4 Cool New Retro Gadgets To Surround Yourself In Nostalgia

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As older millennials can attest, once you hit a certain age, there's something oddly comforting about nostalgia, especially when it comes to old technology like VCRs, disposable cameras, and other '80s gadgets. As a personal example, I vividly remember when my friends and I quickly stopped playing the original NES when the Super Nintendo came out. But now, a few decades later, there's nothing more enjoyable than firing up the original Nintendo and playing games like Super Mario Bros. 3.

Indeed, the allure of nostalgia is so strong that many companies have started releasing a wave of retro-inspired gadgets that blend old-school design with modern technology. It's sometimes hard to sift through some of the junk that litters online marketplaces like Amazon, so we've done a lot of the heavy lifting for you. Below, you'll find 4 retro gadgets that make the perfect gift for the elder millennial or Gen Xer in your life.

While devices that magnify screens are nothing new, the Anki HappiGo 12-inch magnifier encases your smartphone in a way that it looks like an old-school CRT TV, complete with bunny-ear antennas. If you grew up watching TV in the 1980s and 1990s, this particular device will undoubtedly help you relive those glorious nights when millions of kids spent hours glued to their TVs watching shows like "Full House" on TGIF.

The device itself is very affordable and is priced at $22.99 on Amazon. As far as device compatibility goes, the product works with iPhone models going back to the iPhone 8. It also works just as seamlessly with a range of Android devices. The TV magnifier comes in four colors: Technical grey, Rose gold, Vibrant orange, and Old brown wood. The build quality on the device is on the flimsy side, which is to say you can certainly find more sturdy smartphone magnifiers out there. But if you're looking for a nostalgia-fueled gift, this one is hard to beat.

If you want to go really retro, you might want to look at this Nixie Tube Clock from ClocTeck. This is a perfect example of a product that fuses a retro look with modern technology. The clock itself has a design that dates back to the 1950s but has no shortage of modern tech flair. It's easy to set up, and has different lighting modes that can be selected simply by tapping on the bulbs. There are a variety of color options, and there's even a countdown mode if you want to use the device as a timer. Of course, you can also use the clock as an alarm. Some additional settings include a brightness toggle and a 12/24-hour mode.

Regarding color options, an ad for the product shows that users can use a color picker on their smartphone to pick any gradient of their choice. You can also set it up such that each tube itself displays a different color. All told, the product has a large display, which makes it good for mood lighting or simply as a regular clock anywhere in your house. The product has a rating of 4.3, and is reasonably priced at $67.

When it comes to old-school video games, Nintendo seems to get all the attention. But the Sega Genesis was a solid gaming console in its own right. Following the footsteps of Nintendo, which released an NES Mini a few years ago, Sega did the same when it introduced the Sega Genesis Mini back in 2019. The device is a mini console and includes two wired controllers. More importantly, it comes with 42 built-in games, so you don't need to worry about cartridges the way you did a few decades ago. Some of the games include: Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Contra: Hard Corps, Street Fighter 2, Virtua Fighter 2, Castlevania: Bloodlines, Streets of Rage 2, and many more.

Even if you didn't play a ton of Sega Genesis games back in the day, there are enough familiar titles here to make this item worth checking out if you're up for some retro gaming action. If you look for the Sega Genesis Mini on Amazon, availability tends to fluctuate quite a bit. At the time of this writing, there were just a few left in stock. If you don't find it on Amazon, you can also check eBay, where you might be able to find a lightly used system at a discounted price. Incidentally, there's also a Sega Genesis Mini 2 that comes with 60 titles, but that device is a bit more expensive.

Before Spotify, iTunes, and even CDs, people listened to music on cassette tapes. If you've ever had the displeasure of spooling tape back into a cassette, it's likely not a medium you want to revisit. While music on vinyl remains something of a niche market, cassette tapes haven't exactly made a comeback and likely never will. All that said, if you have warm memories from decades past of cassette tapes, you might want to take a look at the Yanko Design Side A Cassette Speaker. The device is essentially a Bluetooth speaker that looks like an 80s cassette tape. So if you want to connect the device to your smartphone or tablet, or even your computer, the cassette speaker will work seamlessly.

If you're offline, the speaker comes with microSD card support so that you can pre-load a bunch of music and play it directly off the card. It's worth mentioning that if you're using a microSD card, the speaker can only play back MP3 files. As for other specs, the speaker can run up to 6 hours on a single charge. A full recharge from zero battery life takes 2 hours. What's more, the speaker itself comes with a stand, while retaining a small footprint. Given its small stature, you definitely won't hear sound as crisply as you would on a dedicated high-end device like Apple's HomePod or other smart speakers from major brands, but if you're looking for a decent Bluetooth speaker that's incredibly easy to carry and transport — with a little bit of retro flair — you'd be hard-pressed to find something as cool as the Side A Cassette Speaker. It's currently available on Yanko Design for $49.