Relive the Glory Days With These 30 Throwbacks Every 80s Kid Will Love

John Summers • Contributor

Jan 28, 2025 11:00 PM EST

You know those moments when you see something and it instantly takes you back to your childhood? That hit me hard when I saw the photo of the Donkey Kong mini arcade machine (first image). I had that exact one as a kid, and let me tell you, I played it nonstop—hours and hours of my life gone, completely unsupervised and uninterrupted (in true 80s fashion). Did it make me better at the game? Nope. Why? Because, and I cannot stress this enough, it sucked.

But here's the thing—I didn't know it sucked. To little 80s me, it was the pinnacle of gaming technology. Seeing that picture sent me spiraling down a YouTube rabbit hole, searching for "let's plays" of this old relic, and wow… was it bad. It was clunky, unresponsive, and honestly, barely resembled Donkey Kong. But none of that mattered back then. It was mine, and I loved every frustrating second of it.

These 30 throwbacks are packed with that same nostalgic energy. From the toys you couldn't live without to the games you couldn't stop playing, this collection will bring back all the feels—whether you're laughing, cringing, or both. ok, I'm off to watch more let's plays of terrible 80s mini arcade games.