The Best Starter Consoles for Retro Gaming Newbies

Were you not into gaming during your youth? Are you too young to be nostalgic for the gaming consoles and titles of the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s? That’s okay! There were many classic games through the decades that shaped lives and built the foundation for modern gaming to be what it is. Not to mention that they were just fun to play! If you did not have the opportunity to try them out when they were the hot new thing, it’s never too late to start going through the back catalog of gaming greats. The sheer volume of classic consoles and titles can be intimidating, but this article hopes to provide some good recommendations on some places to start your collection.

Super Nintendo Entertainment System

For many, the 16-bit generation is where gaming seemed to fully reach its stride. The games of this era were bigger and bolder than any before, providing impactful, immersive experiences for millions of people. And the SNES’s library was a beast, filled with incredible titles that are still highly enjoyable today and continue to influence the design of modern games.

Some Games to Start With:

• Super Metroid - The definitive Metroidvania experience that laid the groundwork for dozens and dozens of future games.
• Donkey Kong Country Trilogy - Beautiful, tightly designed platformers that will test your skills in later levels.
• Yoshi’s Island - Takes the Mario formula and pushes it forward with many new mechanics, groundbreaking effects for the time, and memorable levels.
• Chrono Trigger - Often called the greatest RPG of all time. Its scope was incredibly ambitious and was pulled off almost perfectly.

Sega Genesis

While Sega was never able to overtake Nintendo’s market share in the gaming landscape, their competing 16-bit console had a style all its own and a library of hard-hitting titles. The Genesis also leaned into the “edgier” image that Nintendo was trying to avoid, attracting gamers looking for games with more mature elements.

Some Games to Start With:

• Sonic 3 & Knuckles - Actually two separate games that physically combine into one massive, seamless experience. Arguably the ultimate representation of 2D Sonic. The original version is the easiest way to experience the game with its original soundtrack, which evidently had some tracks that Michael Jackson worked on.
• Disney’s Aladdin - A fun and challenging platformer with exceptional art and animation that came as close to embodying the film’s animation style as was possible with the technology at the time.
• Streets of Rage 2 - A classic beat ‘em up that stood as the king of the genre for decades. The series even got a 4th entry in 2020.
• Phantasy Star IV - Sega’s consoles were lacking in the RPG department compared to Nintendo, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t have some certified classics. Phantasy Star IV stood apart with its sprawling scope and creative combat system.

PlayStation

The first disc-based console to truly take the world by storm, the PS1 had a diverse library of games that had something for everyone. Both kids and adults were drawn to the system’s huge variety of titles that covered dozens of genres.

Some Games to Start With:

• Ape Escape - This long-dormant, primate-capturing adventure is beloved by fans who got used to its unusual control scheme. Series fans have been begging for remakes or remasters, but that just makes the originals all the more enticing until that happens.
• Alien: Resurrection - Honestly not that great of a game overall, but this belated movie tie-in pioneered the console FPS control scheme that would become the industry standard in the following years. It’s kind of a surreal experience to play such an old game that has what are basically modern controls. Reviewers at the time had a hard time adapting, but the controls made it age surprisingly well.
• Final Fantasy VII - Another RPG great that needs no introduction. The game’s legacy speaks for itself. There is currently a series of episodic remakes in the process of releasing, but these reimagining’s are so drastically different that you still owe it to yourself to check out the original game.