Nintendo’s next move has never been harder to predict. Just when you thought all it had in store was the upcoming release of the Switch 2, it tricked fans this week with some recent hardware… in the form of a surprisingly groundbreaking alarm clock called Alarmo. On the same day, Nintendo sent the following message: unclear announcement it drives the internet crazy. There will be a mystery playtest at the end of October, exclusively for 10,000 lucky Nintendo Switch Online subscribers who subscribe to the Expansion Pack service tier. They will be able to test a recent feature of the service that will require a download.
All testing spots have already been booked in the US X, said user @OatmealDome wa tweet that the software download is 2.2 GB in size and that Nintendo recommends using TV mode and having a wired internet connection. Beyond that, we don’t know much.
We now have to wait until October 21st – when testing begins – to see what exactly these players will experience first. So what better way to kill time than for the Polygon staff to throw some ideas at the wall? We welcome your theories in the comments.
I think this will be Nintendo’s first major Battle Royale game (outside of Tetris 99 AND F-Zero 99) and will be completely focused on Toads. Just you and 99 other mushrooms colliding with each other in a giant toilet bowl arena. —Ana Diaz
Nintendo specifying that it recommends using a wired internet connection means that it makes a difference when it comes to lag. With that in mind, it could be software related to cloud gaming or perhaps a multiplayer game. Cloud gaming seems less likely given the 2.2GB of space needed. My ideal scenario (besides Ana’s idea of a Toad Toad battle) is that Nintendo brings back the Miiverse. —Nicole Carpenter
The greatest troll of all time
Participants will be the first to test the upcoming Switch update, which, according to previous release notes, will offer “General system stability improvements to enhance user experience.” —Cameron Faulkner
The Gamecube is finally coming to NSO
The expansion pack level already offers a fleet of retro games for the Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance and other consoles. The introduction of Gamecube titles would make it even better. Titles for this console have yet to appear on Nintendo’s current hardware, likely because its consoles weren’t powerful enough to emulate them (and because Nintendo likes to refresh them from time to time to re-sell them, i.e. Metroid Prime: Remastered). —CF
Just when people thought the Switch ran windowed gaming Arms would never get a sequel, Nintendo will give players early access to online multiplayer in Arms 2. Similar to Valve Deadlockwill politely ask players not to discuss the existence of Arms 2. —CF
