Tyler Frederick

If games were watches

A few weeks ago, I went on a tangent about Capcom and Seiko’s collaboration with Street Fighter and how I’m upset—I have been for quite some time—that Seiko hasn’t capitalized on the fact that they have the licensing for Capcom and could very well produce some Mega Man Limited Editions. But I’ll put my soapbox away for today, I guess. Since we’re on the topic of gaming, I thought I’d do something a little different today and bring up the franchise wars from the ’90s, aka Sonic the Hedgehog vs. Super Mario vs. Crash Bandicoot. All three had such a big part of my childhood, as I LOVE Sega (Sonic), Nintendo (Mario), and Sony (Crash). I played every game from each franchise, and I will say I’m more biased towards Sonic (my bedroom when I was a kid was literally Sonic blue). I wanted to take each of their likenesses and try to pair them with a watch brand to the best of my ability.

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Sonic the Hedgehog: CASIO G-SHOCK MRG-B2000

Precision and Speed

Let’s start this off with an extremely bold choice, but one that I think makes sense. Sonic is the embodiment of angst, talent, and speed, and the MRG series from G-Shock is the embodiment of a badass digital watch that has a futuristic aesthetic while maintaining a traditional G-Shock vibe.

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Why this for Sonic? A lot of the Sonic universe, specifically from the older comics, exists in a future-esque timeline on Sonic’s home planet of Mobius. However, he’s depicted as a traveler who sleeps wherever he likes and doesn’t really care about where he calls home, and in later series and media, his home becomes Earth. His carefree attitude, paired with his speed and his tendency to travel would benefit from the build and overall construction of the MRG-B2000–a Sonic version would look pretty sweet in all primary colors to represent Sonic’s overall color palette. Not to mention, other characters from the franchise would make for a great watch design as well; Miles “Tails” Prower, Shadow the Hedgehog, Knuckles the Echidna, Espio the Chameleon; the options are endless.

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Super Mario: Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39

Timeless & Charming

I know this is a pretty wild choice, but it just feels right. Mario has been around since the beginning of video games under the name “Jumpman,” making his first appearance in the 1981 arcade classic Donkey Kong, long before gaining his illustrious name as Mario. Fun fact: Mario got his name from Nintendo’s then-landlord, Mario Segale, while the team was working on the North American version of Donkey Kong.

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Mario is a timeless classic that will always live in the hearts of kids and adults. While both Sonic and Crash had their time in the spotlight, it’s safe to say nothing will ever overthrow the legacy of Super Mario, hence my choice of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39. With Rolex and their ability to create some pretty cool dials, the puzzle piece
watch, for example, there could be some very cool Mario-themed dials as well, paired with the overall classic and timeless styling of the Oyster Perpetual. The watch could be kept pretty clean as well, with just a solid dial color and maybe some engraving, but my choice was purely about timeless meets timeless, so Super Mario fits the Oyster Perpetual 39 perfectly.

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Crash Bandicoot: DOXA Sub 300T Professional Orange

Bold, Playful, Built for Chaos

Have you ever played a game from the Crash Bandicoot franchise? Running through jungles, labyrinths, and fleeing from giant boulders, diving, driving, and riding polar bears and dinosaurs—tackling every terrain you could possibly imagine—that’s why Crash would absolutely be the DOXA Sub 300T Professional, and because of his fur, the orange dial. There would be so much room to have fun with a Crash Bandicoot special edition, considering the entire game involves outdoor adventures.

For tackling everyday scenarios or trying to beat a psychotic kangaroo named Ripper Roo, who’s strapped in a straitjacket, you need a watch that can do it all and survive every obstacle thrown your way, or for every crate you spin through. The reliability of the Sub 300T is a fantastic choice, and a special edition could include the orange dial with unique designs, or make the same texture as a crate and include it on a blue fabric strap to represent Crash’s shorts. There’s a variety of things you could do to make this a very Crash-esque piece, and I feel that with the chaotic nature of his games, the DOXA could survive every second.

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Final Thoughts

That just about sums up my thoughts on which watch I think represents each character, along with their likeness and their games. These three characters were my childhood and still hold such a big place in my heart, and in the hearts of many who grew up around the same games. These three feel like home to me and were so important during some of the most difficult times in my life, so having the chance, as I often do, to bring two genres (games and watches) together into a story means the world.

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This was a really fun one for me, and I would love to hear what you think would make the most sense or which watch you’d like to see a special edition of for your favorite character! Thanks for joining me in the fun, and until the next one, have a great rest of your week! Love you!

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AbAbout the author

Born into a family obsessed with motorsport, Tyler Frederick became enamoured with speed and beautiful cars at a young age. His love of Formula 1–and all things mechanical–eventually lead him to horology. You can follow him on Instagram.

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