Many gamers have questioned why Nintendo feels the need to release clocks on the DSiWare service. The DSi already has a clock that is easily accessible on the system menu and an alarm function is available in the options menu. Photo Clock seeks to seamlessly merge the two functions, with the additional treat of displaying photos at the same time. However, suspicions of corporate voracity are confirmed by the decision to charge 200 points for a mundane service—one that simply isn’t premium.
Upon booting up the application, you will see the photos you have taken using the DSi camera. You can set the photos to display based on what marking you’ve used in the DSi Camera app (star, clover, or heart) and adjust certain aspects such as how quickly the photos change and in what order. The limited amount of options isn’t a huge complaint since this allows the app to be incredibly streamlined and quick. On the other hand, should this truly be something that gamers must pay for?
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You can store up to three alarms and toggle them all on or off depending on when you need them. While most people will not need more than three alarms at once, it would have helped to have a minimum of five alarms. The alarms can be set to several sounds or even ones that you have recorded via the DSi Sound app. The option to wake up to your favorite music tracks from the SD card could have made this app a must-buy, but Nintendo again decided to skimp on content, supposedly in favor of a clean interface.
Photo Clock actually had the potential to deliver worthwhile content in the form of a digital picture frame. Nintendo neglected to offer such a function, instead opting to deliver little more than what the system already offers out of the box. Had there been an option to transform your DSi into a photo frame whilst waiting for an alarm, it would have at least offered something to please the DSi userbase. Ironically, the built-in DSi Camera app offers a photo frame, yet this paid-app does not.
If you need a clock on a regular basis, chances are you already have a device that provides the function. Secondly, what do you look for when purchasing a clock? Photo Clock is supposed to provide a premium experience, yet it barely exceeds the standard software that is on the DSi’s operating system. If you truly require an enhanced clock on your DSi, you might as well check out the Animal Crossing and Mario clocks since they actually attempt to provide some sort of value for your money. Even at 200 points, Nintendo’s Photo Clock is highway robbery and proves to be the least useful clock currently available on the DSiWare service.
– Clark A
