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
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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.
"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 Senior News Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of art, design, branding and lifestyle tech (which often translates to tech made by Apple). He joined in 2020 after working in copywriting and digital marketing with brands including ITV, NBC, Channel 4 and more.