OnePlus Nord 2 Pac-Man Edition is a mid-range phone covered in gaming nostalgia

In a week when Microsoft and Gucci decided to collaborate on a $10,000 Xbox Series X, OnePlus and Namco Bandai have come up with something only slightly less unexpected: the OnePlus Nord 2 Pac-Man Edition.

Given we’re not getting a OnePlus 9T this winter, this is as good as it gets, but it’s not new hardware — just the excellent but familiar OnePlus Nord 2 given a mild makeover. 

In other words, there’s no advancements on the MediaTek Dimensity 1200-AI chip, 12GB RAM, 90Hz 1080p screen, 256GB storage or 4,500mAh battery — but there is a small Pac-Man logo on the back.

Not only that, but the back glows in the dark. At nightfall, the seemingly plain OnePlus Nord 2 Pac-Man Edition’s back will light up to reveal a bright green Pac-Man maze, with the word Nord spelled out in the middle. 

If you like, there’s also a semi-translucent case with Inky, Blinky, Pinky and Clyde — the four ghosts that Pac-Man spends that majority of his waking hours avoiding. But best of all is charming little build-it-yourself Pac-Man stand that comes with the phone when ordered directly from OnePlus:

There’s also a little bit of Pac-Man inside the phone, too, with eight themed wallpapers, retro notification sounds, 8-bit-style icons for OnePlus’ own apps and a bundled copy of Pac-Man 256. Our colleagues at TechRadar even spotted that the dot telling you what page you’re on in the settings has been replaced by a small Pac-Man.