7 Retro-Themed PC Gaming Gadgets Inspired By Iconic Consoles

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The allure of retro gaming will never go away. Despite the industry being on the verge of entering an all-digital era — much to the chagrin of people who love physical media — and pushing the boundaries of graphics to greater heights, there's something oddly comforting about older games with rudimentary 3D visuals and beautiful pixel art that helps players feel all warm and fuzzy. There's a reason why some indie games go out of their way to channel this aesthetic: Many players love the idea of playing games that look old-school but feel brand-new, and there are more than enough titles on the market to scratch this itch for them.

If you want to enjoy a slew of actual retro games via either emulation or their PC ports, along with modern indie titles inspired by older gaming generations, then you can add a layer of authenticity by incorporating any of several PC gaming gadgets that are styled after popular retro consoles. Video game aficionados will love how these gadgets help make retro gaming feel modern with just the flick of a switch or a quick plug-and-play.

If you're looking for a mouse that is modeled after the iconic look of the Nintendo Entertainment System, then the 8BitDo Retro R8 is an easy recommendation. While it won't win any prizes for its ergonomics — seriously, this mouse can be a bit uncomfortable to hold — it's the aesthetics of this product that make it worth using for anyone not dealing with carpal tunnel syndrome. Aside from the classic NES look, you can also choose two other versions, which are modeled after the Commodore 64 and the original Xbox.

This mouse comes with a nifty charging dock, letting you power up the device when not in use. Of course, if you decide not to opt for the Bluetooth or the RF Wireless connection, then you can attach a USB cable to use it as a wired mouse. This lets you enjoy a polling rate of 8,000 hertz, which can't be achieved otherwise on a wireless connection. A maximum sensor resolution of 26,000 DPI (Dots Per Inch) allows for faster cursor speeds, which, in tandem with the polling rate, can give you an edge in competitive gaming scenarios.

One area where gamers may find this mouse to be slightly disappointing is customization. While the 8BitDo Ultimate V2 software is competent enough to help you remap keys, set up macros, and adjust both the DPI and polling rate, this is where these functions stop. If you want to change your active profile and map app-specific shortcuts ... well, you have to get something else. However, for $49.99, the 8BitDo Retro R8 is loaded with plenty of features, making it one of the best retro-themed mice for all your gaming endeavors.

The Game Boy Advance (GBA) was a huge step forward for Nintendo's handheld console ventures, with a 16-bit color palette and a slew of iconic games ensuring that this gaming device would become legendary for all the right reasons. If you want to pay homage to this handheld and need to upgrade your keyboard, the PromoType KeyBoy Advance is a great way to kill two birds with one stone. Keep in mind that this keyboard will require a bit of work from your end — for $275, all you'll get is a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) and an aluminum case. All the keys and switches need to be sourced on your end, which bumps up the price considerably.

Is it expensive? Absolutely, but the sheer faithfulness exhibited by this keyboard as it recreates the design of the Game Boy Advance is what serves as its biggest selling point. For starters, it's very small and can be held in your hand like a very wide GBA. The L and R buttons from the handheld are present on this keyboard, too, serving as additional configurable buttons. There's a small light bar on the top left, a power indicator on the top right, and even a speaker grille on the bottom right. Clearly, no corners have been cut to replicate the look of the Game Boy Advance — ironic, given how this keyboard's corners have been shaped to further hammer in the GBA design inspirations.

The Sega Genesis was an iconic console in its own right, giving stiff competition to Nintendo before poor follow-ups and the loss of consumer trust led to the company shuttering its console division. Still, many people have fond memories of playing Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium, and Streets of Rage 2 on this console. For those Sega fans — and others who just want to own a cool piece of tech modeled after the Sega Genesis — the 8BitDo M30 is a great gadget to play retro games with. This controller checks in at a relatively meager $29.99 price point, making it one of the most affordable gaming peripherals on this list.

The six-button layout is reminiscent of the Genesis controller, although it might be a bit too authentic for some, given how cramped the design is. Still, with three colored A, B, and C buttons, along with three gray X, Y, and Z buttons located just above them, any fighting game veteran will realize that this controller is perfect for this genre. It's obviously no arcade stick, and the lack of a wired connection leads to a deal-breaking level of latency for most pros. But people who don't want to invest so much in a special fighting game controller can check out the M30 first to see whether they're okay with this button layout.

The best part about the 8BitDo M30 is its compatibility with a wide range of devices. Aside from a PC, this controller can connect to the Nintendo Switch, macOS computers, any Android device, the Steam Deck, and even the Raspberry Pi. This makes the 8BitDo M30 a very cool retro gadget to immerse yourself in nostalgia with ease.

The Nintendo 64 might have played second fiddle to Sony's PlayStation, but that doesn't mean it wasn't the source of its fair share of legendary video games. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Star Fox 64, Super Mario 64, and GoldenEye 007 are all examples of amazing titles that found a home on Nintendo's third home console. The bulky controller that came with the unit is iconic in its own right, and people who want to use a gamepad inspired by this design can check out the see-through Retro-Bit V2 Wireless Tribute 64, which sells for $44.99 on Amazon.

The biggest improvement of the V2 over the original Wireless Tribute is the noticeably lowered latency. Wireless connections are notorious for their lag, which is why most gamers will appreciate that this upgraded version works perfectly with the USB receiver to minimize input lag. The faithful button layout makes it clear that it's optimized to play N64 games, whether on the original console or via emulation. Aside from the classic console and a PC, this controller can also connect to the Nintendo Switch, letting you play old-school NSO (Nintendo Switch Online) games with one of the coolest '90s-inspired gadgets you can find on Amazon.

8BitDo has done a great job of channeling the energy of retro hardware with its offerings, and the 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard is no exception. Like most of the company's other products, this one is modeled after the Nintendo Entertainment System, and it's absolutely striking. You can also opt for a variant of this design that's modeled after the Famicom – the original name of the NES in Japan — or one that emulates the Commodore 64's look. One look at this keyboard will make its NES inspirations clear as day, with two red A and B buttons squeezed in between the Right-Alt and Right-Ctrl keys and an LED light on the top right to hammer in its old-school nature. That's not all — the keyboard also comes with two separate and hilariously large A and B buttons that can be mapped to a custom function.

All these neat touches make it clear that this mechanical keyboard is perfect for retro gaming enthusiasts. It helps that this device also boasts great performance to go along with its remarkable aesthetics. It supports both wired and wireless connectivity, with the latter being facilitated by either Bluetooth or a 2.4-gigahertz wireless connection. The typing experience itself is great, feeling soft and comfortable to the touch. With the 8BitDo Ultimate Software, you can also remap the keys however you see fit, letting you enjoy some nifty uses of the two extra A and B buttons. The cherry on top of this package is the relatively attractive price point, letting you access one of the best-looking mechanical keyboards on the market for $99.99.

Ayaneo is a company that has developed several mini PCs that channel the best of retro tech. The AM01 is designed after the original Macintosh down to the rainbow logo on the side, while the AM03 uses retro inspirations and combines them with a sleek, minimal, and modern-looking design for the best of both worlds. Along with these models, the Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM02 models itself after the look of the classic NES, making for a beautiful piece of construction that is ideal for all your retro gaming requirements.

We strongly recommend that you hook this $689 mini PC to a CRT display if you're a retro enthusiast. Most retro games feel fully authentic on this screen, but this mini PC is plenty strong enough to handle modern tasks, too. It comes equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7840HS, with the best available configuration letting you enjoy the perks of 32 gigabytes of RAM and a two-terabyte SSD (solid-state disk), which are impressive specs in their own right. While using the Ayaspace software that comes bundled with this PC is a bit cumbersome, it's nowhere near a dealbreaker ... especially for people who want to play retro games on a device that looks like the NES and is powerful enough to emulate most old-school consoles without a hitch.

Unlike other arcade controllers built specifically for fighting games that can cost a pretty penny, the $89.99 8BitDo Arcade Stick is affordable and a very reliable way to unleash a beatdown for the ages on your foes. Like most other peripherals on this list that pay homage to legendary gaming consoles that defined the '80s, this gamepad looks like it would be right at home next to the Nintendo Entertainment System. The bright red buttons are beautiful to nostalgia seekers, and the palette of this arcade controller is quite fitting with the retro theme. There are two dedicated macro buttons on the top right — P1 and P2 — that can be customized via the 8BitDo Ultimate Software application.

If you're not using a USB-C wired connection, then a slider next to the Select and Start buttons can let you choose between Bluetooth and a 2.4-gigahertz USB receiver. Since this arcade stick can connect to both your PC and a Nintendo Switch, 8BitDo has configured one of the two knobs on the top-left to make this controller easier to use with both. Depending on the platform you're playing on, switch the knob to S (Switch) or X (X-Input) mode. The buttons are remapped according to the system being used, which is a small yet much-needed upgrade for players who hate having to get used to a new control scheme every time they switch between the two systems. The second knob lets you choose between LS (Left Stick), DP (Directional Pad, or D-pad), and RS (Right Stick) modes for the control stick. We highly recommend that you leave it on DP — after all, it's very rare that you'll use this arcade controller for other games that require dual-stick controls.