GamesRadar's guide to buying cheap retro consoles

I’m going waaaay back for our first recommendation. The AtGames Atari Flashback series has seen a few popular iterations, and the latest Flashback 4 sports lots of games and features--75 titles and 2 wireless controllers total, to be exact. The publishers even throw a bonus Asteroids poster into the box, perfect for decorating your newly retro living room. So really, it’s a good buy if you just want to hang something next to that One Direction poster.

This one isn’t a console, but it’s the only way to play sweet 1970’s classics without breaking the bank for a brick-and-mortar Intellivision. The Intellivision Plug N Play lets you play 10 different Intellivision titles by simply plugging in to your TV. It’s listed for “ages 5 and up” too, so it’s about the only way your kindergartner is going to play games that are at least 30 years older than they are.

In case you couldn’t figure it out from the product name--”SNES” doesn’t stand for “super nerdy electronic stuff”--this lovely machine lets you play both NES and Super Nintendo games. The SNES/NES FC Twin rivals the original consoles when it comes to sound and picture, so you’re in for a real gaming treat with this one. But sorry, it doesn't come with Super Mario World packed in.

This one isn’t meant to one-up the FC Twin, since it might be a tad to pricey for some. But for a few dollars more, you can grab the Retro-Bit Super Retro Trio, which plays NES and SNES and Sega Genesis games. It has ports for all of those respective controllers too--six altogether--plus a switch for flipping between regions. I recommend every item on this list, but this baby’s a steal for what it offers.

Maybe you’re only hankering for a Super Nintendo. Maybe you’d like to take it out of the house. Allow me to present...the Hyperkin Supaboy. It locks SNES cartridges in place for gaming on the go, and can jack into a TV for a bigger display. It plays both US and Japanese titles, and sports two controller ports--it’s literally a portable console, and that’s awesome.

Did you look at this buying guide and think, “I wonder if there are any motion controllers in that lot?” Good news--you may be in the minority, but I have something for you. The third AtGames product on this list is the Genesis Arcade Motion Dual, which supports motion-controlled gaming via two remotes and a base that plugs directly into your TV. Classics like Sonic the Hedgehog work here, but you can also kick back with activities like baseball, bowling, and ping pong--40 games total are included. And like the Arcade Master there’s an SD slot for your *cough* other games…

There’s no fancy marketing title for this one--the Genesis Classic Game Console from our pals at AtGames is exactly what it sounds like. This is a straight-up console with two wireless controllers that plays all the Genesis cartridges you could want. Oh, you don’t own any? Good thing this purchase is accompanied by 80 games built into the machine. I’m looking out for you here, people.

Last time I bring up AtGames, promise (they make a lot of stuff, okay). Let’s say you like the idea of the Classic Game Console and its 80 packed-in games, but you want portability too. Bam--here’s the AtGames Ultimate Portable Game Player. You’re welcome. Heads up, there’s no cartridge slot, but the tradeoff is a lovely I-can’t-say-but-you-know-what-to-do-with-it SD card slot.

Full disclosure: this is one of the most expensive items on my list. But when you look at what’s in the box, this is an absolute retro bonanza. The Neo-Geo X Gold includes a home console with 20 built-in games, a handheld version of the same hardware, and an arcade stick--the Limited Edition also includes the hard-to-find Ninja Master game card. Seriously guys, this is a good deal--and it’s ending very, very soon! The manufacturer has actually received a cease and desist notice, so once these things sell out, they might be gone forever.

Hyperkin has appeared on this list already with the Supaboy, but they also offer the grandaddy of all aftermarket consoles, the RetroN 5. What do you want to play--NES, SNES, Famicom, Super Famicom, Genesis, Mega Drive, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, or Game Boy Advance? How about any of them, any time? This baby plays it all, with a custom wireless controller, plus ports for any old-school ones you might have lying around. PS3 claims it “only does everything,” and so does the RetroN 5.

And now we’ve arrived at our most modern choices. French manufacturer Lekki isn’t making your typical aftermarket console--these are actually brand-new Super Nintendos and Nintendo 64s, pretty much just like you would've bought 20 years ago. The price isn’t too shabby, and you’re not going to get these colors anywhere else. What’s French for “I want one?”