Nintendo Switch Calculator now available in Japan, thanks to IARC rating

Publication date of the original Japanese article: 2021-06-24 12:18 (JST)
Translated by. Jacob Ritter

Developer Sabec LTD released Calculator for Nintendo Switch in Japan on June 24 for 899 JPY ($9.99 USD in the US eShop). As you might expect by the name, Calculator is not a game, but rather a calculator application.

Calculator is a scientific calculator application that can handle trigonometric functions, hyperbolic functions, as well as the four arithmetic operations. Upon starting the app, a calculator will be displayed on screen (see above screenshot) and can be operated with the cursor or touch-screen controls. Your calculation history is displayed in the top-right of the screen as well, which you can scroll back through to view. Even though Calculator is available on the Nintendo Switch, it has no game-like elements–it’s just a calculator.

When it was released overseas earlier in May, it became a huge topic of discussion on the internet. Even though non-game applications on the Nintendo Switch do exist, the decision to put a plain ol’ calculator on the eShop created waves.

At the time of its release, there was a popular post on Reddit with 23,000 upvotes, with comments such as: “But will it run at 60fps?” “Will this have a physical release?” “Multiplayer mode?” “More like multiplier mode.” “It’s the perfect excuse. ‘Sure boss, let me double check those numbers.’ boots up Monster Hunter.” There were also many comments comparing the similarities to the iPhone calculator application as well, “That looks like a mobile app from 2012.”

When we spoke with Sabec LTD, they told us they released Calculator on the Nintendo Switch to make the Switch a multifunctional device. And so that students and engineers wouldn’t need to carry around an actual calculator with them anymore.

While Sabec LTD has been releasing many games and applications overseas, their releases in Japan were put on hold over the high costs of acquiring a CERO rating. However, after acquiring an IARC rating as a free alternative, they were finally able to make releases in Japan. It was only in May of this year when the representative said they would quickly proceed with preparing Calculator for a Japanese release, before becoming a reality only a short while after on June 24.

Aside from Calculator, Sabec LTD continues to work on many other non-game applications, as well as several simple games they have begun releasing in Japan, including Table Tennis, Pool, and Chess.

For example, they have also developed Night Vision, which functions as a simple night-vision camera by making use of the right Joy-Con’s IR (infrared) Motion Camera. There’s also Spy Alarm, which also utilizes the IR Motion Camera to transmit an invisible infrared trip wire that sounds an alarm when passed through. Sabec LTD has developed many other titles overseas, and it’s likely we will see them come to Japan before long.