Nike's retro gaming-inspired Blazer is far from nerdy

Gaming apparel can rarely be called stylish, but Nike's lively new Blazer Mid '77 is shaking that up with loads of detailing inspired by old school gaming. By taking on one of Nike's original silhouettes, the "Have a Good Game" Blazers are doubly retro and should add a dose of fun into your sneaker rotation.

The most prominent design cues are a pixelated Swoosh and colorful gradient that adorns the midsole. But as you survey the rest of the sneaker, you'll find nod after nod to vintage gaming — with the best surprise coming when the lights are turned off.

They glow in the dark — These blazers become even more animated with the lights out, with a glow-in-the-dark Swoosh and "Just Do It" repeat print revealing itself. Another text hit comes on the heel, where "Have a Good Game" is stamped with a static effect and smiley face with the Swoosh in place of a mouth. The tongue patch also gets a colorful overhaul, and from there the flourishes will be up to you.

The heel's mustache has been done up in velcro to house patches included with the sneaker. One consists of another smiley face with a Swoosh mouth and a headset that nods to more modern gaming. The other is a pixelated heart with a Swoosh, but don't let the options stop there. If you've got it, toss on a patch from your favorite video game to make it your own.

Better than any pro gaming shoes — It's hard not to laugh when brands come out with "performance" sneakers specifically for gaming — as if the requirements for a shoe during play require anything more than not actively distracting you from the task at hand. Instead of creating goofy socks like Puma or an overwrought K-Swiss sneaker with options for temperature and the ability to convert into a slide, brands should just make some cool shit that appeals visually to gamers. These Blazers should be a hit on the pro gaming circuit, and I'd be shocked if they had any deleterious effect on its wearers' performance.

Dropping this fall — Release details have yet to be announced, but the "Have a Good Game" Blazers will hit stores sometime this fall. The Blazer Mid '77 is usually priced at a cool $100, and you can tack on a small sum if you end up in search of your own perfect patch to add.