best retro gaming wallpaper

Best Retro Gaming Wallpaper: For Those Who Love Classic Video Games

Retro games have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in recent years although they are over 2 decades old already. The nostalgia factor definitely comes into play. You wouldn’t suddenly check…

Retro games have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in recent years although they are over 2 decades old already. The nostalgia factor definitely comes into play.

You wouldn’t suddenly check out the warehouse where your old consoles belong if it wasn’t because you want to relieve childhood memories. We all grew up playing different games.

Today’s kids are familiar with Fortnite, PUBG, etc. But some of us were born at a time when graphics were still 8-bit quality.

Well, if you want to go back to childhood, it’s a good idea to play retro games through simulation. Or if you still have the original consoles and cartridges, you can play on them, but we have a doubt they’re still in good shape.

Reminiscing them through wallpaper is another good idea. We’ll present you with 25 + 1 best retro gaming wallpapers from a variety of games.

Let’s check out below.

Best Retro Gaming Wallpapers


1. Super Mario Bros.

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Who doesn’t love Super Mario?

This game will take you down the memory lane with its old-fashioned graphics. Needless to sa, its of the most popular side-scrolling platformers ever. It’s also cited as the savior of the gaming industry because during release, it was on the verge of crashing down.

This game was released for the NES in 1985. It’s about Mario who was on a quest to save Princess Toadstool from the evil Bowser. He then took an adventure into the Mushroom Kingdom where the princess was held hostage.

Super Mario Bros. marked a turning point in the industry because it affected how games were designed later. To this day, it remains one of the best-selling Nintendo titles along with Wii Sports. It’s also the reason why Mario has become the icon he is today.

2. Tetris

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Tetris has existed for over 33 years. With such a long history, surely many of us have played it at some point. This game is a league of its own in terms of popularity across demographics. It’s one of those titles that older and new generations are familiar with.

Well, it does comes as no surprise because it has had many spinoffs throughout the years. Tetris has never been about stunning graphics. Even when it made its way onto the computer, it was presented in square brackets because the technology back then wasn’t advanced in terms of graphics capabilities.

The objective of this game is easy to comprehend, but when it comes to the actual playing, it’s still challenging especially as it progresses to higher levels. You have to stack tetrominoes on top of each other to create full rows. The rows will clear out when they’re completely filled.

3. The Legend of Zelda

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Just like Mario, Zelda was also an icon of its generation. The game was originally released for Famicom in 1986, but not long after it was ported onto the NES where it became an instant hit.

To this day, The Legend of Zelda is still one of the best retro games ever created. Not only did it great commercially, but it has also garnered good reviews from gaming enthusiasts.

There are a couple of things that make zelda nostalgic. Aside from the fact that it was released in an era where 8-bit games ruled the world, the game itself is also commendable in its gameplay.

If you’re a fan, then you’d love to see some Zelda wallpapers. We’ve included some on this section.

Looking for The Legend of Zelda iPhone Wallpaper instead?

Then take a look at our dedicated post here.

You can save them for later use. The domination of classic games has ended, but we can’t deny that many of these games used to become part of our childhood. All we can do today is to relive them through pictures, emulation, etc.

4. Duck Hunt

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Can you recall the first time you played Duck Hunt?

You might get furious after failing to shoot ducks coming out of the bush. The expressions of the dog didn’t help, either. Duck Hunt had simple graphics and gameplay, but that was a whole lot of fun still. Perhaps, the most iconic thing about this game is the use of a light gun toy.

You have to point it at the screen and then fire it at the flying duck. It could be one or more coming out at the same time. The game is memorable for a number of reasons.

First, at the time of its release, it came in a bundle with some of the NES sets. It was also packaged with the Zapper light gun. That equipment was necessary to play this game, which undoubtedly boosted its appeal.

5. Super Metroid

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We think it’s super cool to have Super Metroid wallpaper plastered all over the wall. But to find one you click with could be a struggle. We’ve presented some pics for you here. If you like, feel free to save them. Super Metroid is another retro game that deserves a spot on this list. It was considered revolutionary for the time period.

It felt like a long journey, but was amazing at the same time due to the sense of exploration. It was also the pioneer of the inventory system. Fast forward to today, this concept doesn’t feel foreign because many games adopt it. But back then, the feature was very special.

On this game, not only can you switch between various items, but you can also check on them in the inventory. What makes it even more exciting is it there are plenty of secrets along the journey to reveal. If there’s one retro or classic game you must play for its unique atmosphere, it’s definitely Super Metroid.

6. Donkey Kong Country

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Graphics are Donkey Kong Country’s strong suit. Back when games were known for featuring sunny skies and bright backdrops, this game decided to embark on a journey through a dimly-lit environment. The settings are one thing that makes it recognizable. The awesome soundtrack also played a part. As for the game play, it centers around two primates who work as a team.

They’re trying to complete the mission by working together to beat all the obstacles found along the way. Both apes have unique abilities and offer different play styles. The smaller ape is known for is agility, while the bigger one possesses strength like no other. Both of their skills can come help you throughout the game.

If you want to take it slow and just enjoy the game without worrying about strong enemies, Donkey Kong is to count on. But if you want get it done real quick and reveal hidden items, Diddy Kong is the way to go.

7. Mega Man

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Mega man is a platforming game released for the NES in 9187. There are a few different worlds in the game with each having a unique theme. As you reach the end of the stage, you’ll have to fight off the robot master. You must knock it down and absorb its power. Despite doing poorly in sales, the creator was still planning for a sequel.

Surprisingly, although it was intended to be a side project and used a lot of leftovers from the previous game, the sequel did amazingly well. It went on to sell over 1.5 million copies, but that’s not the thing that made them proud. As it turned out, the game was also welcomed by critics.

The next installment to the franchise was on par in commercial performance, selling over a million copies. Just like Mega Man 2, this also got rave reviews from fans and critics alike.

8. Chrono Trigger

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Chrono Trigger is part of the earliest games when visuals were rather simple. Those kind of graphics can hit our nostalgia hard because they are nowhere to be found today. Modern games are all about detailed graphics. Even the 2D ones have also improved in leaps and bounds. If you’re a fan, having Chrono Trigger wallpaper would be awesome.

Do you still remember how the game plays?

It’s an old game, so it’s acceptable if you forgot about it already. Of all the things that make this game amazing, we can’t deny that the pacing is well-thought of. Some JRPGs take so long to beat, making this seem short in comparison. You can even reach the ending in less than 24 hours.

It’s not the shortness that accounts for the greatness, but how packed it feels. It has something interesting to offer at every turn, which will leave an unforgettable impression to anyone who plays it.

9. Pac Man

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Pac man is a family-friendly game everyone can play. Yes, the ghosts are evil, but they are presented in an adorable way. Pac Man had added a unique twist to the arcade gaming industry. Little did you know that arcade games at that time were all about destroying the enemies. Pac-Man, with its innocence introduced a new way of playing game.

It had no missiles to fire at the enemies. It had no other elements that were representative of arcade games in the era. Instead, it forced the player the run away from ghosts while eating the dots to get points.

Besides the regular dots, there were some known as power pellets that would turn the ghosts blue. The color change was a sign that they had weakened, so you can eat them. Pac-Man is still culturally relevant thanks to its timeless appeal.

10. Galaga

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Galaga is a blast from the past. There are many space shooter games from the golden age of arcade gaming, but Galaga easily stands out with its superb fighter combination system. The game has been released on multiple platforms since release. It made its debut in 1981, just about 2 years apart from the original which was known as Galaxian.

With this, Galaga showed a few noticeable improvements. First, it could have 2 player shots simultaneously. Second, it displayed a hit/miss stat as you complete the game. Third, it started the trend of 8 digit scores in arcade games.

Compared to the original, Galaga had surpassed it in popularity. Its name will forever be cemented in history among other icons coming out of that era.

Choosing classic gaming wallpaper


1. Resolution

Resolution determines how an image appears on a piece of paper. If you want to print wallpaper on a large sheet, you need to ensure that the pixel count is high enough. Resolution refers to the number of pixels contained in an image.

Basically, the higher the resolution, the clearer the image. The same goes when you want to set it as a desktop background. A high-res image will maintain its quality regardless of the display settings.

2. Dimensions

Dimensions are the width and length of a digital image. This term is closely linked to resolution, but both are different. The reason why dimensions are important is because they affect the orientation of an image. There are portrait and landscape images.

Portrait images are stretched vertically, while landscape images are displayed in a horizontal orientation. The pictures shown on this page are what you call landscape wallpapers because the width is wider than the height.

3. Type

There are several types of retro games if we sort them by graphics quality. Earlier games were produced in 8-bit graphics, while more recent ones had 16-bit quality. Both are considered retro because these kind of graphics are reminiscent of the past.

They will look out of place when put side by side with today’s games. Retro games were released on different consoles. You’ll notice the difference in quality because each console belongs to a different generation.

Final Thoughts – Retro Games Wallpapers


Retro games aren’t just about the nostalgia. Some of us keep coming back to them because they are actually great. Well, older games couldn’t rely on polished graphics to entertain gamers, so developers had to work around the limitations and come up something that would otherwise make the games engaging.

It could be a great gameplay or another. It’s easy to feel attachment to a game when you had a lot of fun playing it. It seems to be case with many retro or classic games. They made us feel fulfilled because the experience provided was simply amazing and unforgettable.

Hopefully, the 26 best retro gaming wallpapers we’ve included in this article can make you appreciate older games even if they are no longer in style today.

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