Over the last few years there’s been a trend within the retro gaming industry, a trend that mixes nostalgic video game series with high-end timepiece manufacturing. We previously had hands on with Nubeo’s Space Invaders Watch which was absolutely stunning, and before that SEGA announced a collaboration with Anicorn to release beautiful watches too.
I was lucky enough to get my hands on Capcom’s latest watch which is in collaboration with AVI-8 to celebrate the popular flying arcade game known as 1942 which released in the 80’s. It’s a mutual collaboration between a video games company and a watch manufacturer who focuses on aviation, making it a great choice for Capcom, knowing that this company will pay respect to every pixel in the game.
AVI-8 are only releasing 1,000 units of each design, with three in total to choose from. I have the Gunmetal Ace version in the office which pairs with a dark stainless steel strap, but there’s also Midnight Ace, and Silver Ace to choose from when they go on sale on the 27th September 2024 and retail for $450 – $474 on their website.
AVI-8 kindly sent this out to us for un-biased review purposes.
Table of Contents
The Packaging
The packaging is very bright, bold and pixelated… just how it should be. The slip case features the iconic plane explosion from 1942 in all of it’s 8bit-glory. Slide the slip case off to be greeted with 1942’s logo and a limited edition icon that looks as if it’s a Nintendo logo? I am surprised this got past Capcom’s Q&A, but I guess 1942 did eventually launch on the Game Boy Color.
Once you take off the lid you will find an instruction manual and your hand numbered card of authenticity which features more logos, nods and even official 1942 artwork. These can be neatly stored in the roof of the lid thanks to an integrated pouch.
Remove the inserted padding and you will be greeted with the timepiece itself, alongside the additional high quality strap and a tool to change, remove and install the links. There’s two extra links at the bottom of the box too.
The Timepiece
My gunmetal ace version ignites the face with colour, featuring the bold blue sea in the back, with square textures adding to the pixelated look.Parts of the levels have been added ontop ot it to make it look like the land tat you fly over in the game.
Alongside that are icons of two planes and bullets to make it feel like you are looking at the real gameplay with no motion. The seconds dial has even been designed like one of the planes, with a coloured gradient hand that rotates around the map fluidly, as if its some kind of radar.
AVI-8 has used larger pixelated numbers to make it easy to read from a distance, with a date window at the bottom where the number 6 would be, this can easily be changed by pulling the crown out one level and twisting the hour hand around.
Around the stainless steel case you will also find some Capcom branding too. If you flip the watch over to reveal the back, you will see laser engraved graphics of a fighter plane with subtle markings that show numbering out of 1,000, water resistance of 50m and more. There’s also added etching to the strap connector, which went unnoticed for a few days. Again this shows another fighter plane in action.
It’s a visually pleasing watch with a vibrant 41mm face that certainly attracts the eyes, and because of its 1942 touches, anyone that has played the game will instantly know what the watch is about. I love the subtle nerd approach to this watch, especially with the stainless steel strap. If you want to make it not so subtle, add the included blue hybrid leather and rubber strap to make it really pop.
The Feel
It’s certainly a heavy watch, one that grasps your wrist with intent, especially when partnered with the steal strap. The rubber strap is much lighter, but because of the rubber interior it grips to your wrist nicely, making it an alternative for those that like to wear their watches outside when doing activities, as it’s certainly going to be far more durable to bumps and scratches.
I will mention that installing the stainless steel strap can be cumbersome, like most watches, so for those that like to switch it up more frequently, you may get to a point where it becomes too finicky to do so, even if there are included tools.
The crown is fairly large, and at times I did notice it rubbing the top of my palm when I played with my son, I think this is due to the AVI-8 logo being quite sharp on the crown face. However, it didn’t leave any marks throughout the day, but nonetheless noticeable.
As much as I like the steel strap, I found myself using the leather strap more often, which is surprising as I tend not to dress with much colour, but i felt like the both paired nicely and the rubber strap made it more comfortable to wear for days on end, and the Swiss luminous hands lit up strongly at night during special occasions and parties.
Overal Opinion
- Bright, Vibrant, Nostalgic Face
- Collectors Piece Limited To 1,000 Units
- Strong, Durable Rubber Strap
- Built By Real 1942 Fans
- Sharp And Uncomfortable Crown Size
- Prices Makes It A “Special Occasion” Watch
- Might Feel Heavy On Small Wrists
Overall AVI-8’s 1942 watch is certainly a beautiful timepiece that will be respected by retro gamers from around the world, it’s pays respect to the game in subtle ways without making the watch complicated or visually unsettling. You can tell real fans of 1942 made this product and it’s nice to see there’s three unique retro gaming designs to choose from, featuring slightly different coloured straps.
Deep down it’s a collectors piece from Capcom, but crafted into a timepiece that can be worn on special occasions, as i’ll admit, it’s certainly not a daily driver for me personally, due to the weight, price and scratch prone straps/case.
It’s a watch that you wear when you’re going to be around other retro gamers and it’s a watch that collectors can look at on display with awe. That doesn’t take away from the sheer beauty of it, but acts more like its real video game counterpart, a moment where you pull it out of its display case, blow off the dust and take it for a ride consciously, with respect and pride.
There’s no better company than AVI-8 to make a 1942 watch. It’s a great collaboration that nobody saw coming, and one I know the 1,000 customers will be happy receiving.
