Rereleases of retro consoles aren’t exactly a new phenomenon. Starting in the early 2000s, Atari and other manufacturers started capitalizing on CPU tech and developing plug-and-play versions of their classic consoles. But starting in about 2016, when Nintendo offered a limited release of their NES classic system, there was an explosion of “classics” being released over the ensuing years.
Options like the Sega Genesis found right now at B&H or the supremely affordable PlayStation Classic found at GameStop are all-in-one options for people who want to relive their glory days of gaming. These systems toe the line between functionality and collectibility, and as such you’ll have to weigh how much money you want to spend on them. The cheaper consoles do tend to come with their share of glitches, but the more expensive consoles are usually higher priced because of an artificial scarcity of supply. Read on for our list of the best retro releases you can buy right now.
The original Game & Watch console was released in the ‘80s as Nintendo’s first handheld game system. And, naturally, when Super Mario celebrated his 35th anniversary in 2020, Nintendo wanted to celebrate in a number of ways. The Nintendo Game & Watch re-release features the full Mario Bros. original adventure, now displayed on a larger LCD that shows the game in bright, vibrant detail. The enclosure is so similar to the original that Nintendo has even included the ultra-squishy rubbery A/B buttons and the plastic-y d-pad.
Best Overall
Nintendo Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros.
Nostalgic attention to design
Bright, vibrant display
Very collectible
A little expensive for the gameplay
Controls are cramped and squishy
Console feels a little fragile
And because the modernized version of the classic handheld system features more power and more storage, Nintendo has also included the second Mario Bros. game (what they’re calling “The Lost Levels”) as well as a novelty Mario Juggling game. There is a clock mode that cycles through 35 classic animations to pay homage to the classic Mario aesthetic. While the system plays well enough, the tiny console and true-to-the-original buttons don’t make for a very comfortable gaming experience. But, that’s not really the point here. This is a novelty piece of merch, meant simply as much an item for your gaming collection as it is an actually functioning device. So, while the price feels a bit high for the functionality, it might be worth it for the true Mario fans out there.
“As with the original Super Mario Bros. release, playing on the Game & Watch is a challenge, but a welcome one at that as it captures the difficulty of the original title! With single and multiplayer modes available, there’s plenty of fun to go around. Choose from Mario or Luigi as you make your way across the world, crushing Goombas and Koopa Troopas as you go. I do appreciate that it’s possible to pause the game, so you never lose progress in a pinch.” — Emily Isaacs, Product Tester
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System, while not the first console Nintendo released, earns its spot as one of the most successful of all-time. While the original NES broke ground, the graphics and gameplay afforded by the SNES redefined that ground. The SNES Classic Mini is a welcome introduction because it brings with it all the warm memories of that system in a much smaller format. Plus, because there are 21 classic games preloaded onto the hard drive, you can access many of your favorites without the need for digging your bulky cartridges out of our attic.
Best SNES
Nintendo SNES Classic Mini
20 classic games
One never-before-played title
Two controllers included
Cheap build quality
No way to load on additional games
Most of the quintessential games are here — things like the original Super Mario Kart and Street Fighter II (arguably the best in the series). You’ll also find first-party standbys like Super Mario World, Zelda: a Link to the Past and the first Star Fox. Technically there are only 20 original games included, because Nintendo also loaded on Star Fox 2 — an installment of the classic space flight adventure that was actually never released. The system comes with two classic wired controllers and connects to your TV via HDMI.
Sega got in on the miniaturized classic consoles with a rerelease of arguably their most successful console of all time. The Sega Genesis was originally the only real viable competition to Nintendo’s success thanks to first-party characters like Sonic the Hedgehog and Ecco the Dolphin. Those two classic titles are, of course, pre-loaded onto the Genesis Mini. The forty included titles also feature classics like Contra, Gunstar Heroes, Earthworm Jim, and Streets of Rage 2. To support the two-player options of this library, Sega has also included two USB-connected controllers with the well-known 3-button Sega controls.
Best Genesis
SEGA Genesis Mini
40 titles, plus two bonus games
Two controllers included
Sega’s best IP is here
Cheap-feeling build
A bit too pricey for the limitations
While we like what Sega has tried to do with the game-select interface, it does feel a little glitchy at times. And even though it isn’t that much different than the original console, the plastic-y build lacks a bit in the premium category — a problem when you consider that you’ll have to shell out almost $100 for the system. But, for Sega fans, this is a reasonable price for the collectibility offered.
Best NES
Nintendo NES Classic Edition
30 of Nintendo’s best titles
Smooth user experience
Nostalgic design
Very expensive with scarce supply
No way to load on more games
Only one controller included
If you can stomach that price point, and the original NES experience is that important to you, this classic console will give you everything you’re looking for. There are 30 preloaded titles, and all the greatest hits are here: the original Super Mario Bros, the arcade classic Donkey Kong, the first Legend of Zelda, PAC-MAN, Final Fantasy, Mega Man, and more. In other words, you won’t be wanting for anything in this department, which is good because the locked hard drive means you can’t add more ROMs without hacking the device. You can earmark up to four game saves for each title, but the system only comes with one controller.
With all the other game manufacturers getting in on the classic console re-releases, Sony couldn’t be left out. What’s most interesting here, actually, is that Sony seems to have made enough consoles to keep the price totally reasonable. Right now, the price hovers right around $20 at Gamestop, which is solid for what you get here. There are 20 games included on the hard drive, and even though they aren’t exactly the most popular, there are options like Final Fantasy VII (a formative installment in the series), Tekken 3, and the original top-down Grand Theft Auto.
Best Playstation
PlayStation Classic
Nice PS Mini-style Design
Almost two dozen classic titles
Two controllers included
Great price point
Clunky, glitchy interface
Occasionally stutter-y gameplay
There’s also some design language in PlayStation’s original releases that support a mini PS console. The first PlayStation Mini was a shrunken-down version of the larger classic, and so the released PlayStation Classic here feels pretty at home. PlayStation has included two classic wired controllers in the box and have given you the option to save on virtual memory cards. The UX and menu experience leaves a lot to be desired, and weirdly, some of the games don’t play quite as smoothly as other systems (most likely a product of poorly conceived emulation software). But, for the affordable price, it’s not the end of the world.
While most of the retro consoles out there emulate the top dogs in console history, there’s also an option for the Commodore 64 fans of the world. The recently released THEC64 package comes with an adorably miniaturized version of the keyboard PC namesake as well as a full-sized version of the original joystick. In fact, the hardware included with this pack is perhaps the most well thought out and most satisfying version of the console re-release aesthetic. The hardware capabilities are also pretty impressive here, allowing for 720p output via HDMI cable, but also allowings for plugging in an external keyboard via USB to use the system as an actual computer.
Best C64
Retrogames C64 Mini
Well-designed hardware
Option to use the device as an actual computer
64 games on deck
Quality of included titles is lacking
Only one joystick controller included
No top-tier, console-style titles
If you’re a gaming fan, you almost certainly don’t need us to tell you that the Atari 2600 is a trailblazing system with a satisfying pool of game titles to draw from. The Atari Flashback 8 Gold is an impressive package for fans of this groundbreaking system. There are a whopping 120 games included on the hard drive, which is quite a bit more than other retro consoles, thanks most likely to the lower processing power required of first-gen Atari games. You’ll find truly historic titles like Missile Command, Asteroids, Centipede, and Frogger.
Best Atari
Atari Flashback 8 Gold
Well-executed console design
120 classic Atari games
Two controllers included
Stiff joysticks on the controllers
Not the smallest console
A little pricey
The smaller version of the console is outfitted with the visual and physical touches that made the console’s look so famous, including the massive faceplate buttons and the strips of wood paneling. There are two original-style Atari joysticks with the classic, clicky red button. That aspect is great for the nostalgia factor, but because the joysticks are stiff and not terribly responsive, the gaming experience doesn’t feel totally modern. The price is a little high at around $75, but for the number of titles and the attention to detail on the design, this might be okay for fans of the good old days of gaming.
About Our Trusted Experts
Jason Schneider has a degree in music technology and communications from Northeastern University. He has been writing for tech websites for nearly 10 years and brings even more years’ of consumer electronics expertise to the table.
Perhaps the most interesting take on the modernized retro console is the Game & Watch novelty handheld that Nintendo dropped for the 35th anniversary of Mario. It doesn’t play all that comfortably (its controls are tiny), but it serves as a nice collectible. On the other end of the spectrum is the fully featured (and much pricier) SNES Classic that offers multiple controllers and a host of the best games from the generation. But as with most things gaming, this decision is entirely subjective and your choice will likely be weighed on how nostalgic you feel about one particular game manufacturer over another.
- What is the difference between an emulator and a retro console?
- Truth be told, the way a retro console works is very similar to how an off-brand emulator works. They both run ROMs (or software builds) of classic games on modernized hardware. Retro consoles tend to have locked hard drives that can only be changed by hacking or rooting the system, while dedicated emulator devices will often allow you to load as many games and system emulators as you can fit, right out of the box.
- Why are retro consoles so expensive?
- When Nintendo led the charge in limited releases of classic consoles, it set a precedent that there was, well, a limited supply of consoles. This led to a difficulty in acquiring these simplistic devices and now, thanks to resale markets and backorders, many of these classic systems will run you a pretty high price tag.
Truth be told, the way a retro console works is very similar to how an off-brand emulator works. They both run ROMs (or software builds) of classic games on modernized hardware. Retro consoles tend to have locked hard drives that can only be changed by hacking or rooting the system, while dedicated emulator devices will often allow you to load as many games and system emulators as you can fit, right out of the box.
When Nintendo led the charge in limited releases of classic consoles, it set a precedent that there was, well, a limited supply of consoles. This led to a difficulty in acquiring these simplistic devices and now, thanks to resale markets and backorders, many of these classic systems will run you a pretty high price tag.
