7 Best Retro Gaming Consoles for Old-School Video Games
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If you grew up in the ’80s or ’90s (or even the early 2000s), then it’s likely that you have very fond memories of getting home from school, firing up your gaming console of choice and continuously playing your favorite video games until your parents came home from work to ruin your afternoon. Such is life for a latchkey kid.
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However, you can re-create your childhood memories by playing a retro gaming console without parental interruptions. The video games you grew up with are making a big comeback with secondary markets, such as eBay, offering refurbished consoles including the Atari 2600, NES, Sega Genesis and others.
Unsure about buying refurbished? Since gaming companies such as Nintendo and Sega no longer make these consoles, all the items below are previously owned, used or refurbished and sold by third-party sellers. If the console you bought is defective, not what you thought it would be or you just don’t want it anymore, eBay has 30-day return and refund policies to put you at ease that you’re not going to get stuck with a lemon. Learn more about eBay’s money-back guarantee policy here.
Scroll down and shop the best retro gaming consoles:
Atari 2600
The first home console to break out in the mainstream, the Atari 2600 was considered cutting-edge technology during the late ’70s and early ’80s. And while graphics and audio might seem ancient by today’s standards — games such as Pitfall!, Missile Command, Super Breakout, Adventure and others — are just as fun to play as they were back in the day.
You can pick up the Atari 2600 with two joysticks starting at $45 on eBay, while game cartridges start at $2 apiece. The online retailer even has bundles available, which includes the console itself, joysticks and a handful of games. Check out Atari 2600 on eBay here.
Nintendo Entertainment System
While the Atari 2600 might be the first home console success, the Nintendo Entertainment System is a home video game console that’s widely known and iconic. The NES might be a little tougher to come by on eBay, with prices starting at $109 for the console itself and a controller.
However, getting games — such as Rad Racer, Super Mario Bros. 2, The Legend of Zelda, Double Dragon and others — might be easier with prices starting as low as $7 per cartridge. The NES has become much more of a collector’s item than other retro gaming consoles, which is why finding one in good working condition is rare. Check out the NES on eBay here.
Sega Genesis
The biggest rival to the NES is the Sega Genesis with breakout games such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage 2, Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master, Comix Zone, Earthworm Jim and others.
On eBay, all three models of the Sega Genesis are available with the model two (pictured above) being the most prevalent throughout the retailer, with prices starting at just $25. Meanwhile, Sega Genesis games range from $10 to $70 apiece, with rare games going for nearly $200 per cartridge. Check out the Sega Genesis on eBay here.
Nintendo Game Boy
For a portable gaming experience, the Nintendo Game Boy is a must. It’s one of the gaming company’s most successful consoles, selling nearly 119 million units in the ’90s.
You can pick up a Game Boy on eBay for as low as $55 for the color edition of the handheld console. The retailer also has games — such as Castlevania, Final Fantasy Legends, Tetris, Wario Land 3 and others — for sale starting at just $1 apiece. Check out the Nintendo Game Boy on eBay here.
Super Nintendo
The Super Nintendo is the sequel to the NES. It’s the quintessential gaming console of the ’90s, with hit games such as Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Donkey Kong Country, Super Mario Kart, Super Metroid and others.
If you’re looking to pick up the console for yourself, eBay has units starting at $40. The retailer also has SNES games priced as low as $2. Check out the Super Nintendo on eBay here.
Nintendo N64
Step into a world of 3D gaming. The Nintendo N64 is the go-to gaming console for gamers who grew up during the late ’90s and early 2000s with fantastic games, like Super Mario 64, Star Fox 64, Mario Kart 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Banjo-Kazooie and others.
eBay has the N64 for as low as $55 for pre-owned models, while used games can be purchased starting at just $3. Check out the N64 on eBay here.
Sega Dreamcast
The last console Sega ever made just might be one of its best. The Sega Dreamcast might not be as popular as the N64 or PlayStation 2, but it does have its fans — especially those who are discovering the console’s fun and immersive games such as Jet Set Radio, Shenmue, Sonic Adventure, Crazy Taxi, Skies of Arcadia and others. It’s a throwback to how games were played back in the late ’90s and early 2000s.
The Sega Dreamcast is available at eBay starting at $60, while games are priced as little as $3 apiece. Check out the Sega Dreamcast on eBay here.
Want more deals? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
