KORG Gadget for Nintendo Switch

 Switch
  • Publisher: DETUNE
  • Release Date: Apr 26, 2018
User Score
5.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 14 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 14
  3. Negative: 7 out of 14

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  1. spectrumspecter
    Aug 11, 2020
    8
    I've had this for a couple of years now. There is now patches updating it to have more or less full touchscreen capabilities for all visible controls / faders / drumpads / note sequencing, et al. I've also found the Gyro controls to be extremely useful in this title, for fine-tuning faders and dials.

    A few of the included plugin instruments are extremely high quality and it's possible    I've had this for a couple of years now. There is now patches updating it to have more or less full touchscreen capabilities for all visible controls / faders / drumpads / note sequencing, et al. I've also found the Gyro controls to be extremely useful in this title, for fine-tuning faders and dials.

    A few of the included plugin instruments are extremely high quality and it's possible to get a good groove going with ease. Even though the mixer controls are sparse (literally only volume control, reverb send, pan, mute/solo. No EQ...).

    Some of the Plugins do have effects modules built in, but it would have been nice if the mixer itself had more to it. There's not even any option to bounce your saved track's master channel into an audio file. This would've been a nice option. Maybe to save it as Mp3 in the SD card.

    Despite the interesting plugins in all honesty the sequencer aspect itself leaves a lot to be desired. Though it is easy to get a four-bar groove going, it's more difficult to compose a full arrangement. The DAW feels cramped and it's hard to distinguish what is going on at a glance. The playback is not intuitive. No option to loop anything other than one "scene". If you want to loop say a 1 minute part of the song, you'd have to do it manually, via stop and play, keeping restarting from a certain spot. This is primitive.

    They seem to have spent a lot of time and effort in the multiplayer / co-op / gyroscope aspects, and not so much in the simple quality of life functionality in the sequencer itself. As such, Korg Gadget suffers. But it's adequate for casual use.

    I think Korg Gadget would be best used as a standalone instrument / groovebox / drum machine, hooked up to an external multitrack, for recording small phrases externally. In which case it would shine powerfully, since - as mentioned - some of the plugins are very good and easily worth the price of the package alone. Also the way the gyro is implemented can lead to very expressive automation.
    It's easy to jot an idea down with Korg Gadget, and to also fine-tune that idea. What is not so easy, is to flesh that out into a full song. Which is a shame.

    Hopefully in future updates they add more mixer functions; export options; and to make improvements to the sequencer and playback! As all the other aspects are decent enough.    … Expand
  2. matthewwhubbard
    Sep 14, 2020
    8
    Ok, this app for the switch is a whole lot of fun, whether you are a seasoned musician or want to learn how to operate a synthesizer. I give KORG Gadget a 10 for fun and a 6 for cross-platform collaboration. However, there is a reasonable work around for the latter...

    Anybody reading these user reviews will notice people complaining about Export options. Sure it’s limited to the QR code    Ok, this app for the switch is a whole lot of fun, whether you are a seasoned musician or want to learn how to operate a synthesizer. I give KORG Gadget a 10 for fun and a 6 for cross-platform collaboration. However, there is a reasonable work around for the latter...

    Anybody reading these user reviews will notice people complaining about Export options. Sure it’s limited to the QR code to port to KORG Gadget for iOS or whatever and that may be a bit frustrating. However, these same “musicians” posting their complaints probably have a mixer/computer audio input, audio recording software (Audacity is free and powerful), and a few auxiliary cables laying around to fix this problem. Simply press record on your computer then press play on the switch and, voila!, you have a raw audio file that can be further manipulated with your software and exported as mp3, FLAC, Apple lossless, and whatever other file your heart desires. It’s an extra step, but it’s not difficult or significantly time consuming. If you don’t want to problem solve, than you probably don’t really want to be a musician anyway. Creating music is challenging, especially creating a live experience for fans. If you want an intuitive, professional synth or DAW, I recommend visiting your local music shop. If you want to mess around on your Switch with some synth sounds and potentially create something cool that you can work with, then the KORG Gadget is a fine tool.    … Expand
  3. DemigodChewtoy
    Apr 27, 2018
    3
    This program has many flaws. Some can be overlooked, such as only including 16 of the 20 virtual instruments found in other versions, or poorly implemented touch features. One flaw in particular is the nail in this application's coffin.

    THERE. IS. NO. EXPORT. That's right. Anything you make with this application stays with this application. Forget burning your sweet music to a CD,    This program has many flaws. Some can be overlooked, such as only including 16 of the 20 virtual instruments found in other versions, or poorly implemented touch features. One flaw in particular is the nail in this application's coffin.

    THERE. IS. NO. EXPORT.

    That's right. Anything you make with this application stays with this application. Forget burning your sweet music to a CD, writing to a flash drive, saving your MIDI to a file, or processing your music through a real DAW. You can't do any of that with this software. Everything you make with this version of KORG Gadget stays on the Nintendo Switch for good.

    But wait, there's more! If you were intending to apply any FX such as side-chaining -- forget about it because this application can't do that either. You will be stuck in the realm of beginner for as long as you use this software.

    This is a cheap toy sold at a premium price. If you are an absolute beginner in music creation, there are much better alternatives. FL Studio, for instance, is instantly accessible and has room for you to grow as a musician. KORG Gadget for Nintendo Switch, however, is lacking for anyone other than those looking for a music-based toy.

    KORG, the developers of this software and many pieces of sound related hardware, pulled a fast one by not disclosing these missing features until after release. You still have to dig through their site to find it in their FAQ.

    When and if they release such functionality (I don't think they will due to their having to work with Nintendo for such features), I will update this review. As it stands now, this software is crippled by its feature omissions.    … Expand
  4. beeco
    May 1, 2018
    3
    Severely underwhelming with a disappointingly huge amount of room for improvement. It is not a DAW, and not a game. Somewhere in between perhaps. It feels, looks, and runs like a demo / beta version. The button functionality is limited, menus are inefficient, and the HUGE lack of touch screen options, aside from basically the keyboards, is a major upset for a seemingly minor task. For me,Severely underwhelming with a disappointingly huge amount of room for improvement. It is not a DAW, and not a game. Somewhere in between perhaps. It feels, looks, and runs like a demo / beta version. The button functionality is limited, menus are inefficient, and the HUGE lack of touch screen options, aside from basically the keyboards, is a major upset for a seemingly minor task. For me, I'm into music production, and I love my switch too much, so i had to buy this for said reasons, but man was i disappointed. It's fun to create loops, and try the sounds, but most $10 iOS apps etc come packaged better. Save yourself the $50 unless you're like me and are just buying it as a gimmick because you enjoy to produce music and game.… Expand
  5. tobbx
    Apr 28, 2018
    3
    While this product provides alot of fun, its more of a toy than a DAW. The fact that there is no export function makes it impossible to get the music you created to other platforms, which severly limits the product. Also the fact that it doesnt support touch which it really should since its a port from a mobile app.. Midi support would also be great but if it was some sort of engineWhile this product provides alot of fun, its more of a toy than a DAW. The fact that there is no export function makes it impossible to get the music you created to other platforms, which severly limits the product. Also the fact that it doesnt support touch which it really should since its a port from a mobile app.. Midi support would also be great but if it was some sort of engine limitation with the switch i could accept that.

    Would have given it a 8 or 9 if it had a export function as it is crucial since it claims it self to be a DAW. If the developers fix this i would be happy to change the score. If they also included touch and some sort of midi support this would be an almost perfect product. Its sad to see so much potential wasted by simple flaws.    … Expand
  6. diabloNL
    May 1, 2018
    2
    No touch screen controls except for the keyboards/pads. NO EXPORT functionality! Unbelievable that they don't mention that in the game description in the eStore.
  7. MaddoxWhite
    Apr 24, 2021
    2
    You can't export your music.

    I repeat.

    You CANNOT export your music.

    On music making software.
  8. poggomobile
    Apr 7, 2022
    9
    LOL at the frustrated musos in here expecting a switch game to be the same as a professional studio software... this app/game is great. Everything works well (as long as you don't totally overload it with too much going on, then it drops the ball pretty badly and starts lagging/stutterig... maybe limiting what you can add would have been a good idea here) the controls are really wellLOL at the frustrated musos in here expecting a switch game to be the same as a professional studio software... this app/game is great. Everything works well (as long as you don't totally overload it with too much going on, then it drops the ball pretty badly and starts lagging/stutterig... maybe limiting what you can add would have been a good idea here) the controls are really well thought out, I think, and you can have lots of fun banging out techno with it... no it's not a professional studio. I don't think it was meant to be one. it's a continuation from the old korg DS-10 cart I had on my nintendo DS. and it's WAY better than that fun little program ever was.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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No score yet - based on 3 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. Cubed3
    Jun 19, 2018
    90
    Creating a piece of music in just a few minutes makes for a really fun and unique challenge. The lack of export options is equal parts strange and annoying, but it's not too much trouble to deal with. Those out there with even the slightest interest in music should definitely give this software a try.
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  2. NintendoWorldReport
    May 18, 2018
    75
    Despite some major flaws, I really enjoyed tinkering with KORG Gadget. The sheer amount of options on each gadget is staggering, and allows you to make something fun. The fact you can play locally with up to four people is mindboggling, but pretty awesome all the same. Add to this the easy to learn interface, and you got something bold on your hands.
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  3. Nintendo Life
    May 7, 2018
    70
    While Detune has found some special ways to gamify the process of designing, layering and manipulating a piece of EDM, the lack of support for MIDI controllers or the ability to import/export tracks between other devices takes the shine off Switch’s first proper music title. While it’s ultimately more of an app than a game, KORG Gadget still brings an entirely new experience to your hybrid console and one that’s perfect for tinkering on a track while on your commute.
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