The Atari Asteroids Watch Is So Beautiful, I Don’t Care How Poorly It Tells Time

The classic arcade game Asteroids is so accessible and timeless that every time I see a vector graphics triangle, it acts as a reminder of the retro gaming era. The original arcade cabinet hit the scene in 1979, while the more familiar Atari 2600 title debuted in 1981. Forty-five years after the game’s debut, Atari worked with watch brand Nubeo to create a series of limited edition mechanical timepieces to mark the anniversary. I’ve slapped one around my wrist, and now, whenever I look down, I can almost hear the UFO sound effect warbling in my mind. The company sent us one of the limited edition watches for review. Ours is the Nebula Blue, numbered 104 out of 125. The classic triangular ship in the center of the watch face spins indefinitely, acting as the seconds hand. Two flying saucers tick out the hours and minutes, slowly rotating around the center. The rest of the stenciled asteroids are merely decoration. It takes more than a few seconds of squinting to gauge the time on the c ... Read full article.