Vintage consoles are not some discontinued devices that only deserve a place in a video game museum. The rich legacy of retro consoles has had a tremendous effect on the entertainment industry and pop culture as a whole. What’s more, it still bears on the conception, development, and production of modern video games.
If you consider yourself a true connoisseur of quality old-school gaming, you may want to take a closer look at some immortal retro gaming devices whose names have been etched into video game history forever.
#1 Sony PlayStation2
It’s hard to classify the Sony PlayStation2 as a retro console, considering it as getting new releases in 2014. But it’s more than two decades old now, so for most gamers, this console is considered one of the most outstanding representatives of the golden age of video gaming. The PS2’s incredible video game library of more than 3870 titles has something for every gamer. Whether you want to immerse yourself in RPGs like Final Fantasy X, save the world in Spider-Man 2, or win the super bowl in some of the best installments of Madden NFL. You will definitely have fun gaming on the PS2. If you’ve never experienced the stunning visuals of Ico or the hefty kicks of mighty deities in God of War, it’s time to make some new PS2 memories.
- If you’re desperate to find the original PS console or favorite PS titles to play on it, it’s about time you took advantage of emulation software. The modern retro game emulation market provides you with the tools necessary to play virtually any PS game in existence on your modern devices. If you download the right emulator, grab the required PlayStation BIOS, and put your hands on the ROM games you like the most, you’ll be able to re-experience the nostalgic emotions even without the original PS console.
#2 Neo-Geo
The Neo-Geo is a great example of a vintage console that still rocks. This console was released in 1990 as both an arcade system and a home console. You could consider it one of the first hybrid consoles in a sense. Do you remember games like Metal Slug, Bust-A-Move, and Blazing Star from your local arcade? Well, the Neo-Geo will let you play them all in their all 2D glory. If you’re more of a fighting game fanatic, it doesn’t get any better than a lineup that includes The King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown, and Fatal Fury, and Art of Fighting franchises. The Ne-Geo is infamous for being launched at a ridiculous price that didn’t even reach $700. But you could get the Neo-Geo X re-release with 20 preloaded games for less than $200. So, they seem to learn their lesson, even if it took over two decades.
#3 Sega Game Gear
Nintendo’s Game Boy might have been a cool kid when it came to earlier 90s handhelds. But the Sega Game Gear released in 1991 had a full color backlit screen and retro graphics. This console essentially put the Sega Master System in your pocket, allowing you to play classics like Sonic the Hedgehog, Shinobi II, and Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya wherever you go. Today you can download many popular Game Gear titles on your Nintendo 3DS. But there is something special about playing them on the original Game Gear.
Well, you have it. These consoles bring back so much nostalgia. And you can easily quench your nostalgic thirst if you start playing your favorite old-school classics right now.
