Introduction

If you are new to the world of artisan keycaps, I recommend reading my first article on them courtesy Jelly Key itself, which also goes over the what and why of these very custom, very niche products. That article went over two example keycaps from the Vietnamese company, and I then had another soon after in the form of a quick look article going over two other such keycaps before a third one came up. Each time, I was left wondering what could be next aside from other designs and themes, and Jelly Key must have been contemplating this very thing as the latest group buy is quite something to behold. Thanks to Jelly Key for arranging a final prototype keycap for TechPowerUp—especially early enough for the quick look to go out while the group buy is still going on!


This one is all the more relevant to me since the Jelly Key 8-bit Pipeline City was the first artisan product I had covered, which was definitely an inspired take on Nintendo's Mario universe. With the all-new 8-bit Series III, Jelly Key has gone with a more generic base, but far more complex execution involving different effects, character models, items, and even banners and ads to make this seem like a busy city being lived in. I also appreciate the cover art made by the designer and chose it as the title image for this article. Let's now take a look at Jelly Key's newest artisan keycap series in the form of a 2.25u keycap in the "Pixel Town" theme.

Packaging

I have previously covered in more detail how Jelly Key spent more time on the actual packaging design than many companies spend on entire keyboards, and I had already seen all three sizes of the solid paper boxes used by the company, which are in turn made of fully recycled materials. Based on my previous experiences, I already knew this box was going to contain a 1.5u to 3u sized keycap. It has the Jelly Key logo on front and a list of contents on the side, along with a seal with contact information. Opening the packaging reveals the actual product box held in place by a shaped compartment in the solid paper packaging, and we then get a small wooden box with a rounded, smooth finish.


As always, the hand-applied seal is a nice touch with Jelly Key products, and a marketing tagline is etched into the back. Note that this is only a concept prototype; retail products will come with the entire contents listed on the packaging above. As such, I was also told that the keycap may not fully represent the quality of finished products from the group buy, so keep that in mind as we move forward. The box opens up to reveal the keycap presented like a gift. There is foam lining on the lid, with the actual keycap inside a thicker foam piece with a cutout to snugly hold and protect the product.