Casio Leans Fully Into Arcade-Inspired Nostalgia With New PAC-MAN Collaboration

From its Calculator Watch to its myriad of digital timekeepers ripe with '80s and '90s flair, Casio is the reigning king of nostalgia when it comes to watches. As we have already seen, it is also a brand unafraid of a collab (or twenty), and strategically chooses partners that elicit the same nostalgic twinge. Twenty-twenty-five is a big anniversary year, both for Casio and for one of the world’s most memorable arcade- game characters, PAC-MAN, and the pair have joined forces to create a collection of four watches that intend to be the ultimate (affordable) nostalgia trip. 

As one would expect, this four-piece collection takes designs from Casio’s vault and brings playful touches that immediately call out to the characters and the most iconic details found lurking within the maze of the PAC-MAN universe. In my opinion, the standout within the collection is clearly the CA53WPC-1B Calculator Watch, which quite literally looks like an arcade game machine. The bright yellow bezel looks just like the original PAC-MAN game console and features both brands' logos just above the small rectangular digital display. Around the buttons, which control both the calculator and the timekeeping features, the blue-printed motif of the game’s familiar blue maze surrounds the numerals and the watch’s various functions. At the bottom center, you can see PAC-MAN eating his way across the watch face. 

The other three watches, while still fun in their own right, are much more low-key. With the blacked-out ABL100WEPC-1B, the PAC-MAN maze is situated around the negative LCD digital display, which helps carry through the monochrome aesthetic. At the bottom of the watch face, yellow PAC-MAN characters on the left and bright red cherry icons on the right add a pop of color. This piece is the most expensive in the collection at $130, and rightfully so, considering that this watch has Bluetooth connectivity and a step counter in addition to other timekeeping functions. 

The A168WEPC-7A and F91WPC-1A are essentially the same models with slight differences in colors and material construction. Both models feature bright neon renditions of a PAC-MAN character encircling the digital display, along with four of the game’s villainous ghost characters in the bottom right corner. The silver-toned A168WEPC-7A model features a chrome-plated resin case and is paired with a stainless steel bracelet, and is slightly more expensive than the all-black resin F91WPC-1A. A push of the button on each of these models illuminates the hidden "WAKA WAKA" text, the sound that PAC-MAN makes as he eats the pixelated cookies in the game. 

Each of the four models in this collection will ship within a collector’s box and has a special engraving of the PAC-MAN logo on the caseback. Pricing for these watches ranges from $59.95 - $130, and they are available now. For more information, please visit the official Casio website.