Retro Watch

I shipped the Android and iOS versions of Retro Watch.

It’s a small pixel clock app that turns your phone or tablet into a cozy retro desk display.

The app began as a web app, so I used Capacitor to bring it to native mobile quickly. The biggest lesson for me was that the native version should not just be a WebView copy.

So I added mobile-specific touches:

• haptics

• native sharing

• app lifecycle handling

• keep-screen-awake mode

• small UI/copy refinements for mobile

The keep-screen-awake option ended up being especially important because it matches the core use case: leaving the app open on a desk, shelf, or bedside table.

Retro Watch is not trying to be a productivity tool. It is more like a tiny ambient object — a pixel clock with themes and background music that makes your space feel a little nicer.

It’s a simple product, but I like that it has a clear use case:

open it, place it somewhere, and let it quietly exist in the background.

Android:

• https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.henaxing.retrowatch

iOS:

• https://apps.apple.com/app/retro-watch-pixel-clock/id6774510343

It's also available on the web as well.

• https://retrowatch.app/

Thank you and have a nice day!

Hey everyone 👋

I’ve been slowly iterating on my small side project, Retro Watch — a retro pixel-art web clock.

Just pushed a new update and wanted to share what changed:

🎮 3 New Themes

• Plastic Battlefield

• Desert Operation

• Stationery Skirmish

Trying to move beyond “backgrounds” and make each one feel like a tiny scene.

🎧 3 New 8-bit BGM Tracks

Each theme now has matching audio.
The idea is to make it feel a bit like a passive game running in the background while you work.

🎚️ BGM Selector (finally)

This was a missing piece.

• Browse tracks

• Select / play / pause

• See titles + thumbnails

Feels much closer to an actual retro UI now.

📱 Motion Background (mobile)

On portrait mode, the background now slowly shifts left/right.

Before: wide scenes were just cropped
Now: you can naturally see more of the environment

(Also optional — can be turned off)

💭 What I’m learning

I started this as a super simple idea:

“What if checking the time wasn’t boring?”

But it’s gradually becoming more about micro-experiences than just a clock.

Also realizing:

• Small UX details (like motion or sound control) matter more than big features

• “Feels alive” is harder than “looks good”

Still building this solo in small iterations.

Curious what you think — especially around:

• Does BGM make sense for something like this?

• Would you keep it open while working?

Thanks 🙏

Hi, Indie Hackers 👋

I recently built a small side project called Retro Watch — a retro pixel-art web clock inspired by classic arcade games.

Checking the time is something we do dozens of times every day, but most clocks are designed to disappear into the background. I wondered if that tiny moment could feel a bit more playful.

So I created a simple web clock surrounded by pixel-art environments and nostalgic retro vibes.

Retro Watch runs directly in the browser and can also be installed as a PWA. It works nicely on tablets or second screens if you want to keep it open while working.

Right now it includes 8 different themes, each with its own mood:

• Basic Sky
• Fantasy Town
• Night Castle
• Golf League
• Western Town
• Retro World
• Neo City
• Space Station

There are also a few quick controls to customize the look:

• Toggle 24-hour format
• Show or hide seconds
• Enable CRT scanline effects
• Toggle background blur

It’s a very small project, but the idea was simple: turn the quick act of checking the time into a tiny moment of retro nostalgia.

If you enjoy pixel art, retro game aesthetics, or small web experiments, I’d love to hear your feedback.

👉 Try it here:

https://retrowatch.app

Thanks for checking it out!

Ps. I'm also curious: do people actually use web clocks like this on a second screen or tablet?