Hot on the heels of the sale of a pristine<i> Super Mario 64</i><a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/2021/07/12/unopened-copy-of-super-mario-64-sets-new-auction-record-selling-for-15-million/" target="_blank"> for a record $1.5 million</a>, Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer has announced it is getting into the gaming market with the launch of a connected <i>Super Mario</i> watch. Limited to only 2,000 pieces, the Wear OS-enabled watch features an animated Mario on its face, who will not only greet you in the morning with a cheery salute, but will, according to the brand, become “livelier and more animated the more the wearer is active". The character will be reactive, with different animations playing when the user reaches 25 per cent, 50 per cent, 75 per cent and 100 per cent of their set fitness goal, as encouragement. Other familiar elements from the popular video game will feature, too, as the Pipe, the Super Star, the Goal Pole and the Super Mushroom emblems all make an appearance. At 3 o'clock, the Super Mushroom makes the animated Mario grow, while at 6 o'clock, the Pipe allows him to travel fast. At 9 o'clock, meanwhile, the Super Star that makes the beloved character temporarily invincible lights up. Anyone who reaches 100 per cent of their daily step target will be rewarded with an animation of Mario climbing the Goal Pole, in what Tag describes as "another iconic feature of the video game". Even when the wearer is not being active, he or she can enjoy <i>Super Mario </i>features with a choice of four watch faces. One features a depiction of Mario’s cap, while another, called the Timekeeping dial, will have "retro elements from the 1985 version of <i>Super Mario Bros</i> with Mario". A third option rotates through different elements of the game. The watch hardware, too, has been given a Mario makeover. With a 45-millimetre case, the push buttons, bezel and crown are all in <i>Super Mario </i>red, while the crown also sports a large M-for-Mario logo. The watch will come with two interchangeable straps; one in black leather, and the other in perforated rubber in bright red. Even the travel case is in the familiar red tone. In addition to the <i>Super Mario </i>features, the watch will operate like any other Wear OS device, giving access to Google Assistant, the calendar and weather, as well as offering fitness tracking and wellness apps. The new watch is expected to go on sale on Thursday through selected Tag Heuer boutiques and online.
