On Amazon
Cartridge storage case
Keeps a collection dust-free and easy to browse.
Typically under $15Home / Gift guides / Retro gamers under $50
Gifts for retro gamers under $50
For the person who still has their old consoles: controllers and cables that make them playable on today's TV, cleaning and repair tools, and ways to show off a collection. On the eBay side: original consoles, cartridges and the magazines that came with them. Everything on this page typically costs under $50: room for something they'll use for years.
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On eBay
Game Boy and Game Boy Color games
Small, cheap and endlessly replayable: a good add-on for a handheld.
Typically $15 to $25On Amazon
Retro video game poster
Classic game art for a game room or office.
Typically $15 to $25On eBay
Vintage video game magazines
Old issues with maps, codes and previews of games they once waited months for.
Typically $15 to $25On Amazon
Controller wall mount
Shows off a collection of controllers instead of a tangle in a drawer.
Typically under $15On eBay
Retro game strategy guides
The printed guides from before the internet, for the shelf next to the games.
Typically $15 to $25On Amazon
LED neon sign for a game room
A finishing touch for a game room or streaming setup.
Typically $15 to $25On eBay
Vintage handheld LCD games
The pocket games from the eighties and nineties: a fun desk toy and a conversation piece.
Typically $15 to $25On Amazon
Acrylic display risers
Stair-step shelves so every box on the shelf is visible.
Typically $15 to $25On eBay
Vintage Pokemon cards
Cards from the first sets, for the grown-up who collected them the first time round.
Typically $25 to $50On Amazon
Wireless retro-style controller
A classic controller shape for Switch and PC; most work with a phone too.
Typically $25 to $50On eBay
Classic N64 game cartridges
Kart racers, party games and adventures for a console they already have.
Typically $25 to $50On Amazon
Cartridge cleaning kit
A lot of "broken" cartridges just need their contacts cleaned.
Typically under $15On eBay
Original controllers for old consoles
A second original controller means two-player games again. Look for "tested" in the listing.
Typically $15 to $25On Amazon
Video game history book
The story of the consoles and studios behind the games they grew up with.
Typically $15 to $25On eBay
A vintage Rubik's Cube
The eighties craze in its original form, for the solver or the shelf.
Typically $15 to $25On Amazon
Pixel art LED display
A small LED panel that shows pixel art and animations on a desk or shelf.
Typically $25 to $50On Amazon
Beginner soldering kit
For the gamer who wants to start fixing consoles and replacing save batteries.
Typically $15 to $25On Amazon
Retro gamer mug
A controller or pixel-art mug for the desk.
Typically under $15On Amazon
Wired gaming headset
Clear voice chat and game audio; wired models skip the charging.
Typically $25 to $50On Amazon
Fuse bead kit
Pixel-art sprites made with fuse beads; easy for kids, fun for adults.
Typically under $15On Amazon
Controller coaster set
Coasters shaped or printed like classic controllers.
Typically under $15On Amazon
Monitor light bar
Lights the desk without glare on the screen.
Typically $25 to $50Budgets for gift ideas are what that kind of gift usually costs, not prices; Amazon or the eBay seller has the current price. We don't sell these items.