Nelsonic Industries
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electronics, Watchmaking |
| Founded | early 1980s |
| Fate | Acquired by M.Z. Berger in the 1990s |
| Headquarters | Long Island City, Queens, New York City , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Electronic wristwatches, game watches |
| Owner | M.Z. Berger |
| Parent | M.Z. Berger |
Nelsonic Industries was an American electronics manufacturer headquartered in Long Island City, Queens, New York City. The company operated from the early 1980s until it was acquired by the watchmaker M.Z. Berger during the 1990s. Nelsonic carved out a niche by producing wristwatches with toy-inspired designs aimed at younger consumers, featuring well-known franchises such as Barbie, Ghostbusters, and Mario. It became notable as the first U.S. firm to create game-watches, which are electronic devices that combine timekeeping functions with simple interactive games. Following its acquisition, Nelsonic continued as a subsidiary under M.Z. Berger, manufacturing game-watches under its brand name until the parent company shifted its focus toward traditional, premium wristwatches. Today, original Nelsonic Game Watch models have gained collectible status and often command high prices in resale markets.
History
Nelsonic specialized in digital wristwatches inspired by popular culture, generally constructed from molded plastic and equipped with alarm features and LCD screens. The company pioneered multifunctional LCD devices that integrated time display capabilities with basic video games, categorized as "electronic calculator watch structures." Their inaugural game watch model was Space Attacker. Nelsonic quickly captured a significant portion of this specialized market and secured licensing agreements with major video game companies at industry events like the Consumer Electronics Show.
Among its licenses were prominent names such as Sega, Nintendo, Midway Games, and Mylstar Electronics. Building on its foundation in the toy market, Nelsonic also acquired licenses for popular electronic toys like Milton Bradley’s Simon and developed original LCD games tied to franchises including Barbie, G.I. Joe, Power Rangers, as well as film and television properties like Ghostbusters. Additionally, Nelsonic created licensed games such as a blackjack-themed watch for Caesars Palace.
In later years, Nelsonic broadened its range to include more sophisticated metal watches and advanced game-watch designs. The company was purchased by M.Z. Berger in 1990, which maintained Nelsonic as a subsidiary producing game-watches and re-releasing popular models throughout the 1990s. However, by the end of that decade, waning consumer interest—likely influenced by competition from handheld gaming consoles and emerging portable technologies like PDAs and smartphones—prompted M.Z. Berger to cease game-watch production and concentrate on upscale timepieces.
Currently, the Nelsonic brand continues under M.Z. Berger’s ownership for traditional watch lines but no longer manufactures game-watches. As recently as 2007, the brand reported sales exceeding $1.9 million through distribution channels including the AAFES.
Game watches
Presented below is a catalog of Nelsonic's Game Watch series, which also encompasses models promoted as "Wrist Game" (such as Ghost Busters), "Action Watch Game" (like Barbie), and "Gamewatch Boy" (for example, Super Mario Race).
| Title | Date | Licensed by | Based on | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbie Tennis | 1990 | Mattel | Barbie | Designed for younger demographics featuring well-known franchise characters. | |
| Baseball | Baseball | Equipped with a removable Nelsonic 5×16mm monocular to enhance screen viewing. | |||
| Black Jack | Blackjack | Subsequently licensed by Caesars Palace and retailed in their gift shop as Caesars Palace Black Jack. | |||
| Bo Bear | |||||
| Dinky Dino's Watch | 1997 | A digital pet simulation akin to Tamagotchi, also referred to as Dinopet. | |||
| Donkey Kong | 1994 | Nintendo | Donkey Kong | ||
| Football | Association football | Marketed in the US under the name Soccer; reissued with varied physical designs. | |||
| Frogger | 1983 | Sega | Frogger | ||
| Ghostbusters | 1990 | Columbia Pictures | Ghostbusters | Packaged as The Real Ghostbusters. | |
| G. I. Joe: A Real American Hero | 1990 | Hasbro | G.I. Joe | ||
| Grand Prix | Casio | Auto racing | |||
| The Legend of Zelda | 1989 | Nintendo | The Legend of Zelda | Offered in black, red, white, and pink; European distribution by Zeon in 1992. | |
| Luigi's Hammer Toss | 1990 | Nintendo | Super Mario Bros. 2 | Released in North America as Luigi's Hammer Toss and known simply as Luigi in Japan; available through select Japanese McDonald's outlets; notable for being Luigi’s first solo playable game. | |
| Major League Baseball | Major League Baseball | ||||
| The Maze Watch | Labyrinth | An early Nelsonic Game Watch featuring a physical labyrinth puzzle instead of electronic gameplay. | |||
| Melody Car Racing | Auto racing | Included a detachable Nelsonic 5×15mm monocular to assist with screen viewing. | |||
| Mighty Morphin Power Rangers | 1994 | Saban Entertainment | Power Rangers | ||
| Ms. Pac Man | 1982 | Ms. Pac-Man | |||
| Pac Man | 1982 | Midway Games | Pac-Man | Among Nelsonic’s top-selling watches, retailing between $25-$35 with sales exceeding half a million units; featured various faceplate designs and control options including joystick versions. | |
| Poochie Watch | 1997 | ||||
| Princess Toadstool's Castle Run | 1990 | Nintendo | Super Mario Bros. 2 | Distributed in North America as Princess Toadstool's Castle Run, named Peach in Japan; the first title starring Princess Peach as the main character; available through some Japanese McDonald's locations. | |
| Q*Bert | 1983 | Mylstar Electronics | Q*Bert | ||
| Race Car | Auto racing | ||||
| Sea Ranger | Aldo | ||||
| Simon | Milton Bradley Company | Simon | |||
| Space Attacker | 1981 | Also issued under the titles Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan by Collins Industrial Co., and "Cosmic Wars" by Majestron; Nelsonic re-released it in 1983 as "Space Wars" offering black plastic and metal versions. | |||
| Star Fox | 1993 | Nintendo | Star Fox | Released simultaneously in Europe as "Starwing"; produced with several physical configurations, some including headphone jacks and accompanying headphones. | |
| Super Mario Bros. | 1989 | Nintendo | Super Mario Bros. | Available in black and white; also marketed as "Mario Bros."; featured a headphone jack and headphones included. | |
| Super Mario Bros. 3 | 1990 | Nintendo | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Released in black, white, red, and pink variants; European version distributed by Zeon in 1992. | |
| Super Mario Bros. 4 | 1991 | Nintendo | Super Mario World | Also branded as "Super Mario World" on the strap; included headphone jack and headphones. | |
| Super Mario Race | 1992 | Nintendo | Super Mario Kart | Packaging displays Japanese Game Boy cover art from "F-1 Race". | |
| Tank Battle | 1982 | Also released under alternative titles "Plane & Tank Battle" and "Tank & Plane Battle". | |||
| Tetris | 1990 | Nintendo | Tetris | Widely praised; available in black, white, red, and pink colors; European release handled by Zeon in 1992. |
See also
- Game & Watch – Nintendo's series of LCD handheld games produced between 1980 and 1991, frequently mistaken for Nelsonic's "Game Watch" because of the similar naming and licensed content.
- Elgin National Watch Company – a former watch manufacturer now under M.Z. Berger ownership, operating as a sister company to Nelsonic.
- Waltham Watch Company – another sister company affiliated with Nelsonic.
- Gruen Watch Co. – also a sibling subsidiary connected to Nelsonic.
- Unisonic Products Corporation – an additional producer of game watches.
External links
- M.Z. Berger & Co. – parent organization overseeing Nelsonic’s trademarks and assets.
- Nelsonic Gallery at the Handheld Museum