In the past 12 months, our world has changed in so many ways – with changes happening so quickly that it’s sometimes hard to keep up. Everyone is looking for things to do at home. Because of this, you’d be forgiven for diving head first into the wonderful world of gaming. Just because we now have more advanced technology than we could ever have dreamed up 20 years ago, doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy a bit of nostalgia. With that said, the following is a guide to the 5 best retro gaming consoles for your inner child.

The Classic PlayStation, Refined

The original PlayStation was a revolutionary console that brought a mixture of appealing graphics, expansive game catalog and new-age hardware, and was the initial leap for Sony into the gaming market. Gone away were the days of 2D side-scrollers and 16-bit gaming, the Sony PlayStation led the way into polygonal gaming and revolutionized what the market thought “gaming” was, and what it could become.

For anyone who grew up on the fifth-generation consoles, think of Crash Bandicoot or Solid Snake instead of Mario, or just never got the chance to enjoy this exceptional console, the PlayStation Classic is a must buy retro console.

It comes with 20 pre-loaded titles, is approximately 45% smaller than the original console, and includes two wired controllers, a virtual memory card and an HDMI chord. Some of the games included are:

• Final Fantasy VII
• Tekken 3
• Twisted Metal
• Metal Gear Solid
• Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee

Mini console, major fun

If a staggering 821 built in games piques your interest, look no further than the Super Mini HDMI Retro Video Game Console. This wireless console with dual gamepads will send you back to the days of your youth as you battle against friends to reach the coveted next level.

In the ‘old days’, games consoles would often freeze up. You might remember being told to blow into your 16 bit console to fix it. You might also remember that this often caused more harm than good. Thankfully the Super Mini HDMI Retro Video Game Console is a hardier creature and is built to stand the test of time.

Powered by retro

The Go Retro Portable Game Player is the ultimate in retro gaming consoles – to the point that you can even power it using old-school batteries as well as through a Micro-USB cable. With a 2.8 inch high resolution screen and intuitive user interface, this fun console includes 260 retro games including Capcom and Data East, and allows for a 10 hours of non-stop play.

Also worth checking out, particularly for those of you who would rather receive boxes for your gaming equipment, is Loot Crate. Loot Crate offers boxes that include everything from top video games to game apparel and is definitely worth looking into.

Re-Experience the 16-Bit Revolution

16 bit gaming is regarded as one of the highest points in the gaming industry. After the gaming crash of 1983, and it’s resurgence with third generation consoles such as the Nintendo NES and the SEGA Master System, both companies continued to revolutionize the gaming market.

With the introduction of the Genesis, SEGA continued to compete with Nintendo in the 16-bit era, and was a highly grossing system with a ton of great games in its library.

The SEGA Genesis Mini Console brings back some of the old memories with a plethora of awesome games, such as:

• Castlevania: Bloodlines
• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Altered Beast
• Ghouls ‘n Ghosts
• Earthworm Jim

If you grew up as a SEGA kid and want to find some of that old retro nostalgia, or were an Nintendo kid and want to see what you missed out on, you need to check out the Genesis Mini version!

Old school, new tech

If your gaming device once dominated your childhood bedroom then check out the Infityle Classic Retro Game Console. In classic white with two controllers, this console includes AV output and 350 built in games to keep you busy during lockdown nights. You’ll be all set to relive the glory of beating all of your favorite games after hours of trying,

 

It’s always comforting to be able to revisit aspects of our childhood, and with more time on our hands at the moment, retro gaming consoles are making a resurgence. Not only are these a nostalgic throwback for adults, but mom and dad gamers will take great satisfaction in introducing these retro consoles and games to their own children. That way their kids can have a piece of the 80s and 90s style childhood fun that many parents are concerned is a thing of the past forever. Happy gaming!