Nintendo x Panda Global— Panda Cup
Complex? Let’s Go.
Panda Global acquired a partnership with Nintendo to launch the first-ever sanctioned North American E-Sports competition for Super Smash Bros. and I was tasked with creating two trophies for the live streamed event.
The trophies were to be accompanied by dozens of bespoke bronze/silver/gold coins, as coin holders where each contestant can pick a coin from.
FINAL DESIGN
This was an enormous project that was very open-ended so I very quickly had to manage client expectations on what was possible within the parameters of the project.
The client wanted two trophy cups that would be eye-catching and stand out on live streaming. Initially, I created a fully metallic cup for the client, but soon after started ideating on a mixed-material direction with a transparent body to allow visibility of coins that the losing contestants have to be placed inside of the cup.
Ideation and Function
Mario’s Coins.
A large part of this project is the coins the players are given, that they also must relinquish if they lose and do not proceed into the next round.
The coins had holders which I ideated on heavily. Vertical and horizonal models were created to explore different orientations. A horizontal version (top-right) was ultimately chosen as the final version to ensure the stature of the piece did not obscure the view of the trophy cup itself.
For the coins themselves, I created an embossed version of the client’s logo and went with a plated zinc alloy material so they would reflect a lot of light on camera for the live event.
Rolling with the Flow of Design
The project involved significant design work, influenced by Nintendo's strict branding. I approached the project as if I were working directly for them, aligning myself with their vision. Panda Global and Nintendo had internal discussions in addition to their meetings with me, and the project evolved and journeyed through several stages to reach the final result.
Key to the process was adopting the client’s mindset, ensuring each design iteration moved closer to their original vision. It was equally important to evolve with the project, keeping new elements consistent with the existing ones. For example, when we replaced a multi-colored elements with gold trim, I ensured this change was reflected across all elements, maintaining a cohesive design.
END RESULT
The final product ended up looking great, with one black cup and one white cup made for two respective winners of the tournament.
This was definitely an exciting project from start to finish having grown up being a fan of many Nintendo games.
