Nintendo’s Weirdness Is Here to Stay
▼ Summary
– Nintendo’s Talking Flower is a new physical toy based on a character from *Super Mario Bros. Wonder* that can announce the time and speak random phrases.
– The product has no functional purpose, as it is not a proper alarm clock, but is designed to inject whimsy and a positive vibe into a home.
– It periodically offers cheerful or oddly prescient statements, such as commenting on the weather or offering reassuring mantras.
– The release exemplifies Nintendo’s strategy of being conservative with core products like consoles while exploring fun, unconventional side projects.
– This approach of “zigging when others zag” has largely served the company well, as seen with past quirky releases alongside major console launches.
Nintendo’s latest product launch isn’t a video game or a new console; it’s a toy. The Talking Flower is a physical recreation of the character from Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and its sole function is to speak. You can set the current time, and on each hour it will announce it. It also chimes in with random, cheerful phrases periodically. For those who can’t wait, a large button on the front prompts an immediate statement.
This item serves no practical purpose. We all have numerous devices to tell time. While you can configure “sleep” and “wake” periods, these merely silence the toy overnight, it’s not a functional alarm clock, a product category Nintendo already occupies. So why does it exist? For thirty-five dollars, the Talking Flower offers a steady stream of whimsy into your daily environment. It intermittently declares things like “So exciting!” or “Feeling pretty great!” to foster a positive atmosphere. Occasionally, its timing feels uncanny, like when it recently asked, “Have you had lunch yet?” right as I realized I had skipped the meal. I’m also fond of its repeated assertion that it’s “perfect weather for a nap,” a sentiment I fully endorse. The same goes for the reassuring mantra it occasionally offers: “It’s gonna be alright. I like to take things slow.”
(Regrettably, the flower has not addressed one of my most urgent queries: the flavor of the mysterious goo in Mario Wonder. The closest hint has been its poetic observation that “the ocean tastes like tears.” The enigma persists.)
Nintendo has a long history of moving in a different direction than its competitors. Recall the company launching a new Game & Watch handheld just as Microsoft and Sony were debuting their latest generation of powerful consoles. This contrarian approach has generally proven successful. Today, the company maintains a disciplined focus on its core gaming business while embracing playful eccentricity in its ancillary products. The persistently upbeat Talking Flower has quite a bit to say on that very subject.
(Source: The Verge)
