Design Easter eggs can pop up in all sorts of places, from logos to web templates. But if there's one activity that isn't exactly synonymous with fun design, it's commuting. Unless, that is, you happen to live in Stockholm.
An eagle-eyed Twitter user has spotted a tiny design detail onboard a subway train in Sweden's capital city, and Twitter is going absolutely wild for it. Because who needs to buy a PS5 when you can find Pac-Man on the train?
Cute Easter egg in the new subway train in Stockholm pic.twitter.com/KZzOL6QuIVJuly 25, 2021
Hiding in the air vent holes is Pac-Man and three ghosts – and it could be argued that the rest of the holes represent the ever-present dots that our yellow hero is prone to gobbling up. (Apparently they're called Pac-Dots - thanks, Wikipedia). It's a delightfully subtle touch, and one that's probably gone unnoticed by many a harried commuter.
Pac-Man was first released in 1980 (Image credit: Bandai Namco)
"I love this. A fun little human touch in a utilitarian place like a subway. It's these little treats that delight and make the experience memorable," one Twitter user comments. Meanwhile, over on Reddit, one user sums it up: "I swear every post I see on reddit about Sweden makes me like the place even more."
The fun design touch can be found on Stockholm's new C30 trains, which began rolling out this year. “These figures symbolise in a playful way the Swedish gaming industry which has grown so big,” Elin Lindström, press spokesperson for Swedish transport company SL, told The Local. “Even if these classic figures don't come from Sweden they're an easily recognisable and appropriate symbol to represent the gaming sector as a whole.”
And it's clear that small, funny design touches like this can go a long way. Fabiano Souza's original tweet (above) has already racked up over 215K likes, while the design has received over 67K upvotes on Reddit.
Daniel John is Design Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of design, branding and lifestyle tech, and has covered several industry events including Milan Design Week, OFFF Barcelona and Adobe Max in Los Angeles.
