To mark the occasion, the energetic Mushroom Kingdom’s hero Mario takes over the TAG Heuer Connected in a luxury smartwatch that combines sport, technology and elegance in one dynamic package
Swiss avant-garde watchmaking brand TAG Heuer recently launched its collaboration with Nintendo. This time, to celebrate the beginning of a long-term collaboration between the two brands, TAG Heuer and Nintendo have created a limited-edition smartwatch featuring Nintendo’s most famous character: Mario.
Inspired by the famous “easter egg” concept that all gamers know very well, which consists of hiding features and surprises as a bonus in video games, the timepiece adds new excitement to both the watchmaking and gaming worlds.
Uniquely, the animations are based on the gamification rewards system. At first, Mario greets the wearer with a welcoming salute in the morning. As the day progresses and the wearer unlocks rewards at each stage of their daily target—from 25 percent to 50, 75 and 100—a different animation plays out on the dial.
“The inspiration for this collaboration came from our desire to gamify and bring excitement to our new wellness application and Super Mario instantly came to our minds,” says Frédéric Arnault, CEO of TAG Heuer. “And it’s not just his international and intergenerational appeal that clinched it. Mario is the ultimate super-active character whose perseverance and tenacity get him out of every situation.”
Another highlight in this collaboration is a special nod of appreciation to the Super Mario objects at the bezel. There’s the Super Mushroom that makes Mario grow at 3 o’clock, the Pipe that allows him to fast-travel at 6 o’clock and the Super Star that makes him invincible lights up at 9 o’clock. The best part is arguably when you reach 100 percent of your daily step count target, Mario will climb the Goal Pole, exactly like the iconic feature of the video game.
To top it off, the brand’s famous Connected watch faces have also been reinterpreted with Super Mario special versions. There’s the retro elements from the 1985 version of Super Mario Bros. with Mario himself, all in pixels.
Also, two versions of the Heuer 02 watch face were created exclusively using Super Mario’s iconic red and blue colors, and another classic with subtle touches of Super Mario’s red cap. Finally, the Orbital watch face had its neural network replaced by Super Mario’s iconic elements rotating in a movement.
Limited to only 2,000 pieces, the TAG Heuer Connected x Super Mario Limited Edition is completed with other subtle references that will delight Super Mario fans: From the bezel graduation, push buttons and crown logo that were filled with its famous red cap’s lacquered color, to the engraved M symbol of Mario on the strap buckles, on the crown, and the special inscription on the case-back along with two novel interchangeable straps in red color.
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