Back to basics: 5 retro gaming consoles you can still enjoy

Millennials form the very basis of the online community these days. Console gaming has established a strong following among players young and old alike because of the diversity of content offered through it. When we talk about consoles though, it becomes hard to forget the originals, which made us fall in love with various games at their adolescence.

Retro gaming hasn’t lost its charm rather us millennials feel a strong association towards it because of the pleasant dose of nostalgia it brings with it. With that, let us discuss some of the best retro gaming consoles available in the market, which you can still enjoy. Ready to revisit those childhood memories? Let us begin!

Super NES Classic

Back in the 90’s, Nintendo was among the most prominent gaming console makers. The company has delivered around seven gaming consoles to date plus a wide array of portable consoles as well to keep their audiences engaged. The company wants to revitalize the passion among fans with their launch of the Super NES Classic console. The new console is like a cute miniature version of the older one and includes a wide variety of titles. Some of the exclusive titles have been revamped for considerably better graphics and new story lines. Some of these include Contra III, Star Fox, Super Mario Kart and Mega Man X. LAN multiplayer gaming is also an option with a number of titles supporting that cause.

This console successfully built on the foundation laid by the NES Classic console, which was released back in 2016. Out of the box, you get two controllers and the main console along with the supporting accessories. Plug it in, and you can enjoy a modified interface, which is sure to bring back some good memories. Wires have always been an issue with retro consoles. Well luckily, the company decided to make both the NES Classic and Super NES classic consoles wireless compatible so you no longer have to cling closely to them in order to play. The new console offers an added rewind feature which is very convenient as it help you go a few seconds back into your gameplay (particularly good if you feel your character is going to die due to certain miscalculations).

Atari Flashback 8 Gold Deluxe

Going back to the 80’s era, Atari was one of the only options among consoles. That is precisely why almost every other gaming enthusiast knows about it. Simple one-button joystick and the black and white interface of the games had their own simplicity and charm. Atari Flashback series are the newest entry into the line of consoles by the French manufacturer. The Atari 2600 console comes with a total of 120 pre-installed games including a number of Atari published titles likes Swordquest and Yar’s Revenge. The new console offers some impressive controller options with wireless compatibility. Out-of-the-box you can enjoy multiple controller and gaming paddles readily added to your arsenal. Oh and the console offers 720p output capabilities so you can enjoy old favourites in a completely revamped look.

As the name suggests, this console is sure to give you a flashback to the good old 2d times. The game library has also been enhanced to support the upgraded capabilities. You can pause and rewind your games as well during the gameplay, which is perfect for a mid-game munching.

NEO GEO Mini International

NEOGEO became so popular back in its days that almost every title was delivered under emulators on a variety of operating systems. It was an enjoyable arcade experience, which could be enjoyed over a console from the very comfort of home. It was indeed a pricey setup back in the days but its utility was priceless, as people fell in love with it over arcades and homes alike.

The mini console launched presents that very essence of arcade gaming. The cute retro console can very well add to the aesthetics of your household. You can either play on the built-in screen or attach it to a TV with the provided HDMI slot. The NEO GEO mini comes with a total of 40 pre-installed games which include lovable titles like Metal Slug, Fatal Fury and Shock Troopers. Oh, and you feel like the console is too much on your pocket, you can still enjoy some of these titles over the internet from the official website. Just make sure you have a dependable internet option like ATT Uverse or Comcast Xfinity. Brings back old memories doesn’t it? Feel free to check it out.

Sega Genesis Classic

Sega consoles were definitely the ‘it’ thing during the 90’s. The title base for the original Sega console struggled somewhat in comparison to that of Nintendo. To counter that, the company has launched a retro mini-console of their own with a whopping 75+ title packed into that. The box includes a pair of retro controllers, which can be plugged into the console through the old yet nostalgic system of wires and ports. This lovely piece of equipment still plays a number of amazing old titles including popular series like Sonic, Mortal Kombat and Contra. It also comes SD card ready so you can expand your collection as per need.

One of the key facilitating factors here is that you can readily put in your old Genesis/Mega Drive cartridges into it and enjoy those old relics just the way they were. Pretty sure someone in your circle might have a few of those lying around somewhere. The controllers readily support complex gaming mechanics as well with the 6 button options. The wireless range on your controllers might be somewhat of a nuisance as it is quite limited. Nevertheless, it’s a great console for any Sega fans who want to relive past memories.

PlayStation Classic

PlayStation has been a decade rather a century defining console. The console developed a cult following after its initial release and that cult following is still going strong with the upgraded models added to the array. The introductory story behind this console is quite intriguing and it provided the primary platform for a large number of game development companies to highlight their offerings.

It is completely understandable that the old version is extremely outdated when compared to the newer models but this had to be a part of our list. The primary reason for that is letting gaming fans know that this became the very basis for the PlayStation brand. For any retro collector out there, it is a must have and you can even enjoy a number of old school titles on it which can still be found over collector shops around the world. Some of the most popular titles introduced over this were Grand Theft Auto, Metal Gear Solid and Tekken 3. If you want to know what these game franchises looked like back in the days, this is your go-to card.

These are among the best retro gaming consoles you can get your hands on this year. There are a number of other notable entries as well which you can check out on your own, including C64 Mini, Retron 5 and Retro Freak. We hope these will give you a much-deserved break from the present so you can indulge yourself into that small yet pleasant portion of the past.