Here’s Why The OnePlus Nord 2 x PAC-MAN Edition Is A Fun Throwback To Arcade Games

It’s fair to say that no smartphone brand has aced limited editions better than OnePlus. From Star Wars to Avengers to McLaren, the brand hasn’t shied away from adding a twist to its popular smartphones. It all starts with the build customisations. 

The PAC-MAN legacy: 

It’s one of the most successful and iconic video games of all time, generating $14 billion in revenue (as of 2016). Toru Iwatani began developing this game in 1979 with a nine-member team in Japan. The original inspiration was the image of a pizza with a slice removed. It’s pretty simple; you control PAC-MAN who must eat all the dots within an enclosed maze as you avoid four coloured ghosts (Inky, Blinky, Pinky and Clyde), each with their distinct personalities.  If you eat the large flashing dots called power pellets, the ghosts turn blue, enabling PAC-MAN to eat them for bonus points. 

Funky design: 

This is a fun device to unbox, the elaborate packaging builds the anticipation. In many ways the design aesthetic is a happy meeting point of OnePlus’ trademark simplicity and the retro PAC-MAN vibe. The case is our favourite element – it glows and features iconic PAC-MAN elements. You’ll find PAC-DOTS and PAC-MAN himself. There’s also a neon maze that integrates OnePlus Nord elements. The trademark OnePlus alert slider sports the same dark blue colour as the TURN-TO-BLUE, vulnerable ghosts from PAC-MAN. These ghosts appear when a player eats a power pellet. If DIY is your scene, you will enjoy building the Lego-style PAC-MAN phone holder. The holder takes inspiration from famous Penrose stairs and symbolises PAC-MAN’s iconic gameplay loop. We wish this was bundled in the box. You will need to join OnePlus’ Red Cable Club via your device to get your free phone holder.

Customisations: 

OnePlus’ OxygenOS gets a retro makeover. The icons adapt to a pixelated aesthetic inspired by lo-fi video games. There’s a whole bunch of static and dynamic wallpapers. The fun part? You have to complete challenges on the device to unlock several hidden wallpapers. Even before I did that I dived straight into the PAC-MAN 256 game that’s pre-installed. It’s fun to munch on pellets and outsmart ghosts as you keep chasing those high scores. There’s more customisations that include ringtones and photo stickers 

It’s the same Nord 2 hardware:

Once you scratch the surface, it’s the same Nord 2. OnePlus has worked closely with MediaTek on maxing out the AI capabilities of the new Dimensity 1200 processor. It’s why the official OnePlus spec sheet calls it a MediaTek Dimensity 1200-AI processor. This special edition features 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal memory. The Nord 2 opts for a triple lens rear cam that is headlined by a 50MP primary lens. The device comes with the same 65W charger that powers the device in just over 30 minutes. OnePlus claims that a 15-minute charge is all you need for a full day battery. It’s not an exaggeration – the 4500 mAh battery comfortably lasted a day and a half in our tests.

I don’t think I’ve enjoyed using a OnePlus Special edition smartphone as much as the brand’s all new tribute to PAC-MAN. No, I’m not a big PAC-MAN fan and neither is this a millennial thing. It’s just a fun, engaging experience that you might appreciate even if PAC-MAN is not on your radar.

The OnePlus Nord 2 x PAC-MAN edition costs Rs 37,999

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