Tag Heuer unveils Super Mario Connected watch

Tag Heuer is marking the beginning of a long-term collaboration with Nintendo with a limited-edition Super Mario smartwatch.

The Tag Heuer Connected timepiece has been designed to offer the wearer a “fun” new way to get more active, explains the watch brand, as the limited-edition Super Mario style features the gaming character tracking the wearers progress.

Tag Heuer states that Mario’s “upbeat and active personality” will encourage wearers of this smartwatch to enjoy moving as the Nintendo character becomes livelier and more animated the more the wearer is active.

The animations on the smartwatch are based on the gamification rewards system with Mario greeting the wearer each morning with a salute and each time they hit 25 percent, 50 percent, 75 percent and 100 percent of their daily step count, a different Mario animation plays out on the dial.

These take the form of Super Mario’s famous objects: at 3 o’clock the Super Mushroom that makes Mario grow, at 6 o’clock the Pipe that allows him to travel fast and at 9 o’clock the Super Star that makes him invincible lights up. When the wearer reaches 100 percent of their daily step count target, Mario climbs the Goal Pole, another iconic feature of the video game.

The idea is 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, added Tag Heuer.

Frédéric Arnault, chief executive of Tag Heuer, said in a statement: “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.

“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. The new hero watchface gives life to this iconic character and encourage users to team up with Mario to get out there and be more active.”

The Tag Heuer Connected x Super Mario limited-edition timepiece comes with two interchangeable straps, black leather on red rubber strap and a sporty alternative in matching red perforated rubber. The watch is limited to just 2,000 and will be available in selected Tag Heuer boutiques and at www.tagheuer.com in selected regions from July 15.