Video games have been a part of popular culture for decades. Music and movies obviously offer a big nostalgia hit for many people, but for some people it’s the memories of their first gaming experience that really gets them going. However, finding a 30-year old console that is still in a good condition can often be hard to do, and people are always trying to find new and better ways to view them on today’s modern TVs. Even if you find one, it may well cost a real fortune, as prices continue to rise.
Even though many people these days are playing advanced modern games online, playing regularly on their latest smartphones and even gambling for real money online, many renowned gaming companies have started to offer replicas of their legendary consoles from the past. These days, the market is full of these revised versions, which are usually pretty affordable. Below are five of the best on the market, or about to come out soon.
Super Nintendo Classic Mini
Nintendo is definitely one of the first names that come to mind when someone mentions retro games. This company has so many amazing consoles in its portfolio and is still going strong today. Despite the fact that the original NES sold more units (62 million compared to 49 million of the SNES), most experts agree that the Super NES is the best Nintendo console ever. The recent mini version of the iconic console was launched to a great reception. Besides the authentic look, it also comes with 20 built-in legendary games, including famous titles like Street Fighter, Super Mario World, Legend of Zelda etc.
Sony Playstation Classic
There are so many reasons to believe that the Playstation is the best gaming console ever made. With more than 100 million units sold in 12 years, it seems hard to refute that statement. Everything on this console is near perfect for its era, starting from an amazing look, legendary intro sequence and a huge number of iconic titles. Compared to the original console, the new mini Classic version features about 45% smaller housing. It is compact but equally powerful. There are 20 built-in titles, including legendary games like Tekken 3, Resident Evil, Final Fantasy VII, Grand Theft Auto, Ridge Racer and Metal Gear Solid. This one would be high up on my list of mini consoles for sure.
Commodore 64 Mini
The C64 has an important place in the history of personal computers for many reasons and one of them is a great number of legendary video games. Although not primarily a gaming console, this home computer was incredibly popular thanks to numerous iconic titles, such as The Last Ninja, Uridium, California Games, Cybernoid, Head over Heels and many more. As you’d expect, this dedicated mini console is notably smaller than the original unit. You get the iconic Competition Pro style joystick, as well as the recognisable keyboard. The second joystick can be bought separately. It features 64 built-in games in total, although many would say that a couple of classics are missing.
Sega Mega Drive / Genesis Mini
The Mega Drive (or Genesis in the US) is by far the most successful console from Sega and also one of the most popular consoles of the 90s, bringing a lot of classic arcade games to the home, as well as lots of great new games too. At
the time of writing this article this mini console is about two weeks away from
hitting our shelves. Reports so far are very positive and it looks like a great
one to add to your mini collection. There will be over 40 built-in titles
including Golden Axe, Altered Beast, Streets of Rage II, Ecco the Dolphin,
Castle of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse and more.
PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16 Mini
The latest addition to the mini console pipeline is the PC Engine mini which was announced a couple of months ago. It won’t be available until 2020 but it’s still getting tastebuds whetted. The PC Engine was released around the end of the 8 bit era and continued into the 16 bit era back in the late 80s and early 90s. It was much more popular in Japan than it was in the US or Europe. I do remember one friend of mine being lucky enough to have one, and it certainly did impress. To us it looked exactly like arcade graphics in your home. The funny thing about this one is that the original console was already tiny. So to call this one a ‘mini’ might actually be a misnomer, as it may be almost exactly the same size as the original. I’m sure it will be a cool one to add to the collection though. Stay tuned for it being available in March 2020.