In the second installment of this series, I am going to give you more incredible gifts to help quench your retro gaming thirst. Whether you’re a Nintendo lover, or you’re a die-hard Atari fan, these options are going to make you happy. I am not going to spoil it, but the last gift in this section is kind of amazing. I’m definitely putting that on my wish list this year. Hint, hint boyfriend! I also think it’s incredibly interesting to see what is available to purchase. I mean, it can feel a bit like a money grab if the merchandise isn’t of quality. I’m thinking Hot Topic, for example. Not to sound disparaging, but that feels like it detracts from the genre it’s trying to pay homage to. But, I don’t think these items do that. So go out and buy yourself some of these items, and make your house a really cool throwback to retro gaming.
Atari Flashback 8 Gold Deluxe
We all know that Nintendo has been making a comeback with their retro gaming consoles. But did you know that Atari is doing that as well? In this updated version, Atari gives you 120 games to choose from. That’s a lot. The Atari came out during the generation before mine, so it was never something we had in the house. But it’s still an extremely popular console during its time. Not to mention just how revolutionary it was at that time. You have to remember what kind of technology existed during the 1970s and 80s. It certainly wasn’t anywhere near as precise or as small as it was today. That concludes my rant about how Atari revolutionized the gaming industry. As far as this console goes, you can get popular games like Night Driver, Sword Quest, and Chopper Command. This one is also reasonably priced at $99.99 on Amazon.
Earthworm Jim Anthology – Soundtrack on Vinyl
Earthworm Jim was a run and gun platform game based on an earthworm named Jim if you can imagine. The game was originally released for Sega Genesis in 1994. Who remembers the Sega console? It has been almost 20 years since we were blessed with an Earthworm Jim game. How have we survived this long? Now that you feel super old and extremely depressed we have good news for you. There is an anthology of the soundtrack from the game. If you’re jonesing for some Earthworm Jim, head over to Amazon and pick this up on vinyl.
Retro T-Shirts
A retro t-shirt lets the world know you yearn for the good old days, as I like to call them. If you’re of my generation, there’s something about that time when everything was just a bit more simplistic. Maybe that’s just me, but I definitely think you would benefit from a t-shirt with one of your favorite characters – like Mario. For example, you can get a t-shirt of Mario riding on Yoshi with the caption “Chicks Dig My Ride”. 80stees.com has a ton of options – including Donkey Kong, Atari, Super Mario 2, Duck Hunt and even the Legend of Zelda. This is a website you definitely need to have a look at. But I’d strongly recommend purchasing something because these t-shirts are amazing.
N64 Controller Patent Poster
The N64 was a legendary gaming system. And if you’re a retro gamer, then there’s a good chance that this was one of your favorites. Especially with just how different modern day game controllers are. If you remember, it had those “wings” at the front of the controller, that allowed for a better grip. Well, now you can admire that beauty in the form of a patent poster. These are available for you on Etsy.
Travel Case for NES and SNES Classics
The NES and SNES Classic aren’t cheap, so you’re going to want to keep them nice and clean. And you can, with this cute, fun and functional travel case. It’s soft foam inserts holds the system itself (either), 2 Controllers and an AC adaptor. A mesh pocket on the inside is a great place to hold your HDMI and USB cables and accessories. The hardshell case gives you maximum protection. Head on over to Amazon to get one of these for your new NES or SNES Classic.
Nintendo 64 Cartridge Soap
Last, but not least. And what is likely my favorite in this entire series – Nintendo 64 cartridge soap. Why do I like this so much? I guess it just makes me think of people who have soap in their washrooms in a “display” kind of way. Like my grandmother used to. But instead of pink flower soaps, you can display this fun and funky soap to let the world know how much you heart Nintendo. These are not exactly cheap, so I wouldn’t recommend actually washing with them. But it’s definitely something to keep on display. The soap is available from FireBox.