Casio Chomps Into 80s Video Game Vibes With Retro ‘PAC-MAN’ Watch

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Image by Casio In an ode to the 70s, Casio has announced a watch in collaboration with the internationally iconic video game PAC-MAN. The timepiece, the A100WEPC, is a reworked model of the earlier F-100 watch, which was released around the same time as PAC-MAN. The well-loved game hit arcades in 1980 and never looked back since, while the vintage watch was the first quartz Casio model to be encased in resin in 1978, coming complete with new functionalities like a stopwatch, alarm, and calendar. It was one of the most advanced digital watches of its time. Casio’s new A100 draws its inspiration from the original F-100, including its trademark front four buttons. The base model came out last month, with features such as a 1/10 second stopwatch, daily alarm, hourly time signal, auto-calendar and LED light. It retains some of the original functions, but now just with a step up. But the A100WEPC is where the sentiment lies. “The styling is designed to evoke the fun, retro look of the PAC-MAN game,” the news release states. It’s clear to see in the watch face and casing: colorful pixelated characters dance across the face, which replicates the stage in the game, down to the tiny details: a pink line still marks the location the ghosts emerge from. Even the font in the Illuminator logo is the one used in-game. Not forgetting the straps, too: on the top, a laser etching of the eponymous character being chased by ghosts; and on the bottom, the reverse. To top it all off, the packaging is a delightful replica of the game on-screen. Fans of the watch and its design can get their hands on it at ¥12,100 (US$110) starting next month in Japan, followed by an international release after. This isn’t PAC-MAN’s first timepiece appearance; the Timex T80 x Pac-Man has already been in existence since 2020. But, paired with the remake of the iconic F-100 from around the game’s time, this Casio piece definitely has an edge up when it comes to nostalgia. Image by Casio Image by Casio [via Crunchyroll, images by Casio]