Struggling for inspiration for your retro gaming mad friend or family member? Luckily for you, Retro is now bigger than ever and there are a wealth of great retro gaming gifts to be found out there.
We’ve put together a list of fantastic retro gamer gifts, suitable for any budget and any occasion – We have no doubt you’ll find the perfect retro game gifts on this list.
1. Mini Retro Consoles
Mini consoles have become all the rage in the past few years, but are now becoming harder to find online due to their initial popularity. The C64, Mega Drive (Genesis), Super Nintendo and A500 mini are four of the best mini consoles available.
These miniature recreation of the classic originals are faithful in every way in their form but on a smaller scale! The bonus is that they are designed for collectors and casual users alike. No plugging in tape decks, buying old cartridge collections or CRT televisions, just plug them in and you’re ready to go!
Our favourites include (Click the links below to check availability on Amazon):
The C64 Mini – 64 built in games, includes 1 joystick
Sega Mega Drive Mini – 40 built in games (plus 2 bonus games!), comes with 2 controllers.
Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Classic Mini – 30 built in games, comes with 1 controller.
Sony PlayStation Classic – 20 built in games, comes with 2 controllers.
2. Retro Gaming Handheld Consoles
The ultimate Retro Gaming gift! These are hugely popular devices with Retro Gaming fans and will provide not just hours of entertainment, but weeks, months and years! This is a perfect gift for the Retro Gamer who is unable to always play at home.
Play thousands of classic games from the best Retro systems from decades gone, including Mega Drive, Master System, SNES, NES, PlayStation (PS1), N64, Arcade Games, GameBoy, GameBoy Advance and more!
There are many different Retro Gaming Handhelds available, check out some of the best on the market at the moment with our Anbernic Retro Handheld article.
3. Retro Gaming Books
Bitmap Books have built itself a reputation as being one of the leading producers of Retro Gaming publications. All of their books are produced to very high standards, with useful insights, excellent artwork and photography.
No Retro Enthusiast should be without at least one book by Bitmap Books in their collection, an ideal retro gaming gift idea.
We are fans of their excellent visual compendium range that covers a comprehensive history of games for a number of systems.
4. Retro Game Controllers
If you know somebody who already has a system on which they play Retro Games, why not enhance their experience with authentic recreations of classic game controllers by 8BitDo.
8BitDo is considered one of the leaders in this area and has a large range of controllers which will bring not only the look but feel of the originals.
They offer both Bluetooth and Wireless controllers, with both being able to be connected by USB cable too. Their controllers can be used across a wide range of systems, from the Raspberry Pi, PC, Mac, Modern Consoles such as Nintendo Switch and Xbox and also controllers with add-ons for mobile gaming.
5. Game & Watch
The Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros edition is a special edition system released to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of Mario.
The Game & Watch includes the original Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels, a Ball game and its own old-school digital clock which looks great on your desk or next to your bed!
A perfect retro gaming gift for anybody who had an original Game & Watch, or for a collector.
6. Haynes Retro Arcade Construction Kit
This is one for budding electronic engineers!
With the Haynes Retro Arcade Construction Kit, you can build your own LED Pong game. It’s a beginner-level electronics project aimed at children 14+ (primarily since the use of a soldering iron is required).
An affordable gift and a perfect way to get a younger generation into Retro electronics!
NOTE – As mentioned above, you will need a soldering iron and wire cutters to build this project, which is not included.
7. Mini Arcade Machines
Taking miniaturisation to the extreme, mini arcade cabinets are fully playable homages to their now Retro originals but are also fully playable versions of the arcade classics.
Many will remember the hours spent in Arcades in the 80s and early 90s, feeding your coins into your favourite game trying to beat it. These miniature Arcade Machines are a perfect retro gaming gift for nostalgic collectors, or just as a bit of fun to have on your desk to break up the day.
A great, affordable Retro gift!
8. Annual Kindle Subscription to Retro Gamer Magazine
The best monthly read for the Retro Gamer.
Retro Gamer magazine offers a fantastic read for any Retro Gaming fan. The only UK publication dedicated to Retro Gaming, you’ll lose yourself interviews, articles, retrospectives and nostalgia with this 12-month Kindle subscription.
9. Lego Super Mario
Combining modern with Retro, Lego Super Mario is perfect for young and older fans of Mario & Lego!
Choose from a range of sets and character packs, all brilliant fun to build. The real surprise is the interactive fun with Lego Mario himself – The Lego Mario figure has a built-in LCD screen which displays reactions and plays sounds as you take Mario along the Lego environments.
A great gift for younger and older fans alike where both can get nostalgic about bringing the Lego & Mario worlds together.
10. Nintendo Switch Lite
You may wonder why a modern console is on a retro gaming gift list. Well, the Nintendo Switch offers an excellent selection of classic SNES & NES games with its Nintendo Online service.
We’re recommending the Switch Lite which is very good value for under £200 if you’re looking for a leading modern console, which can play Retro Gaming classics on the move.
A lifelong avid gamer and computing enthusiast, Matt has decades of Retro Gaming experience. Now over 40 years old, Matt now even considers himself retro, but fortunately, nobody has developed a Matt emulator (not yet at least!).