Whether you’re Gen X, Millennial, or Gen Z, chances are you’ve spent your childhood and teenage years stomping on Goombas, dodging Piranha Plants, outwitting Kamek and his lackeys, and battling evil Bowser who’s always kidnapping Princess Peach. Ah yes, Super Mario Brothers in any format always brings back fond memories. From the old school Nintendo Classic, to Super Nintendo, GameBoy and PlayStation, to the latest TAG Heuer Super Mario Connected Watch.
Yes, you read right. TAG Heuer has literally just collaborated with Nintendo to create a special timepiece featuring Super Mario. The new TAG Heuer Connected Super Mario Limited Edition offers a brand new interface redesigned in the Super Mario colours. Its four watch faces have also been given the Super Mario touch, featuring unique features associated with the Mario gaming world.
As a special throwback to the 1980s, the timekeeping watch face was reskinned using retro elements from the 1985 version of Super Mario Bros. with Mario – fully pixelated, of course.
Then there are two special Heuer 02 faces, one ultra-exuberant in bold blue and red colours, the other slightly more pared down with just subtle touches of red.
And finally, the Orbital face has replaced its neural network with familiar sights from the Super Mario game, such as the awesome Super Star, which as we all know, grants temporary speed and invincibility.
But there are actual benefits to wearing the TAG Heuer Connected Super Mario Limited Edition. In the spirit of Super Mario who’s always animated and constantly on the move, his job is to encourage the wearer to keep active too. The more you move, the more Mario moves as well.
His animations are based on a gamification rewards system. Mario greets you with a welcoming salute in the morning and as the day progresses and as you rack up your step count, you unlock rewards at each stage of your daily target. Namely, a different animation plays out on the dial when you hit 25 per cent, 50 per cent, 75 per cent, and 100 per cent – kinda like bubble tea sugar levels.
More cutesy Super Mario features appear around the bezel at three, six and nine o’clock, offering a hint to the digital animations that will appear as long as you hit your daily exercise goals. Which shouldn’t be awfully challenging unless you’re really gaming 24/7.
But the design of the watch alone should inspire you to go out and get moving. Red and black interchangeable straps, a screw-down case-back, sporty push buttons and crown with a big M filled in red lacquer… Even the packaging which was specially designed for this watch is clad completely in red. You could do anything: running, cycling, swimming, walking and even golf.
Because there’s nothing Super Mario likes more than going around hitting stuff to rack up bonus points.
