Nintendo’s NES Classic Edition was a smash hit and quickly sold out after its release in November 2016. If you are one of the many gamers who missed out on this little console, don’t despair: Nintendo responded to the popularity of its mini retro console by announcing the SNES Classic, which is available right now.
If you know someone who would love to relive the glory days of console gaming, check out our roundup of retro gaming consoles for some great gift ideas. Our roundup includes devices that let you bask in the pixelated glow of childhood classics from Nintendo, Sega, and Atari, and we’ve also added one do-it-yourself option so you can build your own custom nostalgia machine.
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With the NES Classic selling like crazy these past few months, it’s no surprise it found it’s way to the top of our list. The NES Classic edition comes with a wide variety of pre-installed games such as Metroid, Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong, and the Legend of Zelda. Bring back those fuzzy childhood feelings as you enjoy classic Nintendo gaming with just the right amount of nostalgia.
You can pick up the NES Classic for Buy Now .
Nintendo Super NES Classic Edition
While the NES Classic seemed to grab the most attention this year, the release of the SNES Classic was a lot more exciting. With games like Donkey Kong Country, Super Mario World, and, of course, the never-before-released Star Fox 2, the SNES Classic delivers all of the nostalgia of early ’90s gaming with a brand new twist.
With holiday shopping in full swing, you can pick up your very own Nintendo Super NES Classic for just $80 from Target.
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Atari was among the first companies to bring video games into the home, so it’s only fitting that the Atari Flashback retro gaming console is on this list. The Flashback 7 from At Games is officially licensed by Atari and comes packed with more than 100 games, including favorites like Pitfall, Space Invaders, and Frogger.
The console comes with two wireless joysticks (as well as original controller ports for your own wired gamepads) and retains the glorious 1980s aesthetics of the original Atari 2600. The Atari Flashback 7 is available for just Buy Now .
Sega Genesis Classic
If you grew up in the ’90s then you remember the legendary battle between Nintendo and Sega. Although Nintendo would ultimately claim victory in the console wars, Sega lives on, and you can relive the company’s golden days with the Sega Genesis Classic retro gaming console. This classic console comes with more than 80 built-in games, including the Mortal Kombat trilogy, the Sonic series, Altered Beast, and the Phantasy Star series.
The Classic lets you play original Genesis cartridges with two wired controllers (using original controller ports). You can now pre-order the Sega Genesis Classic for just $50 from GameStop. It will be released September 22.
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If ROMs aren’t your thing and you have a bunch of old Nintendo and Sega cartridges you want to bust out, then the Hyperkin RetroN 3 is the retro console to get. This device has slots for original NES, SNES, and Genesis games, giving you a 3-in-1 retro gaming hub where Mario and Sonic can finally exist together in harmony.
The Hyperkin RetroN 3 comes with two Genesis-style wireless controllers, but the console also boasts six original controller ports – two each for wired NES, SNES, and Genesis gamepads. The RetroN 3 is currently on sale on Buy Now after a $10 discount.
Hyperkin SupaBoy S
Retro gaming consoles are great but sometimes you want to enjoy some nostalgia on the go. The SupaBoy S, another gem from Hyperkin, is a handheld Super Nintendo – classic gray-and-purple aesthetics and all – that plays both NSTC and PAL SNES cartridges. It features a 4.3-inch LCD scree,n as well as an AV TV-out port so you can hook it up to a television and use it like a console. It even has two original ports for Super Nintendo controllers.
The SupaBoy S utilizes a rechargeable internal battery (no fussing around with AAs like with the old Game Boy), as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack. An $18 discount brings the Hyperkin SupaBoy S down to $82 on Amazon.
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Our final pick is rather different than the other retro gaming consoles on our roundup, but it’s the perfect choice for the tinkerers and do-it-yourself types out there. The Old Skool Tools NES case for the Raspberry Pi 3 mini-computer lets you build your own Linux-based emulation machine. The case itself looks like the old Nintendo “toaster,” and the cartridge slot opens to provide easy access to your Raspberry’s Ethernet and USB ports. Simply load up an SD card with your favorite ROMs, fire up the Pi, plug in your favorite USB controller, and step back into retro gaming paradise.
You can get a Raspberry Pi 3 computer for $35 from Amazon, while the Old Skool Tools NES case comes in Buy Now . This means you can build your own NES Classic, but one that can play pretty much all classic ROMs, for a little over $50.
Looking for more great gaming deals and discounts on other electronics? Check out our tech deals to score some extra savings on our favorite tech.
