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At first glance, the kids' Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatch looks like a parent's dream. It comes with GPS tracking, texting and calling with approved contacts, and zero social media or third-party apps. 

Since this watch is a Fitbit, it's also a step tracker, albeit one with a novel premise unlike any previous Fitbit model. The Ace LTE, designed specifically with children ages 7 and older in mind, gamifies movement. As a child increases their physical activity, they get more access to Fitbit games and special in-watch rewards.

At a time when kids aren't moving enough — often because they're glued to a device — and their parents are panicking about when to introduce a phone and how to shield them from the worst of the internet, the Ace LTE seems like an ideal solution. But as with many things tech, there may be significant drawbacks for some children, say experts in youth screen time and well-being. 

Dr. Jenny Radesky, a developmental pediatrician at the University of Michigan Medical School who authored the screen time guidelines for the American Academy of Pediatrics, says the Ace LTE could benefit some children. But she has a fundamental concern: "You're giving them a gaming console to strap onto their arm."

SEE ALSO: Loneliness isn't only a teen or adult problem. Little kids feel it, too.

There are other considerations for Radesky and experts like her. While the smartwatch is walled-off from the internet and its attendant dangers, it still puts tech-driven distractions at a child's fingertips. It will boost activity for some sedentary children, but other youth may unhealthily fixate on reaching their exercise goal, particularly since that's the key to enjoying the watch's entertaining features. In general, it may give children the wrong incentive to exercise. Competitors like the Gabb and Gizmo watches have similar connectivity features, but do not gamify movement.

In a briefing with reporters in May, Google, which owns the Fitbit brand, said it hopes the watch gives parents peace of mind while offering kids an entertaining experience they feel compelled to return to again and again. 

In response to questions for this story, Google told Mashable that the watch's gamification is meant to reward kids for consistency and effort while prioritizing goal-setting and fun, instead of tracking stats and metrics.

The Ace LTE perfectly illustrates the tensions of parenting in a digital age, and raises a question with no easy answers: How can parents make the least harmful trade-offs when it comes to tech device use? 

Fitbit Ace LTE pros and cons

Ilan Eframian recently gave his 7-year-old daughter an Ace LTE and hasn't regretted it. He likes that the GPS tracking and texting and phone capabilities let him stay connected to her as she attends a day camp an hour away from their home in Jersey City. 

Eframian watches the location of the bus intermittently when she's in transit. Occasionally, she messages him to say hello. (Eframian is a former Google Fiber executive. Mashable contacted him through an anonymous message board where he commented on the Ace LTE.) 

"Being able to see where she is, I love," Eframian says of the GPS feature. 

His daughter's location is visible only to Eframian and his wife; her device doesn't show up in public spaces like devices that rely on Bluetooth do. Google says it deletes GPS data within 24 hours.

Parents access many of the watch's features through the Fitbit Ace app. Credit: Courtesy Google Fitbit

Eframian appreciates that the watch isn't assigned a phone number that could receive random spam messages from strangers. The connectivity happens through the Fitbit Ace app, via the LTE network, which requires a monthly or annual subscription that costs $9.99 or $119, respectively. Only parent-approved contacts can message and call a child wearing the watch. Eventually, the watch will have Google Pay enabled on it. 

Eframian uses the parent controls to decide when his daughter accesses the games. 

One of her favorite games, Pollo 13, stars a space chicken careening through an obstacle course. The watch's sensors let the wearer control the spacecraft "tub" by moving their body from side to side as they try to guide the chicken toward the prizes on the track.

Eframian's daughter is permitted to play on the bus, but a "school time" setting restricts the games while she's at camp. So far, he's not noticed any problematic use of the watch. 

It's not obvious or intuitive, but parents can also completely block individual games through Google's Family Link app. (Parents who are interested in deactivating games completely have discussed it on a Fitbit community forum.) 

Both the child and parent must have a Google account to use the Ace LTE, which may require bringing young users into the company's sprawling ecosystem before their caregivers had planned to do so. 

Parents cannot, however, block Bit Valley, a separate setting in the watch, which is where a Tamagotchi-like character called an eejie resides. Designed intentionally by Google to keep kids engaged with the watch, the eejie is introduced to the wearer during device setup. It can be outfitted with new clothes, belongings, and home decor based on how many rewards the wearer earns by meeting their goal or playing games. 

But an eejie can look forlorn when neglected by their owner. Keeping them happy means visiting them, changing their outfit or room, and completing daily activity quests. Users reap the rewards of a content eejie by earning more tickets that can be redeemed for even more eejie-related items. Notifications remind wearers to visit their eejie, if they haven't done so already, though Google said Bit Valley has a built-in daily time limit.

An eejie smiles at the wearer. Credit: Google Fitbit

This is one aspect of the watch that gives Radesky pause. She wonders on behalf of parents, "How much does this create a new gaming habit or interest for their child that they didn't necessarily plan for?" 

Amanda Lenhart, head of research at Common Sense Media, found the watch's engagement features troubling.

"The fact that you're devising things to keep a child looking at, touching, and playing with your device…it's a great business model, and is also not super great for that child's ability to detach from that device," she says. 

Google did assemble a panel of experts to help develop the watch, including Sandra Calvert, director of Georgetown University's Children's Digital Media Center, and Lauren Sherar, dean of the School of Sport, Exercise, and Health Sciences in the United Kingdom. The company was unable to make any of the panel's members available for an interview.

Regardless of differing expert opinions, when it comes to any tech device or platform with captivating features, parents often make the bet that their child won't struggle with boundary-setting like another child might. 

Eframian, for example, says his daughter hasn't resisted the limitations he's put on her Ace LTE. He's noticed a "behavior change" as she tries harder to reach her daily movement goal, which to Eframian indicates that the watch is working as intended. 

Though Eframian's experience sounds straightforward, another parent with the same expectations may surprisingly find themselves in a daily battle over how their child uses the Ace LTE. And children who have conditions that affect their executive functioning, like attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder and autism, may be particularly prone to the distractions that the watch can present, Radesky says. 

Google told Mashable that the company is aware that some kids struggle with regulation, which is why the watch has built-in screen time limits and doesn't reward high-score chasing or overexercise.

"Taken to an extreme"

Still, the variability between how children react to digital devices and features makes it hard to know how one particular kid will fare.

Just as some children may develop focus and attention challenges related to their smartwatch use, the risks can be similarly fraught for children who are vulnerable to negative thinking about their bodies. 

Dr. Jason Nagata, an adolescent medicine specialist at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in San Francisco, says children who use technology to boost their physical activity may likely have a positive or neutral experience doing so. But there are others who are vulnerable in ways their parents might not anticipate. 

"I do unfortunately see some teenagers who, they or their parents had very good intentions of trying to be more healthy, or maybe trying to make some lifestyle changes, but then it's taken to an extreme, and they can develop a full-blown eating disorder or muscle dysmorphia," Nagata says, noting some of these cases involved apps or devices that delivered reminders and notifications related to physical activity. 

The Fitbit Ace LTE prompts kids to complete their daily activities. Credit: Google Fitbit

The Ace LTE only counts and displays steps, not calories or other metrics that could become focal points for young users. The watch tracks a range of movement, but the baseline move goal is 45 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity. That goal can be increased to 60 or 75 minutes. Some children might breeze through these goals while others, particularly those who only get vigorous exercise during recess, might not.

Google told Mashable that the watch's interval-based programming is designed to encourage three to four sessions of gameplay per day, with each session clocking in at about five minutes or less.

Nagata urges parents to regularly check in with their children about their goals, which they can also monitor in the Fitbit Ace app. A parent might grow concerned if meeting the goal consumes their child's energy or conversation, or displaces other activities they once enjoyed. In that situation, the parent should consider reducing the goal, blocking the games, or having their child cease using the watch. 

Clues that a child may be vulnerable to excessive exercise include sensitivity about their appearance, diet, or physical activity. Nagata cautions parents of children who already have an eating disorder or muscle dysmorphia against using the Ace LTE.  

Radesky says that some children for whom formal exercise doesn't feel good because of physiological issues like motor-coordination deficits, sensory sensitivity, low muscle tone, and pain may benefit from the Ace LTE's motivating features. But she says that typically pediatricians try to channel kids' drive to move into things that are inherently satisfying. 

A child with sensory sensitivities, for example, might enjoy swimming because the water feels good on their skin. Radesky worries that a device that offers external reinforcement — in this case, gameplay — for physical activity that has nothing to do with the inherent joy of movement may deprive kids of the opportunity to choose for themselves what feels good. 

Still, she expects that for some kids, the Ace LTE will be a fun and effective way to motivate health behavior. Others, though, might struggle to manage their use or simply get bored of it. 

For many parents, knowing how their child will react is a question they're desperate to answer before they spend hundreds of dollars. 

In Radesky's opinion, tech companies could simplify the equation for parents by making products that don't hinge on a child's reliably frequent use of the device.

"How can disengagement be a goal?" Radesky asks. "Because if you had technology that let you go when you wanted to go, that would be so respectful of a child's well-being." 

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for August 15 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for August 15

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Thursday, August 15, 2024:

AcrossWith 6-Across, "Let me start by saying ..."

• The answer is first.

See 1-Across

• The answer is ofall.

Historical object

• The answer is relic.

Underwater plant that can grow over a foot a day

• The answer is kelp.

Mischievous

• The answer is sly.

DownSection of a cutlery drawer

• The answer is forks.

"It's my opinion that ..."

• The answer is ifeel.

Presidential candidate's event

• The answer is rally.

Lose one's footing

• The answer is slip.

’90s girl group with the hit "No Scrubs"

• The answer is TLC.

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for August 15 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for August 15

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Is this some kind of joke?

These words are good for a laugh.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

The answers are related to types of funny people.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is YoureKidding.

NYT Strands word list for August 15

• Clown

• Comic

• Fool

• Buffoon

• Prankster

• Jester

• YoureKidding

Looking for other daily online games? Find one you might like – or hints for another game you're already playing – on Mashable's Games page.

A24 has released a new promotional image for We Live in Time, a decade-spanning romance featuring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield. It also apparently features a horrific, bug-eyed carousel horse, which has swiftly stolen the spotlight to become a new internet meme.

We Live in Time follows the relationship between Almut (Pugh) and Tobias (Garfield), from their first meeting, to falling in love, to starting a family together. Told in snapshots throughout their lives, the drama seems to be aiming for a touching tone as the couple support each other through career milestones and health struggles.

SEE ALSO: Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield live epic love story in A24's 'We Live in Time' trailer

As such, We Live in Time's latest promotional photo appears to depict a relatively early moment in their relationship, with Pugh and Garfield laughing as they enjoy a romantic carousel ride together. Yet in what is either a brilliant stroke of marketing or a gross oversight, the happy couple is completely overshadowed by the demonic visage of the carousel horse next to them. 

Positioned in the bottom left corner of the photograph, the satanic steed's bulging, soulless eye and gaping maw demand the viewer's attention, refusing to let us mindlessly enjoy seeing Pugh and Garfield pretend to be in love. Trapped in what I can only assume is a silent scream, the tormented pony almost appears to break the fourth wall by gazing directly out at viewers.

It's like one of those reminders of mortality that 17th century artists used to put in their paintings. Death is coming, and it looks like a horse who has seen the end of time.

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Social media users immediately honed in on We Live in Time's disquieting steed, breaking out their image editing software with glee. The hell horse quickly went viral and inspired numerous memes, with people editing it into other films or superimposing it on top of Garfield and Pugh's heads. Even Late Show host Stephen Colbert weighed in on the tortured equine.

"Look, I'm gonna say what we're all thinking," Colbert quipped during his Wednesday night monologue. "That pony is tripping balls on ketamine."

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It's unclear whether this sinister stallion previously existed in the wild, or was specifically created for We Live in Time by a set designer who missed their calling as an existential artist. While the film was shot in London, the horses on South Bank's famous Golden Carousel look more colourful and less like they'd eat your soul.

We Live in Time and its horrible horse arrives in theatres on Oct. 11.

TL;DR: Through Sept. 3, use the discount code HEADWAY to get a lifetime subscription to Headway Premium for just £35.06 (reg. £233.77).

Opens in a new window Credit: Headway Headway Premium: Lifetime Subscription £35.06 at the Mashable Shop
£233.77 Save £198.71 Use code 'HEADWAY' Get Deal

It's all too common to find ourselves endlessly scrolling through social media feeds or getting lost in the constant stream of news updates. These activities can lead to wasted hours and can even increase stress levels.

This August, help yourself break free from these time-wasting cycles and invest in something that can benefit your personal growth and well-being. Headway Premium, an app that gives you useful summaries of nonfiction bestsellers, is now available for a one-time fee of £35.06 for a lifetime subscription when you order through Sept. 3 and use the discount code HEADWAY at checkout.

Headway was made to empower you with a vast library of easy-to-digest summaries of best-selling nonfiction books. These summaries span a wide range of topics, from self-improvement and productivity to psychology and business. With Headway summaries, you can gain key insights and actionable advice from some of the world’s most popular books in just 15 minutes a day — and you can get them in audio or written versions.

The app also offers gamified learning and tailored recommendations based on your interests and goals. Whether you want to improve your leadership skills, learn about mindfulness, or explore new business strategies, Headway has something for everyone.

Headway Premium features interactive features like quizzes and actionable insights to help you retain information and apply what you’ve learned in real life. These tools help make learning engaging and practical.

Turn those in-between moments into opportunities for growth. Whether you're waiting in line at the store, commuting, or taking a break, the Headway Premium app makes it easier to learn something useful instead of scrolling through TikTok.

Stay motivated and focused with a lifetime subscription to Headway Premium on sale for just £35.06 (reg. £233.77).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Watch Washington Mystics vs. Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA with WNBA League Pass. Avoid blackouts and watch the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Washington Mystics and Minnesota Lynx are having very different campaigns, so most fans will be expecting a comfortable win from Minnesota Lynx in this matchup. But you never know what will happen in the WNBA. There is always the chance of an upset.

If you want to watch Washington Mystics vs. Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Washington Mystics vs. Minnesota Lynx?

Washington Mystics vs. Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA starts at 8 p.m. ET on Aug. 15. This fixture takes place at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

How to watch Washington Mystics vs. Minnesota Lynx

Fans can live stream the 2024 WNBA season from anywhere in the world with WNBA League Pass, including the fixture between Washington Mystics and Minnesota Lynx.

Something to note is that WNBA League Pass may not show locally televised games live in the participating teams' local areas. Fortunately, fans can bypass these geo-restrictions with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations, so you can bypass blackouts to watch every WNBA League Pass game live (except games hosted by Amazon Prime Video).

Access every WNBA League Pass game by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with no broadcast deals for the WNBA

4. Log in to WNBA League Pass

5. Stream every WNBA game live (except games hosted by Amazon Prime Video)

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal What is the best VPN for the WNBA?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for hiding your real IP address and streaming more sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream Washington Mystics vs. Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

For its first conference on the creator economy, the Biden administration celebrated social media creators. The president lauded them as a “breakthrough in how we communicate.”

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for August 15's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for August 15 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for August 15 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Popular nut for squirrels.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no reoccurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter A.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

ACORN.

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Reporting by Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for August 15's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for August 14 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Distance

• Green: Companion

• Blue: Brewskis

• Purple: Words that start with "Pay"

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Breadth

• Green: Other Half

• Blue: Beers, Familiarly

• Purple: Words After "Pay"

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #431 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Breadth: EXTENT, RANGE, REACH, SCOPE

• Other Half: COMPLEMENT, MATCH, MATE, PARTNER

• Beers, Familiarly: BUD, NATTY, SIERRA, STELLA

• Words After "Pay": CHECK, DIRT, PAL, PHONE

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday's Connections.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

The cuts could amount to about 6,000 jobs for the San Jose, Calif., maker of computer networking technology.

It's the link-up of the century for all the young parents out there. Ms. Rachel and Elmo, finally together at last.

The X account for Elmo, the beloved Muppet, tweeted a picture of the character with Ms. Rachel, the uber-popular YouTube creator and educator known for her toddler learning videos.

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Elmo is obviously an iconic character, but Ms. Rachel is a superstar in her own right. Her YouTube channel focuses on educational and fun content for toddlers, and as someone whose friends have begun having kids, I can confirm that parents swear by her. She's racked up 11 million subscribers and millions upon millions upon millions of views. Most of her videos have hundreds of millions of views.

So, naturally, the parents out there were super pumped to hear about the collaboration. There have been so many tweets about it.

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While there wasn't an official announcement, it feels safe to assume Elmo and Ms. Rachel might soon appear in an episode of Sesame Street or a digital video together. It is, indeed, a huge day for parents and toddlers.

The wait for the next Nintendo console continues.

Nintendo's oft-rumored follow-up to the Switch (which we'll call "Switch 2" for the sake of convenience) may not launch in early 2025, as many had hoped. That's according to Chris Dring, the head of GamesIndustry.biz, anyway, who said on that site's podcast (as spotted by VGC) that developers aren't expecting the Switch 2 to launch before the end of Nintendo's current fiscal year. In case you were wondering, Nintendo's fiscal year ends on March 31, 2025, so April 1 is the earliest we could see Switch 2, according to Dring's comments.

SEE ALSO: We finally know when 'Stray' is coming to Nintendo Switch, but are preorders live?

“In fact, [developers Dring has spoken to have] been told not to expect it in the [current] financial year," Dring said. "A bunch of people I spoke to hope it’s out in April or May time, still early next year, not late."

To be clear, it wouldn't be accurate to call this a "delay" because Nintendo never announced a release date to begin with. In fact, Nintendo hasn't announced the console at all; the most it has given us is assurance that it will be announced in the current fiscal year. For comparison's sake, the Switch was announced in October 2016 and launched in early March 2017. It was a very quick turnaround, and Nintendo could theoretically use that approach again, meaning we may not hear a peep about Switch 2 from the company itself until the end of this year at the earliest.

Of course, no one outside of Nintendo's offices knows the company's plans, so this could all be completely wrong. However, the company just recently showcased a boatload of really exciting-looking OG Switch games (including Metroid Prime 4), some of which have 2025 release dates. In other words, Switch owners will have plenty to chew on until there's a new machine to buy.

A confession: Long before Alien: Romulus, I've not been much for Fede Álvarez's brand of horror.

His reboot of Evil Dead was so grisly that I saw a colleague who deeply loves a good scary movie flee the theater in revulsion. His Texas Chainsaw Massacre was likewise dripping with buckets of blood and viscera, as was his 2016 original thriller Don't Breathe. It's not the gore alone that put me off, but more how it heightened a bleakness so intense it might well steal your breath. It seems he revels in seeing his heroes suffer, providing little hope to his audience they'll find a way out of it. That knocks the fun out of horror for me.

This suffocating grimness soured me on Álvarez's work. Frankly, I approached his spin on the Alien franchise with dread, even though I've relished this freaky franchise's blend of body horror and alien terror for decades. But I was wrong to doubt him. To his credit — and to producer Ridley Scott's as well — Álvarez's signature stomach-churning violence and deeply dark attitude are perfectly suited to Alien: Romulus. Moreover, his style suits the franchise's haunting message, in which the real villain is not the "perfect organism" that runs amok on remote spacecrafts but the inhuman corporation that exploits human suffering for profits. It's a capitalism critique that remains as relevant now as it was in 1979, when Scott first took us aboard the Nostromo. Here, Álvarez finds a fitting vessel for his darkest side. 

There's no sign of Ripley in this curious prequel, which is set between Alien and its 1986 sequel Aliens. However, fans of the franchise will relish the return of such harrowing space critters as the facehugger, the chestburster, the queen Xenomorph, and more. Alongside these iconic extraterrestrials is a crackling ensemble cast, comprised of Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Aileen Wu, and Spike Fearn. But amid fresh faces, new twists, and a standout star, this entry flounders in a desperate frenzy of climactic fan service.

Alien: Romulus plays like Aliens meets Don't Breathe.  Tyler and Rain bond over firepower. Credit: 20th Century Studios

Álvarez and co-writing/producing partner Rodo Sayagues love a story about a group of young friends, brash and dangerously naive, who go on an ill-considered quest, be it vacationing in a remote cabin in a creepy forest, creating influencer content in a notorious ghost town, or breaking into a reclusive war vet's house with plans to burgle him and get out alive. Alien: Romulus aligns most closely to the last of these, as like Don't Breathe, its setup involves a sketchy heist. 

Cailee Spaeny (Civil War, Priscilla) stars as Rain, an indentured worker on a Weyland-Yutani space colony, where disease and industrial accidents have made her and her synthetic "brother" Andy (David Jonsson of Industry and Rye Lane) orphans. So when her situationship-mate Tyler (Archie Renaux) proposes a heist that could get them to a nice space colony — one where sunshine actually exists — she's eager to sign on, whatever the cost. 

The plan is for Tyler, his pregnant sister Kay (Isabela Merced), his aggro cousin Bjorn (Spike Fearn), and Bjorn's chill girlfriend Navarro (Aileen Wu) to burgle a derelict space station floating above their colony, snatching the equipment they need to fly far, far away. But this is an Alien movie, so their plans are complicated when they come across some otherwordly pests.

Álvarez and Sayagues' soft spot for impulsive (and criminal) youth plays well in the sandbox Ridley built. Like Ripley's crew, Rain's is a motley bunch; they know how to operate this highly specialized space tech, but they're essentially blue-collar folk with simple ambitions and all-too-human impulses. They are in no way prepared for the horrors that lurk in deep space. The first act of Alien: Romulus revels in character work, like the best of the Alien movies, embedding us with people so their pain becomes our own.

For Spaeny, this means much frowning and some tough choices about loyalty and risk. For the others, franchise-familiar friction sparks over Andy's involvement, as Weyland-Yutani's artificial persons have a reputation for betraying their human colleagues when it comes to benefitting the company. But Andy isn't like the snarling Ash (Ian Holm), the stoic Bishop (Lance Henriksen), the wide-eyed Annalee Call (Winona Ryder), or even the scintillatingly strange David (Michael Fassbender). And that's exciting.

David Jonsson steals this movie.  David Jonsson is phenomenal as Andy. Credit: 20th Century Studios

Spaeny is put in the Ridley-like role of the hardened heroine who's destined to fight back against a towering and terrifying queen. But her character is perhaps too much an echo of Ripley, with the rough edges of spurting rage smoothed out. Andy, however, is an interesting new spin on AI in the Alien series. Programmed by her dad, Andy's directive is to "do what's best for Rain," and that includes delivering lovably lame dad jokes. For instance: Did you hear about the claustrophobic astronaut? He needs space. (Buh-duh-dum!)

These jokes might be a bit cringe, but they're undeniably endearing. Where the rest of the cast shoulders the angst and terror demanded of this high-tension franchise, Andy is a breath of fresh air because he can experience neither. This brings some warmth into Álvarez's movie, which creates a sharper contrast: a ray of hope amid the darkness. Andy is essentially the well-meaning little brother, exerting a guilelessness that is so rare in this franchise that it shines bright like a diamond. Eventually, plot twists will complicate matters, giving Andy a glitch in his programming and Jonsson room to show his range. Without giving away spoilers, suffice to say he is absolutely riveting across this journey. 

Props to the ensemble as a whole, which rattles with raw emotion, be it wrath, hope, or horror. But by rights, Alien: Resurrection should elevate Jonsson to movie star status. 

Alien: Romulus is revoltingly frightening and savagely entertaining. Isabela Merced creeps around as Kay. Credit: 20th Century Studios

Literally, this movie had me dry-heaving.

It's not just that Álvarez leans hard into H.R. Giger's visual designs, which are a nauseating mix of genitals, generous glop, and hard, glossy exoskeletons. Though make no mistake, this movie's monsters are so sensationally rendered you can practically smell their musk. But what takes the scares here to the next level is a sound design that is loud, enveloping, and absolutely brutal — sometimes to the point of losing dialogue to it.

Props to composer Benjamin Wallfisch for a score that is nostalgic, tapping into past Alien movies with love and care, while creating an orchestral soundscape that raises goosebumps with its trills and stings. Yet the sound team, led by Lee Gilmore, owes me a good night's sleep after the hellish sounds they made echo through my skull. You can get a taste of it in the teaser. The roar of jet engines rattled me in my seat, making me physically feel like a part of this mission. The screech of relentless aliens left my spine tingling. The auditory memory of the fleshy skittering of too many legs down a hallway still makes me gag. The hiss of acid blood cutting through metal and flesh still rings in my ears. You don't just watch Alien: Romulus; you are absorbed into it. Brace yourselves.

Combining this immersive soundscape with the mindful use of Xenomorph monsters makes Alien: Romulus sensationally scary and well worth the price of admission. Unfortunately, the filmmakers fumble this marvelous build-up with a climax that is a sloppy burst of fan service.

Alien: Romulus bungles its finale with too many callbacks.  Been here, seen that. Credit: 20th Century Studios

If you thought Deadpool & Wolverine went hard on fan service, well, you're right. Alien: Romulus doesn't hit those degrees of pandering, but it does fall prey to the seemingly studio-mandated checklist for sequels.

The first half of this prequel elegantly blends the signatures of Álvarez's horror films with the well-established lore of the Alien movies, lacing in Weyland-Yutani's impact, familiar terms like "artificial person," and of course the Xenomorphs. It's all world-building; it works to establish Romulus while charting its own course. But as Alien: Romulus barrels to a conclusion, it begins to feel less like a fresh and thoughtful new adventure in this space (where no one can hear you scream), and more like a clumsy clip show of franchise highlights.

There'll be some familiar lines, and while some are subtle, one feels so forced that it sparked guffaws from the audience. Memorable shots are replicated, like the human heroine coming face-to-mouth(s) with the vicious alien queen. Plot points from previous films are reenacted with little to no innovation, so the tension of Romulus' final act becomes derailed by predictability. The character logic and action-scene geography suffers under the need to be like the other Alien movies, for better or worse. To that end, what will likely be most polarizing among fans of these films is the resurrection of a particular character who, while crucial to the plot, feels more like a cheat code than considerately included. 

As Rain races to her final moments on-screen, audience may get a bit beleaguered by her, because she's no longer forging her own path. She's doggedly following Ripley's. We've seen that movie before, and it's a great movie! But it's time for something new and as daring as the group of reckless goofs this film drew us in with. Alien: Romulus won't be sunk by its flimsy final act, but some of the thrill is lost amid the clutter of callbacks. Still, this is a movie that demands to be seen in theaters, where the volume can gobble you up like so many alien maws.

Alien: Romulus opens in theaters Aug. 16.

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