to read the book aloud to you, only the Echo supports audiobook playback through the speaker.
This is probably because Audible is the most popular audiobook service on the planet and an Amazon exclusive, but Google should still consider offering up an alternative.
Package tracking — Echo has it, Home does not
You can order things from both Amazon Echo and Google Home, but only one of these speakers lets you ask “where’s my stuff” and get tracking information in response.
Amazon’s tracking information is tied directly into its shopping system, which means the Echo is able to offer detailed explanations for order status that Home doesn’t have access to right now.
Separate voice recognition — Home has it, Echo does not
Amazon and Google both support multiple users in Echo and Home now, but if you want to switch between users on an Echo you need to ask specifically for an account switch.
Google Home is far less limited, using voice detection to switch accounts just by picking up your voice and attaching it to your account.
Chromecast support — Home has it, Echo does not
You can control your television with an Amazon Echo and some additional accessories, but Google Home gives you control over the Chromecast.
Through the Google Chromecast support, it’s possible to pick a video and send it to the television with just your voice. While it is playing, you also have the ability to play and pause with your voice. Currently, Amazon Echo can’t do any of this.
Custom shortcuts — Home has it, Echo does not
For the most part, commands on Amazon Echo and Google Home are simple and easy to remember. That doesn’t mean they’re convenient, which is why Google allows for custom shortcuts when creating your own commands through IFTTT.
Where Amazon would have you say “Alexa, trigger lights out” to access your Light Out command in IFTTT, Google Home lets you not only simplify this to “Hey Google, lights out” but also set multiple custom command for this same action.
Amazon Echo
- Amazon Echo review
- Echo Dot review
- Top Echo Tips & Tricks
- Tap, Echo or Dot: The ultimate Alexa question
- Amazon Echo vs. Google Home
- Get the latest Alexa news
Amazon
Google Home
- Google Home review
- These services work with Google Home
- Google Home vs. Amazon Echo
- Join our Google Home forums!
Google Store Best Buy Target
Nintendo SNES Classic Mini: Release date, games and everything you need to know
After the incredible success of its miniature, remade NES console, Nintendo is allegedly working on a follow-up; this time based on the much-loved Super Nintendo Entertainment System, or SNES for short.
A Nintendo Classic Mini: SNES is heavily tipped for release in 2017 and we’ll be queuing for one, that’s for sure.
While we await official details on the SNES Classic Mini, we present everything we know about the machine so far and speculate on what games could be included. We’ll update this feature as more details become available.
SNES Classic Mini: What is it?
Nintendo released a miniature version of its first household games console in November last year and it sold out almost immediately. The Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom in Japan) was priced at £50 in the UK and came with 30 Nintendo games pre-installed. An included controller, shaped like the one that came with the 80s original, was included in the box and an optional second could be added for two-player games.
Apart from its size, the NES Classic Mini also included an HDMI port to connect it to a TV and clever picture upscaling technologies to ensure the 8-bit games looked good, even when expanded to fit a 55-inch or more.
Unfortunately, because it was extremely popular, gamers who didn’t manage to pre-order one prior to release were unlikely to get one for the original price. They still fetch anywhere up to £250 each on reseller sites such as eBay – five times the original retail price. Nintendo has also confirmed that it has no plans to manufacture new units in any territory.
That is possibly because it is concentrating on a sequel instead. Like the NES was followed by the SNES in the early 90s, so too will the Classic Mini version.
Eurogamer first reported that development of a SNES Classic Mini console was underway mid-April. Its sources pointed to the device hitting stores at the end of the year. This time it will sport a range of Super Nintendo (Super Famicom) titles and up the ante when it comes to graphics and audio performance, to match the 16-bit original.
A further leak to appear on Eurogamer, this time by Microsoft as part of an Xbox E3 2017 survey, listed the Nintendo SNES Classic Edition as part of reader response to possible E3 announcements. It was included along with Xbox Project Scorpio, PS4 Pro, Nintendo Switch and “upcoming games”.
- Can’t buy a NES Classic Mini? How to build your own retro console for just £50
SNES Classic Mini: Release date
Eurogamer didn’t mention an actual release in its initial report, just saying that the mini console should debut “in time for Christmas” this year.
That matches the release schedule of the NES Classic Mini, which hit shelves on 11 November in the UK and US. It was announced officially several months before though, with pre-orders opening on 21 July 2016 – so if Nintendo follows suit and you want to ensure you don’t miss out this time, look out for confirmations this summer – E3 2017 perhaps?
SNES Classic Mini: Price
It’s far too early to know the confirmed price of the SNES Classic Mini yet, but considering the NES version was £50, we’re almost certain the next one will be around the same ball park.
SNES Classic Mini: Games
The NES Classic Mini featured 30 games (although you could add more by hacking the machine), all accessible through a smart, easy-to-use scrollable menu system. You could also pause a game, return to the menu and pick it up again later.
All of the titles on the official release were first-party or from a few close publishers (including Bandai, Tecmo and Konami) and it is highly likely to be the same again. Here then is our wish list of 10 of the 30 or so games the SNES Classic Mini should include:
Super Mario World
Nintendo
The crown jewel in the Super Nintendo era, Super Mario World was the 2D platformer that set a very high bar few others managed to match. For many, it was the game that convinced them to buy a SNES over the rival Sega Mega Drive.
Super Mario Kart
Nintendo
Changed co-operative racing forever. The original Super Mario Kart still holds its own today as a party game guaranteed to cause a giggle or two.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Nintendo
As top-down RPGs go, A Link to the Past is one of the very best. It might ot have the fancy graphics of the Switch masterpiece of today, but it retains the spirit and scope.
Super Metroid
Nintendo
A sideways-scrolling shooter/platformer of the highest quality. It’s often been included in lists of the greatest games of all-time.
Donkey Kong Country
Nintendo
Rare’s attempt at a 2D platformer feels very different to the Mario games. It uses more chunky, clay-like characters and some clever gameplay tropes to deliver something fresh and fiendishly difficult. We fully expect at least one of the sequels to be included too.
Yoshi’s island
Nintendo
Sometimes called Super Mario World 2 but isn’t really – it’s actually a prequel to the SNES Mario classic. It also features a baby Mario riding on the back of his dinosaur chum Yoshi. It’s fun but doesn’t hold a candle to the original.
F-Zero
Nintendo
To be honest, we never really liked F-Zero that much but as a forerunner to WipEout and games like it, this needs to be included.
Pilotwings
Nintendo
One of the least known Nintendo-published SNES games just so happened to be one of our favourites. You have to complete different pilot-related tasks – such as land a plane or parachute onto a target in order to earn your “wings”.
Star Fox
Nintendo
Graphically impressive and complex for its time, this 3D space shooter is still our favourite Star Fox game ever.
Stunt Race FX
Nintendo
Like Star Fox, which was also co-developed by Argonaut Software, Stunt Race FX utilises 3D polygons rather than sprites for the most part and therefore looks a lot more advanced than the vast majority of other SNES games.
AIVAnet 