The Best Retro Game Consoles, Handhelds, Controllers, and More

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Many modern video games connection communicative experiences that rival Hollywood blockbusters, but today’s games tin besides request a batch of clip and attraction to play through. Sometimes you conscionable want to dive correct into nan action, and nan 8-bit and 16-bit retro games of yesteryear are cleanable for that. Especially pinch each nan caller retro handhelds and reproduction consoles presently hitting nan market.

The Playdate Is Unique, Charming and Full of Potential

Retro gaming arsenic a hobby successful itself is much celebrated than ever, but uncovering nan cleanable retro gaming cogwheel for your needs tin beryllium overwhelming, truthful we’ve done nan difficult activity for you. Whether you’re a kid of nan ‘80s who’s been playing classical titles for decades and has a upland of aged cartridges (and a difficult thrust afloat of ROMs) aliases a teen funny why truthful galore group still emotion nan Super Nintendo and nan Sega Genesis, this guideline will thief you fig retired nan champion measurement to bask nan classics from nan past.

Jump to:

Best Handheld for Playing Real Cartridges
Best Mini Handheld Retro Console
Best Big Screen Handheld Console
Best Console for Playing Real Cartridges
Best Retro Gaming Contoller
Best Retro Arcade Machines

The Retro Gaming Gear Buying Forecast

The biggest inclination successful retro gaming we’re seeing conscionable a fewer months into 2023 is nan merchandise of handhelds not specifically designed for retro gaming and emulation astatine all. Game streaming is slow gaining traction, and pinch it has travel a postulation of Android-powered handhelds designed to beryllium utilized pinch streaming services for illustration Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now, including nan Logitech G Cloud, and nan Razer Edge. But some devices besides hap to beryllium fantabulous retro gaming machines for moving emulators for illustration RetroArch, pinch large screens that make classical games look amended than ever.

We’re besides seeing different inclination of companies for illustration Miyoo and Anbernic releasing much affordable and streamlined handhelds, including nan Miyoo Mini and nan Anbernic RG35XX, which skip nan added bulk of analog joysticks and alternatively attraction connected classical games from nan original PlayStation era and earlier, which could beryllium played utilizing conscionable a D-pad and action buttons.

And while nan long-rumored Nintendo Switch Pro still hasn’t arrived, Nintendo continues to grow its offering of retro titles done its Nintendo Switch Online services, wherever you tin bask prime classical games from nan NES, Super NES, Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis and astir recently, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance, which each look particularly beautiful connected nan Nintendo Switch OLED.

The Best Handheld Console For Playing Real Cartridges: Analogue Pocket

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Although delays person plagued nan $220 Analogue Pocket for rather a fewer years, hold times are yet overmuch shorter for nan handheld that delivers a near-unrivaled retro gaming acquisition for titles released for classical handheld consoles. Its 3.5-inch, 1600 x 1440 pixel LCD show (protected pinch Gorilla Glass) is simply a show to behold, and nan Pocket is capable to perfectly emulate nan look of classical handhelds without introducing immoderate gameplay capacity issues. The Pocket runs connected a custom-designed FPGA spot that plays games from nan Nintendo Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Sega Game Gear, and different portable consoles flawlessly, pinch precocious features still enroute that will let players to stock crippled saves pinch others. There’s moreover a dock that allows games to beryllium played done a TV pinch an HDMI connection, but support successful mind that you’ll request to bring your ain original cartridges, and salary for somewhat clunky cartridge adapters for non-Nintendo titles.

That said, organization developed cores for consoles for illustration nan Sega Genesis guarantee that nan Analogue Pocket’s room is ever growing.

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Retro Gaming connected a Modded Game Boy

A civilization Game Boy Advance created by Retro Modding.

Many retro handheld gamers deliberation nan hardware was perfected years agone pinch nan original Game Boy, nan Game Boy Color, and nan various iterations of nan Game Boy Advance. If you’d alternatively instrumentality pinch what you know, companies for illustration Retro Modding tin upgrade Nintendo’s original portables utilizing a operation of nan aged hardware (original motherboards) and newer parts, including rechargeable batteries, backlit LCD screens, louder speakers, colorful glowing LED buttons, and housings that lucifer nan originals aliases characteristic much elaborate designs. Custom builds tin costs you good complete $500 if you take to upgrade each past component, and they often return a fewer weeks to build, but if you’re heartbroken your original Game Boys nary longer work, a rebuilt replacement is nan adjacent champion thing.

Modern Official Retro Cartridges connected nan Evercade

Like nan Analogue Pocket, nan Evercade and Evercade EXP are portable consoles reliant connected crippled cartridges, but not nan Nintendo and Sega ones still collecting particulate successful a shoebox successful your parents’ home. The Evercade’s creators person licensed charismatic games from their original publishers to create a postulation of themed cartridges that each incorporate aggregate titles. There are now hundreds of games disposable for Evercade handhelds, each of which tally perfectly connected nan hardware, without slowdown, graphical hiccups, aliases sound effect issues. The original Evercade is getting a small harder to find, and will now costs you astir $150 bundled pinch a postulation of cartridges, but that’s because past twelvemonth saw nan preamble of nan Evercade EXP, which added wifi, a important bump successful surface resolution, and other buttons facilitating sideways gameplay for TATE mode titles—and a flimsy MSRP bump to $150 (though it does travel bundled pinch a azygous crippled cart).

The Best Mini Handheld Retro Console: Anbernic 350P

As groundbreaking arsenic nan original Game Boy was, its portability was often analyzable by nan request to transportation astir an assortment of crippled cartridges, often necessitating a bulky carrying case, aliases astatine slightest monolithic pockets. When portability is simply a priority, a handheld tin of emulation is nan measurement to go, allowing a mini representation paper to beryllium filled pinch thousands of classical crippled files to play connected nan go.

We still deliberation nan Anbernic RG350P is an unthinkable bargain (it tin now beryllium recovered for astir $70-$80) acknowledgment to a build that feels arsenic coagulated arsenic Nintendo’s older portable hardware but still includes a brace of analog joysticks for enjoying afloat 3D titles pinch a virtual camera. But pinch a 320 x 240 screen, nan 350P’s hardware is getting a small old. If you’re consenting to walk a small more, nan $150 Anbernic RG351MP brings pinch it astir identical specs, but pinch a premium aluminum lodging and a 3.5-inch, 640 x 480 surface that will make retro titles look moreover better. You tin besides find nan moreover newer Anbernic RG353M for astir nan aforesaid price, which now includes a touchscreen that facilitates nan usage of Android, successful summation to a civilization Linux OS, which users tin move between.

Also Consider:

The Anbernic RG35XX is simply a Game Boy For Tiny Pockets

Although nan $65 Anbernic RG35XX almost feels for illustration a measurement backmost successful position of performance, it’s deliberately designed to beryllium elemental and affordable. It lacks immoderate analogue controls, which intends that it’s champion suited for playing retro games making love backmost to nan PS1 and earlier, earlier controllers and gamepads had joysticks. But nan hardware is incredibly solid, nan 640 x 480 afloat laminated surface is beautiful, and nan handheld moreover has an HDMI larboard for enjoying your favourite retro games connected a bigger screen. It’s creation is besides a dormant ringer for nan original Game Boy.

The Miyoo Mini is Hard to Find But So Worth It

Over nan years, we’ve watched nan handheld emulators coming retired of China adhd much and much capacity and functionality, allowing them to emulate games from much powerful consoles. But nan $60 Miyoo Mini did nan opposite, and alternatively focused connected older systems—from nan Atari to nan PS—with a compact, simple, and affordable creation inspired by nan original Game Boy (though not to nan aforesaid grade arsenic the Anbernic RG35XX). It was a astonishment deed past year, truthful overmuch truthful that it was almost intolerable to ever find successful stock. If you’re consenting to hunt astir and salary a premium, you tin still find one. But its successor, nan somewhat larger $70 Miyoo Mini Plus, should beryllium overmuch easier to find this year. That said, nan original is amended for one-handed gaming, which tin beryllium adjuvant for playing turn-based games while connected nan train.

The Funkey S is Smaller Than a Game Boy Cartridge

The original Nintendo Game Boy changed portable gaming forever, but it was besides benignant of a beast, and conscionable hardly pocketable. The ~$68 FunKey S is really smaller than a Game Boy crippled cartridge, but done emulation, is tin of playing thousands of retro titles, including 3D games designed for nan original PlayStation. It’s astir arsenic portable arsenic a portable gaming instrumentality tin get while still really being playable.

Nintendo’s Modern Game & Watch’s Are Perfect Collector’s Items

The Nintendo Game & Watch The Legend of Zelda, pinch The Legend of Zelda Link's Awakening connected screen, photographed against a greenish background.

To thief observe Mario’s 35th anniversary, a fewer years ago, Nintendo released a revival of its old-school Game & Watch handhelds, updated pinch afloat colour screens and rechargeable batteries. The $50 Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. paired nan original NES type of Super Mario Bros. pinch its sequel and a classical G&W crippled called Ball to create a charming throwback handheld that wasn’t needfully a must-have. But a twelvemonth later, Nintendo followed up pinch nan $50 Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda, which swapped Mario for 3 classical Zelda games: nan original NES The Legend of Zelda from 1986, nan 1988 sequel Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (which introduced side-scrolling levels to nan series), and nan 1993 The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening from nan Nintendo Game Boy. The crippled action connected each instrumentality mightiness beryllium limited, but some are very pocketable ways to scratch a nostalgic itch.

The Arduboy is Our Favorite Homebrew Retro Handheld

Going moreover thinner, Super Impulse’s Micro Arcade statement squeezes classical games for illustration Pac-Man, Tetris, Dig Dug, Galaga, Oregon Trail, and Qbert into credit card-sized handhelds that scope successful value from $20 to $25, depending connected really galore games are included connected each. They were designed by nan aforesaid technologist who created nan open-source, $54 Arduboy FX, a mini Game Boy that allows anyone to programme and create their ain games. With a black-and-white OLED display, Arduboy games are astir arsenic elemental arsenic retro games tin get, and while you won’t find immoderate A-list titles disposable for nan handheld (aside from Tetris aliases Space Invaders clones), each nan games presently disposable for it are wholly free.

The Best Handheld Console For Big Screen Retro Gaming: Valve Steam Deck

Although it’s designed to beryllium a handheld machine tin of playing modern AAA titles disposable done Valve’s online gaming store, nan $399 Steam Deck’s processing power, worth proposition, and large surface besides make it a awesome instrumentality for enjoying retro games done emulation, particularly if you want to beryllium capable to easy dock and output to a TV. You tin easy install package for illustration RetroArch to nan Steam Deck, arsenic good arsenic a big of different emulation tools, and play classical games from not only nan 8-bit and 16-bit era, but titles from newer consoles arsenic well, including nan GameCube, Wii, and PlayStation 3.

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The Logitech G Cloud is simply a Lightweight, Big Screen Retro Powerhouse

When we reviewed nan $350 Logitech G Cloud, we concluded that astir gamers should alternatively walk their money connected nan not overmuch much costly Valve Steam Deck, fixed its gaming capabilities acold transcend nan capacity of Logitech’s crippled streaming handheld. However, if your attraction is strictly connected retro gaming, nan G Cloud is lighter and smaller than nan Steam Deck, while offering a larger, seven-inch, 1080p screen. Its creation besides feels incredibly comfortable to hold, and since it runs Android, it’s incredibly easy to load up pinch emulators and different devices for enjoying nan classical retro games you grew up with.

The Nintendo Switch is Still Worth It

If you’re a retro gamer, there’s small uncertainty that your favourite classical titles see a sizeable number of Nintendo titles—so why not conscionable spell backmost to their source? The original $400 Nintendo Switch, $260 Switch Lite, and nan upgraded $450 Switch OLED each person entree to an ever-growing postulation of retro games erstwhile disposable done older Nintendo consoles, for those who subscribe to nan Nintendo Switch Online work ($20 per year, aliases $50 per twelvemonth for nan Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack). These now see games from nan NES, Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and nan Game Boy Advance, and each nan games will play perfectly connected nan Switch hardware without having to set aliases tweak immoderate emulation capacity settings. There’s besides a number of retro revivals, re-releases, and remasters disposable done nan eShop.

The Best Console For Playing Real Cartridges: Analogue Super Nt

In conscionable a fewer years, Analogue has made a sanction for itself arsenic nan champion imaginable solution for playing original retro crippled cartridges connected modern TVs. Instead of relying connected package emulators that tin beryllium buggy, pinch capacity that varies from crippled to game, Analogue’s 16-bit Super Nt uses a civilization FPGA spot that perfectly emulates nan Super Nintendo’s original hardware. Every crippled cartridge useful flawlessly, and nan console includes HDMI connectivity and endless options for customizing really games look connected a elephantine surface truthful you tin get arsenic adjacent arsenic imaginable to recreating your puerility gaming experience. But there’s a catch, and it’s a large one. Analogue only produces its hardware successful mini batches, and its astir caller batch of Super Nt consoles, which it claims is its last, is wholly sold out. So you’ll person to look to resellers to people one, and you tin expect to salary a premium if you spell that route.

The (Other) Best Console For Playing Real Cartridges: Analogue Mega Sg

Everything we said astir Analogue’s Super Nt applies to nan Mega Sg, isolated from that alternatively of playing original Super Nintendo cartridges, nan Mega Sg plays 16-bit Sega Genesis games, 8-bit Sega Master System games, Game Gear (with nan due cartridge adapter), and moreover Sega CD games flawlessly, pinch zero lag, nary framework drops, and, much importantly, nary of nan audio sync issues that person plagued Sega package emulators for years. But for illustration nan Super Nt, Analogue only produces its hardware successful mini batches, and it claims its astir caller batch of Mega Sg consoles, which is wholly sold out, will beryllium its last. So expect to salary a premium if you want to hunt 1 down.

Also Consider:

Other Retro Consoles That Play Real Cartridges

The Analogue Mega Sg tin play original cartridges from much than a decade’s worthy of Sega consoles, but nan Analogue Super Nt is SNES only. If you’ve sewage a postulation of NES cartridges too, you’ll request to hunt down nan Analogue Nt aliases nan newer Analogue Nt mini, which are presently some retired of banal from Analogue itself but occasionally aboveground connected eBay.

The Best Mini Consoles For Each Type of Gamer

If you’re aft a cheaper solution, and don’t needfully attraction astir being capable to play your aged cartridges, Nintendo fans should decidedly see nan Super Nintendo Classic Edition, which comes bundled pinch 20 classical 16-bit SNES games and 2 matching controllers, aliases nan NES Classic Edition, which includes 30 8-bit games and a brace of retro gamepads. But uncovering either could beryllium a situation now, arsenic Nintendo nary longer produces nan Classic Editions. Sega fans should person an easier clip search down nan Sega Genesis Mini, which includes an awesome roster of 42 built-in 16-bit games moving disconnected of a polished Genesis emulator, while original PS1 fans tin besides drawback nan miniature all-in-one PlayStation Classic, which includes 20 games and a brace of controllers.

The Best Retro Gaming Controller: 8BitDo Ultimate Controller pinch Charging Dock

8BitDo keeps making fantabulous caller retro controllers, and our favourite keeps changing. We now thin towards nan $70 8BitDo Ultimate Controller, which has an asymmetrical joystick layout and creation that’s person to nan Switch Pro controller and what nan Xbox Series X|S vessel with. The included charging dock is simply a very invited convenience, and nan Ultimate Controller is compatible pinch 8BitDo’s Ultimate Software (running connected PCs and mobile devices), allowing nan capacity and mapping of nan controller to beryllium quickly customized. As of March of 2023, nan Ultimate Controller is besides 1 of respective 8BitDo gamepads that finally officially support Apple devices, including nan iPhone and iPad.

While nan 8BitDo Ultimate Controller has features for illustration a gyroscope and tin easy play modern games arsenic good arsenic retro games, its d-pad is still shockingly reminiscent of what you’d find connected an original SNES controller, and its Hall Effect sticks (and triggers) mean you’re not going to person to woody pinch joystick drift.

Also Consider:

The 8BitDo Pro 2 is Great for SNES and PlayStation Games

If you for illustration a symmetrical, PlayStation DualShock-inspired layout for nan your controller’s analog sticks, nan $50 8BitDo Pro 2 remains an fantabulous choice. It offers almost each of nan functionality that nan 8BitDo Ultimate Controller does, but trades nan charging dock for a rechargeable artillery that tin beryllium easy swapped pinch a brace of AA batteries for further elasticity and portability. The 8BitDo Pro 2 is besides 1 of nan controllers recently updated pinch afloat support for Apple devices, including Mac computers and nan Apple TV streaming box.

The 8BitDo SN30 Pro Ditches Sticks For a More Authentic SNES Controller

If portability is much important to you than customizability, nan $45 8BitDo SN30 Pro, featuring a creation inspired by nan Super Nintendo’s original gamepads but pinch nan summation of other enarthrosis buttons and a brace of analog sticks, is besides connected nan database of controllers that 8BitDo precocious updated pinch support for Apple devices.

The Best Smartphone Controller

Modern smartphones are fundamentally pocket-friendly gaming systems pinch 1 large drawback: they require players to trust connected touchscreen controls. That’s acold from perfect for retro games primitively developed for gamepads, but you tin easy move a smartphone into a super-sized and super-powered Game Boy pinch nan $99 Backbone One controller, designed for astir iPhones and Android smartphones. It uses an adjustable clamping system that tin grow to accommodate moreover larger devices, adding beingness action buttons, analog joysticks, a directional pad, and enarthrosis buttons to a touchscreen only device, pinch connectivity provided done nan smartphone’s charging port.

The GuliKit KingKong Pro 2 is The Best Controller For Tinkerers

Although its biggest trading constituent is its usage of magnetic Hall Effect joysticks (and triggers) that will ne'er acquisition drifting issues, moreover aft thousands of hours of gameplay, nan $70 GuliKit KingKong Pro 2 brings a batch of fantabulous functionality to a wireless controller that supports Macs, PCs, Apple mobile devices, Android mobile devices, and nan Nintendo Switch, correct retired of nan box. Our favourite feature, however, is an ‘auto-pilot’ mode that tin grounds a bid of fastener presses and joystick movements, and past replay them again pinch a azygous fastener press—perfect for classical retro games limited connected combos, aliases quickly inputting nan Konami cheat code.

The PlayStation DualSense and Xbox Wireless Controller Are Reliable

Although 8BitDo has brought immoderate useful innovations to nan wireless controller space, it’s a comparatively mini company, and surely doesn’t person nan aforesaid R&D fund arsenic gaming powerhouses for illustration Sony and Microsoft do. Both of those companies nutrient fantabulous controllers for their respective consoles, but neither are PlayStation aliases Xbox exclusive. Since they trust connected Bluetooth, they tin besides beryllium connected to desktops, laptops, Android devices, and moreover Apple’s hardware now that nan institution has expanded its support for wireless controllers.

If you’re connected nan hunt for a precocious value wireless controller to usage pinch your favourite retro gaming emulator, you should besides see nan $60 Xbox One Wireless Controller pinch Bluetooth, nan $60 PlayStation DualShock 4 Wireless Controller, nan $75 Xbox Wireless Controller (for nan Microsoft Xbox Series X|S consoles) aliases nan $70 Sony PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller.

The Best Retro Arcade Machines: Arcade1Up Video Game Cabinets

If you’re consenting to walk thousands of dollars, there’s nary shortage of retro arcade machines retired location to buy, powered by PCs moving emulators that springiness instant entree to thousands of classical games. Arcade1Up takes an wholly different approach. Instead of 1 instrumentality that plays everything, Arcade1Up offers Ikea-style build-it-yourself arcade cabinets that attraction connected a circumstantial bid of games, specified arsenic nan various iterations of nan pub-staple, Golden Tee. The company’s arcade cabinets look precisely for illustration nan ones you’d find successful a classical arcade, pinch matching graphics, light-up marquees, and moreover nan original controls, but scaled down—standing conscionable 4 feet gangly if you’re not utilizing an optional riser. That gives each arcade instrumentality a smaller footprint, letting you compression them into moreover a mini apartment, and they commencement astatine conscionable $300.

Also Consider:

The Best Digital Board Game Table and Mini Arcades

If you’re not rather fresh to dedicate 1 of your house’s rooms to a backstage arcade, Arcade1Up besides sells moreover smaller replicas it calls Counter-cades that tin look and play precisely for illustration their larger counterparts, but tin easy beryllium perched connected a desk. Starting astatine $140, nan Counter-cades are besides a batch cheaper than Arcade1Up’s self-standing cabinets, letting you turn your postulation faster.

Debuting backmost successful 2021, nan $650-$850 Arcade1Up Infinity Game Table is reminiscent of nan tabletop arcade machines you’d find successful restaurants successful nan ‘80s, but pinch a larger, upgraded touchscreen. In summation to a mini assortment of retro-inspired games featuring modern facelifts, nan Infinity Game Table includes integer versions of classical committee games for illustration Monopoly, Scrabble, Battleship, Operation, and Clue (the postulation is ever-growing) each customized for playing connected a ample touchscreen interface pinch aggregate players crowded astir it.

This database is updated regularly pinch caller recommendations and merchandise forecasts. It was past updated connected Mar. 21.

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