Best Retro Consoles to Start With
1 YEAR WARRANTY On All Games + 30 Day Returns
Best Retro Consoles to Start With
Which retro console should you start with? The real hardware, cleaned and tested, with what each one is best for and the first games to get with it. Every console comes with a 1-year warranty.
Orders of $50 or more ship free in the US. Order by December 10 for Christmas delivery. More ideas: our Christmas gift guide.
-31%
Which retro console to start with
Start with the games. Most people buy the console they had (or wanted) as a kid, because they already know which games they want to play on it. If you are buying for someone new to retro games, pick the console whose games they will enjoy now: the order below is how we would suggest starting.
Nintendo 64 Console Bundle
Our pick for most people: four controller ports, so the whole family can play Mario Kart 64, Mario Party and GoldenEye together, and cartridges that load instantly.
Good first games: Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, Mario Party.
SNES (Super Nintendo) Console Bundle
Super Mario World, A Link to the Past, Super Mario Kart and Donkey Kong Country: a 16-bit library full of games that still hold up.
Good first games: Super Mario World, Super Mario All-Stars, Super Mario Kart.
Playstation 2 Console Bundle
One of the largest game libraries of any console, it plays most original PlayStation discs too, and it doubles as a DVD player.
Good first games: Sonic Riders, Mega Man X7, Castlevania Lament of Innocence.
Nintendo Gamecube Console Bundle
Smash Bros. Melee, Mario Kart: Double Dash and The Wind Waker: four controller ports and small discs, built for living-room multiplayer.
Good first games: Super Mario Strikers, Mario Party 5, Paper Mario Thousand Year Door.
NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) Console Bundle
Where it began for many: Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Mega Man and Contra. Simple to set up and pure 8-bit.
Good first games: Super Mario Bros, Dr. Mario, Zelda II The Adventure of Link.
Nintendo Wii Console Bundle
Motion controls make it easy for anyone to join in, from Wii Sports bowling to Mario Kart Wii, and the original model plays GameCube discs too.
Good first games: Mario Strikers Charged, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, Mario Party 9.
Nintendo Gameboy Advance SP Console
A folding, front-lit, rechargeable Game Boy that plays Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance cartridges: three libraries in a pocket.
Good first games: Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario Advance 2, Super Mario Advance 3 Yoshi's Island.
Nintendo DS Lite Console
Two screens, one of them a touch screen, and a slot that plays Game Boy Advance cartridges as well.
Good first games: Pokemon Diamond, Pokemon Pearl.
Playstation 1 Console Bundle
Final Fantasy VII, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro and Metal Gear Solid: the disc-based classics of the late 90s.
Good first games: Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy Anthology, Final Fantasy Origins.
Sega Genesis Console Bundle
Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage and Gunstar Heroes: fast 16-bit arcade action, and the place to start for a Sonic fan.
Good first games: Sonic and Knuckles, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, Mortal Kombat II.
Nintendo Gameboy Color Console
Pokémon Gold and Silver in colour, and it plays original Game Boy cartridges too. Runs on two AA batteries.
Good first games: Super Mario Bros Deluxe, Mario Golf, Pokemon Silver.
Nintendo Gameboy Console
The original grey Game Boy: Tetris, Pokémon Red and Blue and Link's Awakening, on four AA batteries.
Good first games: Super Mario Land, Super Mario Land 2, Mario's Picross.
Nintendo Gameboy Advance Console
The original Game Boy Advance plays Game Boy, Game Boy Color and GBA cartridges. Its screen is not lit, so it is best in good light.
Good first games: Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario Advance 2, Super Mario Advance 3 Yoshi's Island.
Sega Dreamcast Console Bundle
Sega's last console: Sonic Adventure, Crazy Taxi, Soulcalibur and Jet Grind Radio, for the player who wants something different.
Good first games: Fur Fighters, Soldier of Fortune, 4x4 EVO.
Original Xbox Console Bundle
Halo: Combat Evolved and its split-screen co-op, plus Ninja Gaiden, Jade Empire and Fable.
Good first games: Ninja Gaiden, Ninja Gaiden Black, The Simpsons Road Rage.
Nintendo Wii U Console Bundle
The GamePad adds a second screen, it connects by HDMI, and it plays nearly all original Wii discs too.
Nintendo 3DS XL Console
3D without glasses on large screens, and it plays original Nintendo DS games as well.
Good first games: Mario Party Star Rush, Pokemon Ultra Moon, Kirby Planet Robobot.
Want it by Christmas? Order by Thursday, December 10 for delivery before Christmas in the US. Orders take 1–2 business days to process and 3–7 business days to arrive. After that, an 8-Bit Legacy gift card is sent by email with nothing to ship.
Questions
Will a retro console work with a modern TV?
Most retro consoles plug into the yellow, red and white (composite) inputs. Many TVs still have them; if yours does not, an inexpensive composite-to-HDMI adapter does the job. The Wii U connects by HDMI.
Are these the real consoles?
Yes: original Nintendo, Sony, Sega and Microsoft hardware, not a plug-and-play with games built in. Each listing shows what comes with it.
What if something is wrong with it?
Every game and console is cleaned and tested before it ships and comes with a 1-year warranty, and returns are accepted within 30 days. The details are on our shipping, returns and warranty policy page.
How much is shipping?
Orders of $50 or more ship free in the US. Under $50, shipping is a flat $6.
