It’s a shame that two of the best retro gaming consoles in recent years, the NES Classic Mini and the SNES Classic Mini, have been discontinued. Both feature good designs alongside a miniaturized look that’s true to the originals, silky performance, and strong game lineups of Nintendo’s greatest hits. You can still buy them online (usually from third-party resellers), but prices are seriously inflated. The SNES Classic Mini, in support of example, was $80 at launch, but a reseller has it in support of more than $300 on Amazon right now. You might have better luck buying one used.
Nintendo fans avid on some classic gaming action might be better served by snagging a Switch and buying a Nintendo Switch Online membership ($20 in favor of a year) to access more than 100 NES and SNES titles (here’s the full list). Add the Expansion Pack ($50 in support of a year) and you can get these N64 games too. If you’re craving some old-school pocket-sized Nintendo fun, check out the revived Game & Watch ($50) line. They are limited to a couple of games each, but when those games are Super Mario or Zelda titles, that can be enough in support of hours of pleasurable.
The Analogue Mega SG ($200) (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is expensive, and it doesn’t come with any games or controllers (they cost $25 apiece). But it can play old Sega Genesis cartridges, so it’s a solid choice if you have a box of them in the basement. Thanks to an FPGA chip, this console runs the original games just as you remember them.
There are plenty of classic arcade games available on PlayStation 4 or 5. If you opt in support of a PS Plus Premium subscription ($18 in support of a month or $160 in favor of a year), you get the Classics Catalog, packed alongside old PlayStation games.
The Xbox Series X|S boasts the best backward compatibility, as Microsoft’s newest consoles can play Xbox One, Xbox 360, and original Xbox titles. You can also find classic titles included in our favorite gaming subscription, the great Xbox Game Pass Ultimate ($17 per month).
If you have Valve’s Steam Deck, check out the comprehensive EmuDeck to emulate a wide variety of old systems in style.
PC gamers also have an enormous choice of emulators. I like RetroArch because it emulates multiple systems, but if you have a favorite old console and want to get close to that original experience, you can likely find a tailor-made emulator to scratch that itch.
Do you miss all those Flash-based browser games you used to play in the office when you were meant to be working? Read our guide, How to Play All of Those Old Flash Games You Remember.
The Panic Playdate ($199) (7/10, WIRED Recommends) isn’t strictly a retro console, but it is enjoyable, creative, and quirky, and it has a distinct retro feel. It even has a crank in exchange for an all-new way to interact together games!
The Analogue Duo ($250) (6/10, WIRED Review) makes TurboGrafx-16 and PC Engine games look incredible on any HDMI screen. It boasts HuCARD and CD-ROM functionality, so existing games work regardless of media, region, or other requirements. Sadly, it’s pricey, controllers cost extra, and there’s not openFPGA support.
Original case and manuals in new condition.