Retro Game Gift Guide 2026: Ideas for Every Kind of Player
A retro game is one of the easiest gifts to get right: the person you are buying for already knows and loves these games, and a cartridge or disc from their childhood means more than most things in a box. This guide is organised by the kind of player you are buying for.
The one thing to check first is which console they own. Games are made for one system (a GameCube disc will not play in a PS2), and console games are region-specific: everything we sell is the North American release, which plays on US and Canadian consoles. If you are not sure, the listing's title always names the console.
For the 90s Nintendo kid
- Mario Kart 64: Four-player Mario Kart, the one they played after school.
- 007 GoldenEye: The split-screen shooter that defined a generation of sleepovers.
- Super Mario World: The Super Nintendo's pack-in game and still one of the best platformers ever made.
- Zelda Link to the Past: The SNES Zelda adventure.
- Super Smash Bros.: Where Smash began.
For family game night
- Mario Kart Wii: Four-player racing that grandparents and five-year-olds can both play.
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Mario for four players at once.
- Wii Sports Resort: Sports for the whole room (it needs Wii MotionPlus).
- Mario Party 8: Board-game chaos with motion-controlled minigames.
For the RPG fan
- Final Fantasy VII: The PlayStation RPG that a generation grew up with, on three discs.
- Chrono Trigger: A time-travelling RPG that tops many all-time lists.
- Final Fantasy X: A long PS2 adventure for the winter break.
- Paper Mario Thousand Year Door: Funny, clever and a great RPG for any age.
For the handheld player
Pokémon is the obvious choice; our Pokémon guide explains which game plays on which handheld.
- Pokemon Emerald Version: The Generation 3 Pokémon game most players want.
- Pokemon HeartGold Version: The DS remake of Gold, a fan favourite.
- Zelda Link's Awakening DX: A complete Zelda adventure in your pocket.
- Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3: Super Mario Bros. 3 on the Game Boy Advance.
Stocking stuffers
Small, inexpensive and still a real gift. The budget pages are the quickest way to find them:
- PS2 games under $10
- Wii games under $10
- GBA games under $15
- NES games under $15
- PS1 games under $10
- Genesis games under $15
For the collector
Collectors usually want a game complete in box (CIB): the cartridge or disc, the original box and the manual. On most listings you can choose between Game Only and Complete; our loose vs. complete guide explains exactly what each includes.
- Zelda Collector's Edition: Four Zelda games on one GameCube disc: the two NES games, Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask.
- Zelda Ocarina of Time [Collector's Edition]: The gold-cartridge edition of Ocarina of Time.
- Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition: The 25th-anniversary Wii release of the SNES Super Mario All-Stars.
Buying a game as a gift
Check the console and the region, decide between Game Only and Complete, and give yourself time before the holiday. Orders of $50 or more ship free in the US, and every game carries a 1-year warranty. Delivery times and the returns policy are on our shipping, returns and warranty page.
Every game is cleaned and tested and backed by our 1-year warranty, and orders of $50 or more ship free in the US. Prices follow the market, so the listing always shows today's price.
