Best Retro Console for Beginners and Families: An NZ Buying Guide
Picking your first retro console can feel like guesswork. Most advice online is written for people who already collect, or points you toward generic import gadgets crammed with thousands of unlicensed games rather than the real, tested hardware you actually want to hand to a child or wrap up as a gift. This guide skips the "one best console" myth and matches real consoles to real situations, whether that's a first console for a five-year-old, a pick for family game night, or a present for a teenager who's never touched a CRT. Every console that leaves Mr Pixel is cleaned and tested before it goes out the door, so what follows is about what will actually suit you, not what's easiest to shift off a shelf.
What's the Best Retro Console for Beginners?
There's no single best retro console to buy, it depends on who's playing and how. As a quick guide: a GameBoy Advance or Nintendo DS suits a young or first-time player who wants something simple and portable. An N64 or Wii suits family game nights built around multiplayer. A PS2 offers the biggest all-round game library for older kids and adults. A Switch or Xbox 360 works well if you want a slightly more modern-feeling gift. The sections below go through each option in more detail.
Best for Young Kids and First-Timers: GameBoy Advance & Nintendo DS
For a young or completely new player, simplicity wins. A GameBoy Advance or Nintendo DS needs no TV, no extra cables, and no setup beyond popping in a game and pressing power. The DS's clamshell design is tougher than it looks, which matters when small hands are involved, and both systems play one game at a time so a young player isn't overwhelmed by menus or options. They're also genuinely portable, so they're a solid pick for car trips, waiting rooms, or a rainy school holiday. If you're gifting on a budget, it's worth browsing picks under $20 too, since handheld games in that range are common.
Best for Family Game Nights: Nintendo 64 and Wii
If the goal is everyone playing together, an N64 or a Wii is built for exactly that. The N64 has four controller ports as standard, so games like Mario Kart and the era's party titles were designed from the ground up for four players on one couch. The Wii takes a different route: motion controls mean grandparents, parents, and kids can all pick up a remote and join in without learning a complicated button layout, which is a big part of why it became such a family staple in the first place. Neither console demands gaming experience to enjoy, which is exactly the point for a family retro gaming console.
Best All-Round Game Library: PlayStation 2
If you want the widest possible spread of games, a PS2 is hard to beat. It's one of the best-selling consoles ever made, and that popularity means a genuinely huge secondhand library spanning racing, platformers, RPGs, sports, and more, usually at good value. One practical note: a PS2 needs an AV2HDMI adapter to display cleanly on a modern television, since it predates HDMI entirely. It suits older kids, teens, and adults who want to revisit childhood favourites or simply explore a back catalogue that's bigger than almost anything else on this list.
Best for an Older Kid or a Modern-Feeling Gift: Switch and Xbox 360
Not every gift needs to be pure retro. A Nintendo Switch is still actively supported with a huge multiplayer library, and its Switch Online service even offers a gentle bridge into NES and SNES classics for a reader curious about older games without committing to older hardware. An Xbox 360 gives a more modern gift-feel with an enormous game library that's very accessible secondhand. Both suit someone who wants a taste of retro gaming for kids without the console itself looking or feeling like a museum piece.
Not Sure Yet? Try Before You Buy
If you're buying for someone else, or you're simply not sure retro gaming will stick, it's worth testing the waters first. The PS2 Slim Retro Hire Pack lets you hire a PS2 for a weekend first: a week-long hire that includes the console, two controllers, a memory card, all the cables, an AV2HDMI adapter, and your choice of three games from the rental catalogue. It's Auckland only, and the upfront cost includes a refundable bond returned once everything's back and checked, but it's a low-risk way to find out whether a retro console for kids or the whole family is actually going to get used before committing to a purchase.
Buying Secondhand Safely in NZ
Buying a retro gaming gift in NZ can be nerve-wracking, especially when it's secondhand tech and you don't know what to check. That's the gap Mr Pixel is built to close: every console and game is cleaned and tested and marked "Ready to Play" before it's listed, shipping is free on NZ orders over $199, and returns are straightforward if something isn't right. Compare that with a private Trade Me or Facebook Marketplace listing, where you're relying on a stranger's description and have little recourse if a console doesn't work as promised. Even scratched discs, often a dealbreaker on a private listing, can usually be resurfaced rather than binned; here's what resurfacing can and can't fix if you want the full picture.
Conclusion
There's no single best retro console to buy in NZ, only the right one for how you'll actually play. For a young or first-time player, a GameBoy Advance or Nintendo DS keeps things simple. For family game nights, an N64 or Wii gets everyone involved. For the widest game library, a PS2 is the standout secondhand retro console in NZ. For a more modern-feeling gift, a Switch or Xbox 360 fits the bill.
FAQ
What age is right for a retro console?
There's no strict cut-off, but handheld consoles like the GameBoy Advance or DS suit younger children well since they're simple and portable, while multiplayer systems like the N64 or Wii work for mixed-age family groups.
Do secondhand retro consoles work on modern TVs?
Most do, though some, like the PS2, need an adapter such as AV2HDMI since they predate HDMI. Handhelds like the GameBoy Advance and DS don't use a TV at all.
Can I try a retro console before committing to buy one?
Yes. Mr Pixel's PS2 Slim Retro Hire Pack lets Auckland customers hire a console for a week, complete with controllers, cables, and games, before deciding whether to buy.
What if a game disc is scratched?
A scratched disc isn't necessarily unusable. Disc resurfacing can restore many scratched or scuffed games, though it doesn't fix every disc, so it's worth checking before writing one off.