At some point, old video game consoles become cool again. There's something in the DNA of each console that makes it too "old" at one point, and then "retro" at another.

Having ascended its way to the world of elite Xbox's and PlayStation's, the video game world still has room for those classic game consoles that somehow, after all these years, never seem to get old.

Here are some throwbacks that are a must-have in any die-hard fan's collection.

Atari

There are plenty of versions of the Atari, and as you'll find at TheGameConsole.com, many of these versions were around in the 1970's. In other words, these were in fact your father's video games. Classics like Atari PONG or the Atari 2600 were pioneers into the world of electronic gaming, and few could have guessed that the little white dots on the screen would evolve into the cinematic-style games we have today.

Buy an old Atari PONG for your collection - you'll love the retro 70's controller and can show the game off to guests. You don't have to be a child of the 70's to enjoy the throwbacks.

Nintendo Entertainment System

The familiar gray box of the NES is perhaps the best throwback of all, a great reminder of the leap in gaming that took place when Nintendo introduced us to the Super Mario Brothers.

It's odd to think that an idea like "removable cartridges" was a new concept back then, but in the mid-1980's, it was a revolution that sparked a new industry. Sure, you probably had to blow the dust out of the games, but even today's CD's aren't always totally reliable, either.

The simple Nintendo controller is also an icon of the old video game consoles, an odd-to-hold rectangle that didn't fit as comfortably in our hands as today's controllers, but still has a special place in our hearts.

Other Retro Gaming Systems

The original PlayStation isn't exactly a "retro" choice yet - in fact, it's still stuck in that not-old-enough-yet-to-be-cool-again category. But a few recognizable consoles are quickly becoming nostalgic gems, like the SEGA Genesis or the Nintendo 64, which still has classic games like Mario Kart 64 that are more fun than their current-generation incarnations.

Old video game consoles may be old, but that doesn't make them worthless. A shrewd customer knows that buying game consoles that pack entertainment without a similar increase in price is a great option to purchase. Other video game lovers can't resist the nostalgic throwbacks to when video games were new.


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