It’s a shame that two of the best retro gaming consoles of recent years, the NES Classic Mini and that SNES Classic Mini, got employed. Both feature great designs with a faithful miniaturized look, silky performance and strong gaming franchises from Nintendo’s biggest hits. You can still buy them online (usually from third-party sellers), but the prices are greatly inflated. The SNES Classic Mini, for example, cost $80 at launch, but one reseller currently has it for more than $300 on Amazon. You might have better luck buying a used copy.
Nintendo fans looking for some classic gaming action might be better served by grabbing a Switch and buying one Nintendo Switch Online Membership ($20 for one year) to access more than 100 NES and SNES titles (here’s the full list). Add the expansion pack ($50 for a year) and you can get these N64 games too. If you’re in the mood for some old-fashioned, pocket-sized Nintendo fun, check out the revived Game & Watch line ($50). You’re limited to a few games each, but if that’s the case Super Mario or Zelda Title that can be enough for hours of fun.
The Analog Mega SG ($200) (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is expensive and doesn’t come with games or controllers (they’re $25 each). But it can play old Sega Genesis cartridges, so it’s a good choice if you have a box of them in the basement. Thanks to an FPGA chip, this console runs the original games exactly as you remember them.
There are many classic arcade games available for PlayStation 4 or 5. If you choose one PS Plus Premium Subscription ($18 for a month or $160 for a year)get the Classics catalog, packed with old PlayStation games.
The Xbox Series Classic titles are also included in our favorite gaming subscription, the Excellent Xbox Game Pass Ultimate ($17 per month).
If you have Valve’s Steam Deck, check out the comprehensive one On board to stylishly emulate a variety of legacy systems.
PC gamers also have a huge selection of emulators. I like RetroArch because it emulates multiple systems, but if you have an old favorite console and want to get close to the original experience, you can probably find a custom emulator that solves this problem.
Do you miss all those Flash-based browser games you used to play in the office when you were supposed to be working? Read our guide “How to Play All the Old Flash Games You Remember.”
The Panic Playdate ($199) (7/10, WIRED recommends) isn’t a purely retro console, but it’s fun, creative and quirky, and has a distinctly retro feel. It even features a crank for a whole new way to interact with games!
The Analog Duo ($250) (6/10, WIRED Review) ensures TurboGrafx 16 and PC Engine games look incredible on any HDMI display. It has HuCARD and CD-ROM functionality so existing games work regardless of media, region or other requirements. Unfortunately it is expensive, controllers cost extra and there is no openFPGA support.