50 Retro Gaming Posts That Might Hit Every Nostalgic Nerve From The ’80s, ’90s, And ’00s
Retro gaming is having a moment. And a big one at that. Step aside Xbox and PlayStation, the real GOATS are coming out to play.
We’re talking basic, big consoles, cartridges, pixelated graphics, and good, old-fashioned classics like Mario Brothers, Sonic, Pacman, or Pokemon Red. If you ever owned a Game Boy, a Nintendo Entertainment System or even a Sega, you’ll know exactly what we mean. It was the golden age of gaming. A time that shaped a generation of gamers and laid the foundation for what has today become a multi-billion dollar industry.
But even despite the technological advancements of modern games, many kids today are getting obsessed with old school retro games. There’s even an online community that invites members to join in with the retro gaming nostalgia of '80s, '90s & early '00s. It also features some childhood blasts from the past in the form of TV, Toys and Film.
Bored Panda has put together a list of our favorite posts from the page to transport you back to the days of 8-bit soundtracks, chunky cartridges, and unforgettable characters. They might even inspire you to head over to a thrift store to get your hands on an old console ahead of the weekend.
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If you grew up in the '80s or '90s, it’s understandable why you might still be drawn to retro games. They stir up nostalgia like no other. Who could possibly forget the soundtrack of Mario Brothers? Trying to twist the Tetris blocks? Or blowing into a chunky cartridge to get it to work again?
But it’s not just the grown-ups who lived through that era who are once again becoming a tad obsessed with classic bygone games. A 2025 Statista survey found that 45% of 18- to 24-year-olds have played a retro game in the past year. It’s the comeback many of us never saw coming…
Century old crypts also had the freshest hams and apples laying around.
It’s not just about nostalgia. Nor is it just about playing. It’s about connecting, explains one Gaming site.
“Online communities are exploding, from Reddit’s r/retrogaming with millions of members to Twitch streams where speedrunners race through Super Metroid in under an hour,” reads vocalmedia/gamers.com. “These spaces are packed with people swapping tips, showing off collections, or debating whether Ocarina of Time beats A Link to the Past.”
Back when a six and a half gig harddrive was considered adequate. Now your *phone* has about that much in memory, and at least ten~twenty times that in storage.
Some of the neighbourhood kids were stuck on a game (I don't recall what, I suck at anything requiring joystick mashing). Mom asked if she could try. Since it was the 80s, cue a lot of sexist comments. Well, she wiped the floor with them and racked up such a high score they they all lost interest in the game shortly after. 👍
According to the site, TikTok’s #RetroGaming tag has billions of views, while X (formerly known as Twitter) is buzzing with threads about hidden game Easter eggs or “which retro console was your childhood?” polls.
The Guardian reported in 2024 that that YouTube uploads about retro games had increased 1,000-fold. And that Spotify users were creating 50% more retro-gaming-themed playlists than they were a year earlier, while live streamers were cashing in on the repetitive catchphrases and mechanical movements of NPCs (non-player characters).
Weight distribution for those old CRT TVs wasn't ideal for moving them by yourself.
I was given a 17" CRT when I was 13 (I am not 42) and I never had issues moving that. In fact, I moved it a dozen times to my dorm, apartments and a house.
Load More Replies...It was easier to carry if you placed the screen toward your body.
The growing community of young retro gamers has become known as cosy gamers. And as the Guardian reports, the appeal of older games lies not in their modern interpretations, but the comfort and simplicity of the past.
“It’s like comfort food – different for everyone,” says a 27-year-old called Gabi. “I game for nostalgia,” she adds. “[It] eases my mind and lets me escape into a different world. [It’s] an excellent stress and anxiety-reliever.”
And I was convinced by my husband to downgrade to save space with a shelf/desk unit approximately the size of Jason Mamoa. Sorry, no bananas for scale😉 So now i have to squeeze everything into a tiny place and make places to hide ink and paper. Instead of just having a nice desk set up like mai had before 😂 We are not in a tiny house. I don't need tiny things!
If you google it then you see the original post and it is a custom paint job.
Load More Replies...All three triggered my motion sickness in no time. I'd put them in History's Vomitorium Museum.
I spent so much time playing that game as a kid... Never got passed Casino Nights 2 (like the fourth level) XD
I don't own a real one, but I couldn't pass up buying the little miniature replica version preloaded with classic games Nintendo released some years back.
When I was young, a ten *megabyte* hardisc would have cost more than that CD writer, and a single megabyte of standard DRAM (as chips, none of this fancy DDR5 DIMM stuff) would have cost more than both added together.
Kmart Australia. I sghed wistfully over many tech catalogue pages in the 90s.
KMart and Kodak had a good thing. Those cameras were great for the price. Unfortunately they screwed it all up. I still have a small Kodak digital from around 2002. My dad loved Kmart and buying me cameras.
I loved hiding in unexpected places and sniping with rocket launchers (before death cams). Was in the top 30 in global leader boards, when hackers ruined online play.
Way back when they used to sell Hamsters an Gerbils too.
Load More Replies...What exactly is that thing for sale at $25.56? Looks like deep fried locusts.
My mom would leave us there for hours to play games while she did her errands.
Yeah... hate to think of the hundreds of hours of my life (maybe more) I've spent on Pokémon games. Still don't regret it overall, though.
You shouldn't regret anything. Did you enjoy those hours? Then you didn't waste them.
Load More Replies...Is the final challenge throwing the football over the mountain? Do you become state champions?
Load More Replies...Still have mine, the OG design, not the one pictured. I sometimes get the urge to hook it back up.
I think my dad still has ours, and the 2, and the 3
Load More Replies...Why are they all staring at the small TV and ignoring the massive one on the wall?
There was something about a LAN party that online coop does not match. It might have been just sharing the pizza, doritos and dew
Winamp was, IS and WILL forever be the best music player. Period. 🤘🏻
