I'm always on the hunt for the best retro consoওles for playing old games, and there a plenty of modern ways to classic capers in 2025. I've tested everything from replica arcade machines that look 💃like adorable versions of original cabinets to pocket size handhelds that handle everything from the Nintendo Entertainment System to the PS2, and some even look exactly like a Game Boy.
Believe it or not, I started playing games before I could speak, and I've held onto all the best retro consoles over the years. H💟owever, while old systems will always have a special place in my heart, there are now so many ways to play oldies in HD and using modern controllers, and some devices are even compatible with your original cartridges.
Recently, I've been messing around with my GameCube setup since the Switch 2 will offer up the retro console's library to Nintendo Online members. I've also still got my N64 hooked up to a CRT and a SummerCart 64 Flash cart for playing Zelda ROM hacks in anticipation for the upcoming Analogue 3D and Modretro M64. I've even just started experimenting with a joystick that uses VR to create a virtual arcade within your house, but for now, I've got plenty of the best retro ♊consoles for playing classic outings in 2025 below for your consideration.
The quick list
Best budget console
1. Super Pocket
Serving as one of the best modern handhelds period, the Super Pocket boasts is tremendously cheaౠp and has access to a bunch of Evercade cartridges
Mimicking the design of Nintendo's iconic 32-bit console, this mini version boasts built in classics, HDMI output, and controllers that fღeel just like the originals.
Phil is a retro gaming expert who has covered old consoles for the BBC and sites like TechRadar in t🦩he past. These days, they review all the latest classic recreations, gadgets, and homages to old school hardware using over 30 years of experience. They also have an expansive collection of vintage consoles and a specific drawer for cursed handhelds.
Plays: NES, 💜SNES, Mega-Drive/Genesis, Atari 2600, At🍃ari 7800 and more
Reasons to buy
+
Fantastic budget price
+
Great build quality
+
Expansive library of cartridges
Reasons to avoid
-
D-pad might not be to everyone's tastes
The Super Pocket is one of the most affordable retro consoles out there, and it just so happens to also be a fantastic handheld. Not only does it have access to a wealth of Evercade cartridges, but it also comes in Capcom, Taito, Atari, and Technos flavors tha🥃t boast built-🌠in games. Not too shabby for under $60!
Just like many other retro gaming handhelds out there, the Super Pocket takes queues from the Game Boy while wearing a look of its own. Rather than using a horizontal layout like it's Evercade siblings, this portable instead features a 2.8-inch IPS with a 4:3 aspect ratio, meaning it's more suited to NES, SNES, and Genesis classics. However, it's got a cheeky set of shoulder buttons round back, so there's no🌳thing stopping you even playing PS1 romps like Tomb Raider and Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver.
Compared to other Evercade devices, the Super Pocket is a little more bare bones. You'll be missing out on comforts like video output and a wider screen, but its simplicity makes it arguꦏably more approachable. You'll still be able to mess around with visual settings like scanlines, shaders, and aspect ratios if those are your style, and you won't be stuck for ways to hear excellent 𝐆chiptunes thanks to its 3.5mm headphone jack and built-in speakers. But, Blaze has otherwise created a handhel made for straight talking retro gaming that's free from updates, downloads, and general online shenanigans.
At this point, the Evercade's emulation performance has proven itself to be soild, and the same extends to the Super Pocket. Thanks to each cart having the emulators required baked in alongside the ROMs, you won't have to think about if you're using the right settings or hardware. Everything will simply r🍎un a🌳t full speed with the right sound, and the handheld's IPS screen does a great job helping pixels pop.
It's also worth pointing out that the Super Pocket's battery life is exceptional. I keep one in my travel bag for when my Steam Deck OLED has ran out of juice, and if I haven't used it in a while, I often find it's still ready to go. In straight up sessions, it'll last for about 5 hours to🌳o, which isn't bad considering its 💎size.
For the money, the HyperMegaTech! Super Pocket is by far one of the best handhelds for easy retro gaming sessions. If you prefer to tinker with settings and squeeze extra performance out of your old games, you might want to check out emulation alternatives instead. Otherwise, this is a devic🍷e that both travels well and provides excellentꦍ retro functionality at a low price.
The Evercade Alpha proves that at-home arcade machines don't have to just feature one or two games. In fact, Blaze's bartop system is aꦛctually a platform in itself, providin♒g access to over 500 releases using cartridges.
At its core, the Alpha is an authentic arcade experience that comes armed with excellent button and stick microswitches paired with a sharp LCD display. Despite using modern tech, this Evercade machine manages to feel just as authentic as the real deal, even though it's much smaller than the oriཧginal cabinet. Plus, you'll have plenty of modern connivences at your fingertips like wide USB controller support, punchy speakers, and effects that can make the🥂 screen feel like an old CRT.
Naturally, Evercade cartridge su🔴pport is a huge selling point since you'll have access to over 500 games. That's pretty remarkable considering alternative machines are usually limited to just a few themed classics, but you can technically even play 3D outings like Tomb Raider and Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver on this bad boy alongside countless retro capers.
If you're into authentic retro gadgets, the Alpha is absolutel🌞y going to win you over with its detailed art, light-up marquee, and smaller touches like light up coin slots. There's plenty of detail to be found with this cabinet that emulates the look of an actual system from back in the day,💃 making for both an excellent way to play arcade romps and a collector's piece for your game room.
Evercade emulation has proven itself time and time again to be robust, and the same applies to the Alpha's abilities. Every game I've tested runs at full speed with no 🐈hiccups, and the LCD screen provides vibrant visuals that don't spoil the retro aesthetic. The integrated controls are spot on too, with responsive clicky switches holdin🍷g up against the best arcade controls in the business. Load times can be slightly slower than alternative means, but it's not noticeable enough to be a proper gripe.
By way of cartridges, the Evercade Alpha has solved one of the at-home arcade scene's biggest issues - game selection. Th🥀is cabinet is pretty much a platform 🦋in its own right, and while it's missing HDMI output to make it a true living room solution, it's still a fantastic piece of kit that represents an arcade gaming gold standard.
Plenty of alternatives have arrived in the past, but the Atari 2600+ is one of the most authentic mo♚dern ways to play the system's back catalogue. It is effectively a smaller version of the OG system that runs the original cartridges, but trades that old RF cable for HDMI out.
One of the caveats to sticking✨ with the original console's design is that for the most part, the Atari 2600+ doesn't boast many modern features. Instead, it runs cartridges just like the '70s system, with all the difficulty and stage options being changeable via four switches on top. That makes for a super authentic way to play your old collection using a modern gaming TV, but connivences like save states and visual effects are missed.
Rather than picking up the 2600+ features, you should do so based on its extremely authentic design. Thisܫ console homage is pretty much an original Atari 2600 save for its HDMI port and illuminated front logo. Its beautiful woodgrain front panel and top ridges are just as iconic as the games it runs, and if you don't have the OG system, this one will serve the exact same purpose in your retro collection.
I played a whole bunch of original game🦩s using the Atari 2600+, and while it's technically using emulation to achieve its goal, the results are prett☂y flawless. Sure, most modern toasters could probably run classics like Berzerk and Pac-Man, but for what it's worth, you're getting super accurate visuals and sound here with an HD resolution. The included joysticks and paddles also hold up compared to the originals, and if you happen to have other 9-pin retro gamepads lying around, those will work too.
Ultimately, the Atari 2600+ is for players looking for as authentic of an expe🙈rience you can get while still using a modern screen. It would have been nice to have some modern perks like save states or effects, but many will argue that would defeat the point of this tribute system.
As a side note, there's now an 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Atari 7800+ that looks like the company's '80s system while boasting the same functionality. It's worth checking out if you either prefer the look of the NES competitor or find the idea of wireless gamepads appea🐻ling. However, it is almost the same device, so it's really just a case of choosing between st🍨yles.
With the success of and ov🌳erwhelming demand for the NES Mini Classic, a 16-bit follow up was virtually guaranteed. And here we are - once again, Nintendo has knocked it out of the park by providing a library of essential gam🙈es inside a faithful, adorable replica of the original SNES.
Besides being hugely nostalgic, these games represent some of the era's best; they're classics that changed the industry in fundamental ways. Whether it's Super Mario World or Street Fighter 2, these are games that inspired generations. They aren't museum pieces, either. The likes of Yoshi's Island, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and Super Punch-Out! are still as enga🦩ging today as they were in the heyday of the SNES.
They're displayed at their very best here thanks to a suite of display options. These range from fuzzy CRT emulation to crisp HD output, rewind and suspend options, and a bucketful of the kind of fun Nintendo Easter eggs you'd expect from one of the best retro game consoles available. Even though the issue of controller cord length persis📖ts - it’s longer, but still nowhere near long enough for living room setups - it&r💝squo;s hard to imagine a more slickly packaged, densely concentrated dose of retro goodness.
That's true no matter which side of the Atlantic you're on. While US reade💖rs get the North American model with its sleek purple accents, UK fans are able to revisit their uniqဣue version with primary-colored buttons on the joypad. Perfection.
Play these first: Super Mario World | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Super Metroid | Yoshi's Island | Secret of Mana | Earthbound
The best re🔥tro console for Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games
Image 1 of 3
(Image credit: SEGA)
(Image credit: SEGA)
(Image credit: SEGA)
5. SEGA Genesis / Mega Drive Mini
The best for Sega Genesis/Megadrive games
Reasons to buy
+
Attention to detail
+
Decent selection of games
+
Cute, compact design
Reasons to avoid
-
Controllers don't really hold up
If you're a SEGA fan from a time when Sonic had just arrived and the Biker Mice From Mars were still a thing on TV, you're in luck - the 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:SEGA Genesis Mini (or Mega Drive if you're in t🍸he UK) is the best retro game consꦜole for you. From an adorably dinky console with a cartridge slot you can actually open for 'blowing away dust' to its authentic packaging, this is a system that excels at the little things. It even has original menu music by the 16-bit era legend Yuzo Koshiro, created using authentic tools of the day.
▨Then there's bang-for-buck. Thanks to 42 all-time classic games (and bios on the significance of each one), the Genesis Mini offers better value for money than most. It's an excellently handled throwback to another time that'll hit you right in the nostalgic feels.
Play these first: Sonic The Hedgehog | Gunstar Heroes | Streets of Rage 2 | Mega Maཧn: The W💙ily Wars | Castlevania: Bloodlines | Contra: Hard Corps
The PlayStation Classic was, to put it bluntly, a bit of a disappointment when it was first released. However, I've really warmed up to the mini PS1 in 2025 thanks to efforts by the modding community, as you can now play most games from Sony's back catalog and use a varie🐻ty of USB contr𒈔ollers.
If nothing else, the PlayStation Classic is one of the best-looking mini plug-and-play consoles to release during💯 the 2010s. It's effectively a repl🃏ica that's 45% smaller than the OG system, but still boasts all the same details. From molded memory card slots to even the little slot on the back that'd accommodate your Action Replay adapter, the device plays complete visual homage to an iconic piece of '90s hardware.
Even before you get to modding, the PlayStation Class💜ic has some nice features to hand. You'll be able to use save-state slots in any game you choose to play, and there are even functions for swapping disks, which is incredibly handy for RPGs like Final Fantasy 7. On the hardware side o🧸f things, you'll benefit from a straight HDMI output from the console to your TV, delivering 720p visuals that help oldies look crisp compared to the originals.
The PlayStation Classic's built-in selection of games is a bit of a letdown, not to mention Sony shipped the console with PAL versions. That m⛎eans they technically run slower since TVs in the region used to exclusively use 50Hz, and ♑the world has since moved on from refresh rates below 60Hz.
Thankfully, there is a way to remedy this, as I recently modded my PS1 mini to unlock its true potential. Using custom firmware like Project Eris will let you run your own ROM backups on the device, use other USB controllers, and even emulate other systems if that's up your street. If you really don't like tinkering, you'll still be able to play outings like Grand Theft Auto, Metal Gear Solid, and Resident Evil using the stock software, but I know many of you will🍃 want to look into the mod just to ꦐplay Crash and Spyro alone.
Technically, the PlayStation Classic is discontinued, but there's still an abundance of refurbished and second-hand stock at various retailers. Pair thaꩲt with its new found modded abilities, and that's precisely why I still think it's the best modern way to play PS1 games, even if there are emulation devices that can pull off similar moves.
Out of all the tiny microcomputer options out there, I'd argue the Atari 400 Mini (THE400 Mini) has the most to offer. Sure, if you have specific memories ti💙ed to something more popular like the C64 or ZX Spectrum, you'll want to look at options with those specific ports. Bꦐut, if it's a general taste for that era of gaming you're after, this miniature replica more than has you covered.
It's safe to say that out of all the microcomputers, the Atari 400 is the one I see least. Therefore, being able to pick up a tiny version that features all the same design elements shrunken do🍌wn into a plug and play is pretty appealing, and the level of detail that Retro Games Ltd has put into this mini console is remarkable. You won't be able to actually use is sculpted membrane keyౠboard or use actual cartridges, but it's still going to more than give you a reference for that the real deal looked like
Looks aside, the Atari 400 Mini also has a bunch of modern comforts at its disposal that'll help you easily play a bunch of microcomputer classics using HDMI output.ꦗ If you don't want to faff around with 𒅌ROM backups, you'll be able to enjoy 25 built-in classics from the platform. However, it'll also happily run your own collection and even Atari 2600 games using its USB ports, which just so happen to support a bunch of different gamepads too.
On the software side of things, you'll have access to save states and a 30-second rewind mode🔜, which may help you finally beat tricky games from 40 years ago. If you want to keep things ultra authentic, you can even boot into BASIC and do some programming, but you will ღneed to supply your own keyboard.
I've tested the Atari 400 Mini side by side wit😼h an original Atari 600XL, and the tiny console nails 8-bit emulation. I played a va๊riety of capers including more obscure backups from my own library, and I wasn't able to sniff out any compatibility issues or visual quirks. The results are so accurate that I now reach for THE400 Mini to play outings like Caverns of Mars, Mountain King, and Turmoil rather than setup one of my OG microcomputers - probably the highest compliment I can give it.
If there's one thing I wish the Atari 4⛎00 Mini featured more of, it's probably physical f꧟eatures. Being able to interact more with things like the top cartridge bay or even use the membrane keyboard in some sort of way would have made it the perfect time capsule. That said, this is still one of the most authentic ways to play microcomputer games without the original hardware, and it's worth investing in as a piece of reference hardware.
Kaico Summercart64 (SC64) | Flash carts like the SC64 are designed to help you run ROMs on your original N64. I picked one up in 2025 to play the countless Zelda ROM hacks that fans have whipped up over the years, and if you wish Nintendo would make sequels to games like Ocarina of Time and Majora's🌌 Mask, you might want to invest in this gadget.
EON XBHD | This gadget connects directly into the back of your OG Xbox and transforms its output to HDMI, 🔯meaning you can easily🐽 hook it up to modern TVs and monitors. It'll also provide the console with additional network ports for playing LAN multiplayer games, making it well worth checking out for fans of Microsoft's first console.
Open Source Scan Converter (OSSC) | This is the upscaler I use for my retro consoles, and it's designed to multiply rows of pixels to enhance increase resolutions on modern screens using HDMI. It is plug a🦩nd play if you use an RGB Scart cable, but there's also a wealth of different visual and technical settings built in for enthusiasts to play around with for specific systems.
I’m your friendly neighbourhood Hardware Editor at GamesRadar🍒, and it’s my job to make sure you can kick butt in all your favourite games using the best gaming hardware, whether you’re a sucker for handhelds like the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch 2 or a hardcore gaming PC enthusiast.
