Every time I scroll through my social media I’m met with the same proclamation - that brands should bring back the ‘transparent’ gaming tech of the late 90s. Usually, these statements are followed up by wishing the best Nintendo Switch accessories looked like the N64 ‘Funtastic Series’ that introduced a line of brightly colored transparent plastic variations to the iconic 90s console or Apple’s iconic Bondi Blue iMac G3 from 1998.
The vivid futuristic-looking designs are still fresh in my mind as a 90s kid. But while Nintendo isn’t dropping transparent plastic variants of the current Nintendo Switch, that doesn’t mean the designs of the late 90s and early 00s haven’t already made a comeback. The biggest names in tech may have shifted to more sleek aesthetics for their hardware, but third-party brands have brought transparency back tenfold. Anyone who still yearns for the 90s might not be looking hard enough.
Atomic Purple as far as the eye can see
The piece of transparent plastic tech I most prominently remember from the 1990s was the ‘Atomic Purple’ Game Boy Color variant. This version of Ninty’s iconic device ditched the plain purple shell for a semi-transculent version, clear enough to let you gaze at the PBC inside. This design seemingly wasn’t just a stand-out from my old childhood. I’ve seen it replicated by a ton of other brands, so its nostalgia is likely felt the world over. Most notably, the Miyoo Mini Plus, a retro gaming handheld that already takes after the lineage of the Game Boy, has an ‘Atomic Purple’ variant.
This version of the retro handheld actually looks a little darker in opacity than its inspiration. But nonetheless, it’s a sign that transparent gaming tech designs are very much around if you know where to look. CRKD also took inspiration from the cool purple design, releasing an Atomic Purple edition of their ATOM controller. The compact gamepad is actually compatible with the Nintendo Switch, so you can play some classic Game Boy games with the retro-looking tech in your hand if you want to relive some 90s childhood memories.
Third-party brands have been fueling the nostalgic transparent tech fire for a while. Dbrand, behind some of the best PS5 accessories, has a line of ‘Retro plates’ for each model of the Sony console. Last year also saw the release of the Sky Cipher Special Edition Xbox Wireless controller featuring a transparent blue design. Nostalgia was definitely at the forefront during its reveal with the trailer featuring the first-ever Xbox boot-up noise, a console with a transparent design of its own. Even just a few weeks ago, the translucent red ‘Pulse Cipher’ Special Edition Xbox controller was unveiled.
Consoles aren't as on board the nostalgia train
Outside of third-party PS5 console covers, and controllers, most of the transparent tech has been relegated to accessories, though. Valve did release a limited edition Steam Deck OLED handheld in 2013, which sported a smoky black transparent chassis. We came full circle, with one of the most popular handhelds out nodding to the Nintendo Game Boy that propelled the popularity of gaming on the go. However, as a limited edition device, it was only available to a lucky few based in the US. These days, it’s only available to those with enough cash to deal with second-hand resellers.
Valve may have given its hardware a new see-through lease of life, but Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo haven't yet re-embraced the aesthetic for their modern consoles. This could be due to a few factors, most notably a change in trends. Back in the late 90s, advancements in plastic manufacturing ushered in a rise in the use of Polycarbonate plastics just about everywhere you look. This came at the perfect time, on the cusp of the Y2K era when everyone in the world was fixated on the new millennium and the advancements in technology. Remember, this was the beginning of dramatic shifts in tech, from videotapes to DVDs and cassettes to CDs - everything was changing. The see-through nature of Polycarbonate plastic gave tech fans a way to see into what made their hardware click and attributed to these 'futuristic' trends of the time.
20 years later we have custom Nvidia graphics cards powering portable handhelds capable of running a magnitude of AAA games on the go. Not to mention, the performance of consoles like the Xbox Series X/S and the PS5 can rival that of some of the best gaming PCs. That doesn't mean we definitely won't get see-through variations of these machines, but their need for advanced cooling systems, and being similar in design to modern PCs puts the priority elsewhere. This advancement in tech also means devices like my own PS5 are hugely prone to collecting dust and even cat hair. Something I don't want to constantly see when gazing toward my favorite current-gen console.
Trends in tech aesthetics are also wildly different than they were decades ago. This generation of gaming tech pushed out plain white versions of the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and the Nintendo Switch OLED. This choice was most likely to tie in with other tech of the era, like Apple's iconic white AirPods. Whereas, in the late 90s, transparent N64s matched nicely with other hugely popular devices of the time - bright colorful aesthetics hitting everything from Tamagotchi toys to portable CD players. Nostalgia is definitely still at the forefront of today's gaming hardware, however. Sony unleashed its 30th Anniversary Collection featuring a PS5 Slim, PS Portal, and DualSense controllers just last year, which paid homage to the original PlayStation console. But it's third-party brands and creators that are instead filling in that transparent plastic console gap.
Regardless, anyone still wishing for a return to the transparent tech of the 90s doesn’t have to look far. It’s evident that, whether it’s third-party gaming accessories brands or the big leagues like Microsoft, gaming has already seen its transparent renaissance - and then some. For the time being, it’s mostly found in accessories, rather than consoles, but anyone with the confidence to tinker around with their tech can easily pick up third-party console covers, and transparent shells to make anything look like it stepped out of 1999.
With the Nintendo Switch 2 on the horizon, and transparent tech trends becoming more and more reignited, this could change. Ninty doesn’t release its dolled-up versions of its consoles until years after their initial launch, but a Switch 2 sporting a transparent shell doesn’t seem entirely out of the realm of possibilities. Until then, there’s no shortage of tech reminding us of Nintendo’s transparent glory days, and likely even more for it to come.
If you want to relive the late 90s, some of the best Nintendo Switch controllers feature the nostalgic aesthetic. We've also gathered all the best Nintendo Switch headsets and the best Nintendo Switch SD cards in one place if you just want to pair your Ninty handheld with some of the best add-ons out there.
