The Best Modern Retro Consoles of 2023

Update, 05/11/2023: We’ve reviewed our recommendations and have updated our best pocket emulator pick to the Retroid Pocket 3.

The State of Retro Gaming in 2023

You’re spoiled for choice when looking to play retro video games. There’s no need to purchase dedicated hardware since you can use a PC, Android smartphone, Mac (especially the new Apple Silicon models), or your Raspberry Pi to scratch the nostalgic itch.

But buying (or building) something purpose-built for gaming has its benefits. This is especially true if you want to go the handheld route, with pocket emulators and handheld gaming systems hitting their stride since the launch of the Nintendo Switch in 2017.

You may also be able to repurpose some of your existing gaming hardware for retro purposes. This gives you a choice between playing the latest releases and dipping into old favorites, all on a single piece of hardware. That way, you’ve always got one main device to play on, whether it’s portable or connected to the TV in your living room.

There are also options for collectors who value owning games in their original format, whether that’s a cartridge or CD. Generally speaking, these mediums outlast the original hardware on which they were designed to be played. The sands of time are not kind to old silicon, and repairs can be costly and beyond the scope of many owners.

Hardware emulation is one area that purists may want to explore. If you crave an authentic experience that mirrors the original hardware to the point where software emulation simply isn’t good enough, there are DIY and ready-built projects designed just for you. Budget, stock availability, and your ability to take on a DIY project are the only limitations standing in your way.

Finally, let’s not forget about the various officially licensed “mini” consoles released by Nintendo, SEGA, and Commodore (among others). These shouldn’t be discounted if you’re after a plug-and-play gaming experience, but they generally offer little in the way of customization and fall short of what the platforms above are capable of.

Not all of the platforms below can play ROMs, and many make use of original or re-issued media that has been officially licensed. If you are looking at a solution that depends on ROMs, make sure you understand the legal implications of dumped software and know that downloading copyrighted material could land you in hot water.

Best Retro Console Overall: PlayMaji Polymega

The PlayMaji Polymega takes the crown as the best overall retro console—no other retro system offers functionality quite like it. It’s a modular multi-system retro gaming box of tricks that offers support for the PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Sega Mega CD, Sega 32X, Neo Geo CD, TurboGrafx CD, and PC-Engine CD out of the box, for a starting price of $449.

From there you can buy additional modules for $79 each to add support for the original Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis family, and NEC TurboGrafx-16 family consoles. Support for the Nintendo 64 will be added in an upcoming module, as well.

PlayMaji’s console allows you to dump your original media to the internal 32GB SSD or removable media (in a file format only the Polymega uses) so that you don’t have to get your cartridges out all of the time. However, the Polymega doesn’t work with standard ROMs, so if you don’t have the physical game, you won’t be able to dump the files and use it with the console.

Emulation is solid, with the console powered by an Intel Coffee Lake processor with 2GB of DDR4 RAM. It’s a PC, but a purpose-built modular one that aims for plug-and-play ease of use.

The Polymega is an undoubtedly expensive way of playing retro titles, and once you’ve shelled out for additional modules and controllers, you can easily spend over $1000. But it’s a one-of-a-kind project that celebrates both original media and software convenience, with solid emulation and upscaling abilities.

If you like the idea of physical game collections but are looking for a cheaper route, consider the Evercade VS. This retro machine also relies on software emulation but uses proprietary physical game cartridges with officially licensed game collections from Team 17, Atari, Namco, and more. The console supports four players and mostly targets emulating retro arcade games and early home console classics.

Best Retro Console Overall

PlayMaji Polymega

Play original CD and cartridge games with the PlayMaji Polymega, a modular software-based emulator. Swap out modules to expand compatibility and save your games to internal or removable storage while reaping the benefits of software emulation including save states and custom rendering options.

PlayMaji

Best Pocket Emulator: Retroid Pocket 3

If you want to take your retro gaming on the road, it’s hard to do better than the Retroid Pocket 3. Boasting a slim design, vibrant 4.7-inch display, and enough firepower to handle all but the most demanding retro games, this diminutive handheld punches well above its weight.

The key to a successful pocket emulator is a streamlined design, and the Retroid Pocket 3 is a runaway success in that category. The device is less than an inch thick and easily slips into a backpack, suitcase, or purse. Much of its design is dedicated to its 4.7-inch display—and while it’s not OLED, the LCD screen does a great job of highlighting the action.

Powering the Retroid Pocket 3 is a Tiger T310 processor, which is enough horsepower for N64 and PlayStation 1 games, although anything beyond that might be pushing the limits. Still, that means the entire library of NES, SNES, Genesis, Game Boy, and other retro consoles are entirely playable on the tiny device.

Considering the Pocket 3 is often on sale for around $100, this value-minded system is an easy recommendation.

Best Pocket Emulator

Retroid Pocket 3

Despite its small size, the Retroid Pocket 3 offers everything you need for a robust, retro gaming experience---including a vibrant screen and lightweight design.

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Best Retro Gaming Handheld: Valve Steam Deck

If you can get your hands on one, the Valve Steam Deck is currently the best handheld gaming platform money can buy. Our sister site Review Geek has given the Steam Deck high marks, citing how great it feels:

The Steam Deck is a Linux-powered handheld computer capable of playing many of the Steam games you already own thanks to Valve’s Proton compatibility layer. On top of this, it makes for a highly capable retro handheld platform. Emulators are waiting to be downloaded in the Discover app that comes with the Steam Deck, with projects like EmuDeck, RetroDeck, and RetroArch making the process easier than ever.

The Steam Deck can emulate many platforms, from 16 and 32-bit classics like the SNES and PlayStation, right through to the Wii, Xbox, PlayStation 2, and even the Nintendo Switch. A project called Steam ROM Manager can add these games to your Steam library for easy access, complete with album art.

You can even install Windows on your Steam Deck if the native Linux support isn’t good enough, which provides a better experience when hooking up your portable to an external monitor.

Best Retro Gaming Handheld

Steam Deck

☆☆☆☆☆ Read Review Geek's Full Review

Take your PC gaming library anywhere with the Steam Deck, a powerhouse portable console. Steam Deck features a variety of controls to accommodate every game and can dock to a TV for full-screen gaming. It also has a growing library of emulators and tweaks aimed at retro gaming.

Valve

Best Retro Gaming Home Console: Xbox Series X or Series S

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could use a current-generation games console as an emulator machine, so all that power doesn’t go to waste? That’s exactly what you can do with an Xbox Series X or Series S console. Not only are these powerful gaming machines for playing Microsoft exclusives like Halo: Infinite and the Game Pass library, you can even use them to run retro emulators too.

This is possible thanks to a Developer Mode tweak that allows you to install the RetroArch multiple-system emulator on your console. Once you’ve loaded up on emulator cores and ROMs you can play almost everything up to and including Nintendo 64, PlayStation, and even PlayStation 2 games.

Which of Microsoft’s consoles you opt for largely depends on what you’re looking for from your machine. If you want a console that targets 4K and has an optical disc drive—handy for playing those older Xbox 360 and original Xbox titles—then the Series X is the better buy. It also has double the storage, costing only $200 more at $499.

The Series S is a great buy for anyone looking for a console that primarily targets 1080p, with some 1440p applications. It lacks a disc drive and isn’t as powerful as the Series X, plus it only has a 512GB SSD. It’s arguably one of the most cost-effective pre-boxed systems you can use to play games from various generations.

It’s also worth shouting out the Nintendo Switch as a boxed and ready-to-go console for playing both new and retro games. With a Nintendo Switch Online membership, you can play NES and SNES titles, or opt for the Switch Online Expansion Pass and get access to N64 and Sega Genesis titles as well.

Best Retro Gaming Home Console

Xbox Series X

Play retro games on your Xbox Series X by installing RetroArch in Developer Mode. You can then restart your console in retail mode and still play the latest releases and Game Pass titles.

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$499.99
 

Best FPGA: MiSTer FPGA

MiSTer is an open-source project that aims to emulate consoles and arcade boards at the hardware level. It does this using an FPGA, or field programmable gate array, a chip that is capable of being reprogrammed to behave like the original hardware. This is the next best thing to playing on original hardware, thanks to the tireless effort of enthusiasts working on the project for years.

If you want to use MiSTer, you’ll need to build a system using the Terasic DE10-Nano FPGA ($215), a compatible USB hub, inputs like a keyboard and controller, some way of connecting to a network and microSD cards, a method of cooling your MiSTer, and a case to put it all in.

Building a MiSTer is a project that will cost upwards of $500, and you can add modules for reading original cartridges and arcade boards, or simply use ROMs. It’s not the cheapest way to play retro games, but if you want to build and customize your gaming experience, this is the way to go.

The MiSTer project relies on cores to emulate consoles, arcade cabinets, and home computers at a hardware level. Many cores are near-perfect replicas, while others are under active development. You can join a community like the MiSTer FPGA Forum to stay updated on the latest releases and even get involved yourself.

If the accuracy of FPGA emulation appeals to you but building a MiSTer seems like a tall order, take a look at the Analog Pocket. This device allows you to play original Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges out of the box. You can also get adapters for playing Game Gear and other systems, or pick up one of Analog’s other FPGA-based systems like the Mega Sg (Sega Genesis), Super Nt (SNES), Duo (NEC PC-Engine and similar), and the Nt mini (NES).

FPGA for MiSTer

Terasic DE10-Nano

The heart of the MiSTer project, this FPGA is used to mimic original hardware, including bugs and quirks that were present on the original console. Though the FPGA is the heart of the MiSTer, you’ll need additional hardware like USB hubs and microSD connectors to complete the project.

Terasic

What About Official “Mini” Consoles?

There is a full range of officially-licensed “mini” consoles available, and these are viable options if you’re in the mood for some plug-and-play fun. While emulation quality can differ between them, they all generally hit the “good enough” barrier, considering the main draw here is the ease of use.

Most of these systems are comparable in terms of overall pros and cons. They have a limited selection of games available, which could mean some of your favorite titles aren’t present. Some, like the discontinued SNES Classic Mini, can be “hacked” to play more games or even entirely different systems using multi-system emulators like RetroArch.

Out of the box, they provide a decent retro gaming experience with no need to mess with software, upload ROMs, or bring cartridges. They all come with period-appropriate controllers, though these are generally wired. Perhaps worst is the supply issue, with many now only available through resellers at inflated prices.

Nintendo fans might want to start with the NES Mini Classic with 30 games including Super Mario Bros., Metroid, and The Legend of Zelda. There’s also the  SNES Classic with 21 games including Super Mario Kart and Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting, ideal for using the two included controllers.

SEGA kids might prefer the SEGA Genesis Mini for playing classic titles like Sonic the Hedgehog, Virtual Fighter 2, Space Harrier 2, and Ecco the Dolphin. In better supply than most of these is Sony’s PlayStation Classic, with epics like Final Fantasy VII, Tekken 3, and Ridge Racer Type 4 pre-loaded.

If you were a retro home computer fan, you might find the C64 Mini more to your tastes. It outputs at 720p, features a classic joystick, and lets you play old classics like Speedball, California Games, and Impossible Mission (plus its sequel) in one tidy package. Unfortunately, the keys on the keyboard are non-functional and just for show.

Perhaps one of the best examples of its kind is the A500 Mini, an Amiga clone that includes both Amiga 500 and Amiga 1200 emulation abilities. The console includes the ability to side-load your own Amiga ROMs and comes with titles like Worms, Simon the Sorcerer, and Zool in the box.

Perhaps none of these “mini” consoles are more compelling than Capcom Home Arcade, a pricey yet stunning 16-in-one system housed in a pair of “competition class” arcade controllers in the shape of the Capcom logo. Play classics like Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, Alien vs. Predator and Final Fight using the built-in CPS 1 and CPS 2 emulator.

SEGA Genesis Mini

Sega Genesis Mini - Genesis

SEGA's Genesis Mini is one of the best examples of a mini home console emulator, with 42 games including Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage 2, Golden Axe, and Phantasy Star IV.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Best Raspberry Pi Overall

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B

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Best Budget Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi Pico RP2040

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Best Raspberry Pi Starter Kit

RasTech Raspberry Pi 4 4GB Starter Kit

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Best Raspberry Pi for Learning to Code

CrowPi2 Raspberry Pi Laptop for Deluxe Kit

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Best for Retro Gaming

Raspberry Pi 3 A+

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