The holidays are an excellent time to celebrate nostalgia, and what better way to surprise the gamer in your life than with a retro-inspired gift? Retro gaming has grown in popularity, with classic consoles and vintage-themed gear providing one-of-a-kind options that combine modern ease with nostalgia.
Whether you’re looking for a seasoned player who grew up during the golden age of arcades or a fresh enthusiast interested in gaming’s origins, this guide has something for everyone.
Here are the top 5 retro gaming presents for the 2024 holiday season, guaranteed to add delight and a touch of gaming history to any collection. Get ready to step up your gift-giving game!
1. 8 Bitdo Bluetooth Retro Receiver
Using vintage controllers is an important element of retro gaming’s appeal, but there is a narrow line between traditional and archaic. For those who enjoy the original PlayStation or PS2, but dislike Sony’s early gamepads, the 8BitDo Retro Receiver for PS allows a range of modern controllers to be used wirelessly with those consoles.
The adapter works with Sony’s PS4 and PS5 pads, Microsoft’s Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S controllers (including the Xbox Adaptive Controller), Nintendo’s Wii U Pro and Switch Pro controllers, and the majority of 8BitDo’s gamepad portfolio.
It won’t bring analog control to every game, nor will it recreate the pressure-sensitive face buttons found in a few PS2 games, but it pairs easily, supports rumble, and adds no noticeable lag. Most importantly, it makes it easier to play Vagrant Story or Klonoa 2 from your couch.
2. The Oregon Trail Card Game
Have you lived if you haven’t perished from dysentery? In the world of retro gaming, the Oregon Trail has a special position in the collective memory. Not only was it one of the first games ever invented, but it is also possible that many of us learned about our forebears’ problems, including dysentery.
The original game is available online, but for the vintage-gaming-loving giftee, the Oregon Trail Card Game condenses all of the fun (and diseases) into a format that can be shared (or coerced) among friends over the dinner table.
Whether your recipient identifies as a Boston banker or an Illinois farmer, all of the game’s basic dynamics are kept in infinite-battery life board game style.
Two to six players can play together, and they must cooperate to conquer the numerous obstacles that travelers encounter along the road. The game is rated for players aged 12 and up, which should not be an issue for anyone who enjoys retro games from the 1970s.
3. GameSir G8 Galileo Type-C Mobile Gaming Controller
Emulators do not require a specific handheld device; a smartphone will suffice. However, few retro games were designed with touch controls in mind. With a mobile gamepad like the GameSir G8 Galileo, this is no longer an issue.
It’s on the larger side, but its size makes it seem more like a traditional console controller than most other options in this category. Furthermore, all of its buttons, triggers, and joysticks feel decent and responsive, and it works quickly with a wide range of phones via USB-C – no need to fiddle with Bluetooth menus.
You’ll probably need to remove your phone case every time you use it, so a smaller pad like the Backbone One is easier to pack for the road. However, sinking into a game or two for hours at a time should result in less hand discomfort.
4. RetroTink 5X Pro
Collecting ancient consoles might be enjoyable, but the majority of these systems were designed for outdated CRT TVs rather than newer flat screens. Yes, some newer TVs have legacy ports for older devices, and a simple HDMI converter may be used — but these can cause significant lag and blur, making older hardware difficult to watch.
An external video upscaler, such as the RetroTink 5X-Pro, provides a cleaner, more authentic image. It’s a small black box that can connect to a variety of old consoles and instantly make them look great on contemporary HD TVs.
It can display up to 1440p resolution while keeping latency low enough that only the most demanding players will notice. It features a plethora of inputs and settings for fine-tuning a console’s image, such as many types of deinterlacing and various artificial but rather crisp scanlines that provide a more retro look.
But the RetroTink is unique in that it accomplishes the majority of its work behind the scenes, so your giftee won’t have to spend hours tinkering to make games look decent. Just plug in a console, and you’re set to go. This is a device for die-hard collectors, and at $325, the 5X-Pro is unquestionably a luxury.
5. Analogue Pocket
Nowadays, there are about as many ways to play retro games as there are games to play. At times, it can feel like that. In our humble view, the Analogue Pocket handheld console is one of the best. Unlike other emulators, the Pocket includes a cartridge port and can play any Game Boy, Game Boy Color, or Game Boy Advance game natively.
There is also a Sega Game Gear converter, and choices for the Atari Lynx, TurboGrafx-16, and Neo Geo Pocket Color are expected to be ready by the holidays.
We adored the Pocket when we evaluated it, and not just because it faithfully reproduced classic games on a stunning modern display. We also liked that the Pocket includes music-making software and can be simply connected to a TV via a dock (albeit this comes at an additional fee).
If your giftee wants to play games from systems other than those listed here, there is a flourishing community of Pocket aficionados who have enlarged the list of games it can emulate to include digital backups from systems such as the NES, SNES, and Genesis.
Final Words
Retro gaming presents deliver timeless joy to gamers of all ages, and these five selections are top picks for the 2024 holiday season. From classic console upgrades to nostalgic board games, these goods honor gaming’s rich past while adding a contemporary twist. Ideal for collectors and enthusiasts alike!