KORG have long embraced their Japanese neighbors at Nintendo by bringing music apps to handheld gaming platforms. Now it’s Nintendo Switch’s turn.
With the added power of Switch, spring 2018 promises to give the Nintendo platform the same box of virtual instruments and effects and sequencing tools we’ve come to expect on iOS. So all those drum machines and synths and sound processors and song creation and arrangement features make the leap.
But because Switch is both a handheld and something you can use on your couch with a TV, expect two modes of interaction. In addition to being able to switch between Zelda and music making, you can port that Switch at home and make music on the couch. We’ll have to see how comfortable that is with these gaming-style controllers, but it could make an interesting new alternative to parking in front of Netflix.
A close partnership with a boutique Japanese developer has enabled Korg’s long track record on mobile. Detune Ltd. have brought a lot of KORG’s iOS and gaming titles to life. That includes the KORG DSN-12 and KORG M01D for 3DS (available as digital downloads), and even cartridges for earlier Nintendo cartridges, but also iOS titles like KORG iDS-10 and iMS-20 for iPhone and iPad.
Detune have done a lot of non-KORG titles, as well. And it’s fair to say they’re steeped in game and music culture, having put out gaming soundtracks and app-only compilations made with their own instruments. I’ve met the developers, and they’re avid musicians as well as music geeks. Check them out:
台風接近する中、新幹線は止まらず無事 M3 から帰宅。
DETUNE さんのブースで Nitendo Switch 版 KORG Gadget (!) を拝見。
コンセプトは "FIGHT ON DAW"、プロデュースされている佐野電磁さんに写真を撮らせて頂きました。 pic.twitter.com/CE8INXmBw6— Yoshi2069 (@Yoshi2069) October 29, 2017
Here’s that tweet:
【お知らせ】本日、M3-2017秋 にコルグアプリチームとして出展します！ブースには特別な展示が？！皆様のお越しをお待ちしてますー。 pic.twitter.com/hEMbKIV9ky
— KORG Gadget (@korg_iapps) October 29, 2017
And a closer look at their first display:
And some video:
やばい…やばい…… pic.twitter.com/qPcJWwZnep
— 恵比寿 (@Yebisu303) October 29, 2017
Yes, we want it. But oh wow do we ever want this damned t-shirt. FIGHT ON DAW – whatever that means!
Nintendo Switchに作曲ソフト「KORG Gadget」が登場。複数人プレイなど独自要素を搭載して2018年春にリリース予定 https://t.co/UTLlVDJWGY pic.twitter.com/6IzGiUtctJ
— 4Gamer (@4GamerNews) October 30, 2017
Japanese journalists got their hands on it – Japanese only:
4gamer has a lot of photos — here are a couple of especially good ones:
