8 Old Video Gaming Consoles We Still Love Today

“Brown Box” — that’s the name of the first-ever multiplayer video game console prototype. It’s the “Father” of all video games, having had existed in 1967.

Its creation is all thanks to the genius and efforts of Ralph Baer, Bill Harrison, and Bill Rusch.

From there, Brown Box became officially-known as “Magnavox Odyssey” in 1972. It’s this system that spawned today’s 200 million global videogamers.

While Odyssey is no longer in circulation, some of the old gaming consoles that it paved the way for still are. They’re still entertaining videogamers and making them shriek in delight, and yes, annoyance. (Game Over, remember?)

Ready to learn what these old school gaming systems are that you can still button-mash? Then let’s get right into it!

1. Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)

We’ll start off with this one, and not only because it came out in 1983. That alone, however, already makes it one of the most classic gaming consoles that you can still get today.

The main reason you should pick up an NES is because of Super Mario Bros, Zelda, and Pac-Man. It’s also the console that gave rise to Donkey Kong, Kirby’s Adventure, and a long list of other retro games. Yes, it’s the NES that gave us a platform to enjoy all these billion-dollar hits.

2. Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)

SNES, the improved version of NES, is also one of the top classic game consoles from Nintendo. It first came out in 1991 in the US, and we should be glad it did, as it came out with titles like Super Mario World and SimCity.

Today, you can pick up a SNES Classic and buy video games like Zelda, Kirby, and Final Fantasy aside from Super Mario. There are, in total, 20 titles you can play, plus two special, exclusive releases.

3. Sega Genesis

Want to reminisce all those battles with the mad scientist and evil Doctor Eggman? Well, you’re in luck, because you can, thanks to the release of the Sega Genesis Mini. It’s an emulation of the original Genesis, which means that it comes with 16-bit hardware.

Sega calls it “Mini” because it’s about half the size of the original Genesis console. It’s in no way “mini” when it comes to playable titles, as there are 42 games for you to enjoy. The exact titles vary where you live, but if you’re a hardcore gamer, you’ll know how to get access to many of these.

4. Game Boy

Having celebrated its 30th birthday in 2019, Game Boy still lives up to its name. It’s also thanks to this console that we have a strong market of portable video games today. Since its release, Nintendo has sold over 100 million of the classic and Color versions.

Tetris, Pokemon, Super Mario, Zelda, and Donkey Kong are just to name a few titles playable on Game Boy. Either way, it’s a good investment, especially if you’re always on the go and need something to pass the time with.

5. Retro-Bit

Retro-Bit is one of the classic game systems that allow you to bring home retro arcade games. It has licensed games from big names like Capcom and Nintendo, with titles like Mega Man (2 and 3) and Super Dodge Ball. Other favorites included are Double Dragon, Strider, Final Fight, and BurgerTime.

Retro-Bit may not be as huge as Nintendo, but it’s an inexpensive alternative. Plus, if you’ve got another gamer who lives with you, it’s a great way to have friendly battles for hours on end.

6. Atari Flashback 8

The Atari Flashback 8 lets you take a trip back to the future, in HDMI style. You may think that its 720p feature defeats the purpose, but it’s only there to make the graphics look a bit cleaner. It comes with a couple of 2.4G wireless controllers, so it’s another way to go multiplayer.

Atari’s Flashback 8 is what Nintendo’s SNES Classic is to its fans. In fact, Atari rolled it out at the same time (September 2017) that Nintendo did with its SNES Classic Mini. There are loads of games with the Flashback 8, 120 of them built-in to be exact.

7. C64 Mini

Vividly red joystick — check. Beige keyboard — also check. Waves of nostalgia — definitely.

All these, you get to enjoy with the C64 Mini from Retro Games Ltd. It’s the company’s way of updating and upgrading the Commodore 64 home computer. Yes, it’s for PC gamers out there, which is why it definitely deserves a spot on this list.

Although it’s slightly flawed (stiff joystick, for instance), it’s still retro-packed. You won’t find all the best titles here like Wasteland and Elite, but the rest of the games are still worth it. Speaking of which, there are 64 games that come included with the console.

8. PlayStation Classic

The PlayStation Classic is Sony’s way of combining its new and old gaming systems. It’s a retro console that lets you play 3D games, after all. From Resident Evil to Final Fantasy VII to Metal Gear Solid, the PS Classic gives you all that and more.

Fancy playing with — and winning — over your friends? The PS Classic also lets you do that with multiplayer titles like Twisted Metal and Tekken 3.

All these make the Sony PS Classic a must-have if you’re looking to expand your console collection.

Get Your Game on With These Super Entertaining Old Gaming Consoles

Who says you always need CGI and very realistic graphics just to have fun? That’s not always the case, and this ultimate list of the best and the most fun old gaming consoles says it all. If you’re thinking of treating the gamer in you, then one (or a few) of these units should be some of your top choices.

Ready for more geeky guides like this? Then be sure to head over to this site’s Tech section then!