12 Best Retro Game Consoles (2024): Evercade, Polymega, Analogue Pocket, Arcade1Up, and more

It’s a shame that two of the best retro game consoles in recent years, i NES Classic Mini as well as SNES Classic Miniare disconnected. Both combine beautiful designs with a slightly authentic look to the original, silky performance, and solid gameplay of Nintendo’s biggest hits. You can still buy them online (usually from third-party sellers), but the prices have gone up significantly. The SNES Classic Mini, for example, was $80 when it launched, but the seller has it for over $300 on Amazon right now. You may have better luck buying used.

Nintendo fans looking for some classic gaming action might be better served by picking up a Switch and buying a Nintendo Switch Online Membership ($20 per year) to access over 100 NES and SNES titles (here’s the full list). Add the Expansion Pack ($50 per year) and you can get these N64 games again. If you’re craving some old-school pocket-sized Nintendo fun, check out the refreshed Game & Watch line ($55). They are limited to a few games each, but once those games are available Super Mario or Zelda articles, that can be enough for hours of entertainment.

I Analogue Mega SG ($200) (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is expensive, and doesn’t come with any games or controllers (they cost $25 each). 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 the FPGA chip, this console runs the original games just like you remember them.

There are tons of classic arcade games available for PlayStation 4 or 5. If you prefer a PS Plus Premium subscription ($18 per month or $160 per year)you get the Classic Catalog, full of classic PlayStation games.

X Series You can also find classic titles included in our favorite game subscriptions, which are great Xbox Game Pass Ultimate ($20 per month).

If you have Valve’s Steam Deck, check it out On Deck imitating a variety of old programs in style.

PC gamers also have a huge choice of emulators. I love it RetroArch because it emulates many systems, but if you have a favorite old console and want to get closer to that original experience, you might find an emulator tailor-made to scratch that.

Remember all those Flash-based browser games you used to play in the office while you were supposed to be working? Read our guide, How to Play All Those Classic Flash Games You Remember.

I Panic Playdate ($199) (7/10, WIRED Recommends) it’s not just a retro console, but it’s fun, creative, and quirky, and has a distinctly retro feel. It even has a crank for a new way to interact with games!

I 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. Unfortunately, it is expensive, the controllers cost more, and there is no open FPGA support.