If you’ve got a friend old enough to remember gaming on an original Atari, firstly, maybe check on them — chances are you’ll find them misty-eyed, clinging fondly to their SNES and yearning for the ‘80s and ‘90s. Secondly, if you’re planning to get them something special for an upcoming occasion, then boy do we have some sweet retro gaming gifts they’ll love!
Here at Displate, we’re big on all things retro — from movie posters to vinyl records, so we welcome retro gamers with open arms. Today we’re throwing it back with some top gift ideas for the retro gamers in your life that are bound to be an 8-bit hit!
1. Heat-changing retro gaming mug
Kicking things off with a hearty dose of nostalgia, we have a heat-changing mug. If your retro gamer friend or family member is a child of the ‘90s, this will bring back fond memories. Perfect for retro gamers who appreciate a good cup of coffee, these mugs heat up and bring joyful 8-bit designs to life.
Whether it’s classic Tetris blocks stacking up or an old Game Boy screen, this fun gift will definitely help the retro gamer you know press the reset button every morning with a bit of gaming magic.
2. ‘Save your progress’ bookmark
Remember when you had to write down a code to save your progress? It’s safe to say we’ve come a long way since then…
In a playful nod to the times before autosave, checkpoints, and endless lives, this ‘Save your progress’ bookmark is the ideal nerdy gift for retro gamers who are also fond of a good book.
3. The Atari Flashback 12 console
If your budget can stretch a little further, then the Atari Flashback 12 console would make the ultimate gift for a retro gamer who misses the glory days of simple screens and pixels. Taking things back to basics, this console features two joystick controllers and comes with over 100 built-in classic games — including (but not limited to) Centipede, Asteroids, Space Invaders, and Maze Craze.
A modern version of the original Atari 2600, consider this console a one-way ticket to the golden era of gaming.
4. Retro gaming posters
Another excellent way to bring back the joy of a retro gamer’s childhood is by gifting them a poster (or two). Perfect for adorning their man cave or gaming nook, retro posters are perfect for capturing the nostalgia of simpler times (back when turning it off and on again really was the solution).
At Displate, we have an impressive collection of retro gaming-themed metal posters, designed to be vibrant, durable, and the perfect finishing touch to any gaming room, bedroom, office, or elsewhere. From the original Donkey Kong to Atari’s Asteroids, you can find almost any game or character among our vast collection of posters made just for gamers.
5. Scratch-off gaming bucket list
For the retro gamer who wants to play everything, a scratch-off bucket list is the perfect idea. This interactive to-do list acts like the ultimate quest log for gamers who take their adventures seriously and like to track their progress. Not only does a bucket list give retro gamers an excuse to revisit some of their favorite 8-bit classics, it also helps them discover new games that might have otherwise passed them by.
From finding gems in Spyro to collecting Rupees in The Legend of Zelda, this gift will help your retro gaming friend conquer every level.
6. Super Mario Bros wallet
If you know a gamer who’s spent hours upon hours squishing Goombas and collecting coins in the Mushroom Kingdom, this one’s for you.
A practical tribute to one of the most iconic games in history, this wallet functions as a piece of pocket-sized nostalgia for them to store in their back pocket and carry with them wherever they go.
7. Circuit board coasters
Switching it up from on-screen to characters to behind-the-screen hardware, next on our list is circuit board coasters. The ultimate visual illusion that might initially give your retro gamer a fright (we do not condone using console parts like graphics cards to rest your drinks on), these coasters look like something straight out of an ‘80s arcade motherboard.
8. Neon Tetris lamp
Ask anyone to close their eyes and imagine a retro game. If it’s not Space Invaders or PAC-MAN, it’s Tetris.. One of the most visually iconic games to date, these bright, chunky blocks have been captivating people — gamers or not — across the globe for decades. Now you can bring the vibrant tessellating shapes to your living room or gaming room in the form of a buildable lamp.
9. PlayStation cookie cutters
Gamers can have other hobbies too, right? If you know a retro gamer who’s also a dab hand at baking, these PlayStation cookie cutters are the ideal gift.
In the shape of the iconic controller with its mini joystick, these cookie cutters will bring a playful twist to any baking session.
1O. Lego’s PAC-MAN Arcade
Last on the list, we have another perfect combination, this time with heavy notes of nostalgia: arcade games and Lego building! Bringing us the familiar characters of the ghosts, the fruit, and — of course — Pac-Man himself in brick form, Lego recently released its PAC-MAN arcade, and we can’t get enough of it.
Allowing retro gamers to build one of the world’s all-time favorite arcade games brick by brick, this set would make the perfect addition to any retro gaming cave.
Give the gift of nostalgia with Displate
And there you have it, 10 of the best gifts on the market for retro gamers.
Here at Displate, we’ve made it our mission to capture experiences and unearth feelings like nostalgia and joy. That’s why we stock so many designs for our retro gaming posters. Be it detailed drawings of old consoles or modern reimaginations of classic retro video game characters, we’ve got it all.
Browse our full gaming collection today or, for more gift inspiration, check out the Displate blog.
