The best retro gadgets to help you log off (plus the Prime Day deals I'm using to build my collection)

If you ever sat in the back of a car on a long journey as a kid, desperately trying to land plastic rings onto a peg using nothing but water pressure and sheer determination, this one will hit differently. The set comes with two (a ring toss and a basketball hoop,) which means you can either share with someone or stage a very intense competition with yourself.

Technically this is a kids' toy, but anyone who has ever sat down with a LEGO set as an adult knows that the age guidance on the box is largely advisory. This 3-in-1 set lets you build a retro film camera, a video camera, or a classic television set — all from the same bricks. The camera has a moving lens and a working film loader. The TV has an antenna. Once you're done building, they display beautifully on a shelf. Consider it mindfulness with a nostalgic twist.

The Tamagotchi was the original screen addiction, except it was wholesome because you were keeping a tiny digital creature alive. Feed it, play with it, turn its lights off at bedtime. Neglect it and face the consequences. I actually hosted a 90s-themed birthday party recently, and my Tama absolutely upstaged me.

If you want to recreate that magic (or stress), this Amazon-exclusive Celebration Egg edition is 20% off right now and comes on a chain so you can take your new dependent everywhere. Which you will need to.

If you've been vinyl-curious but put off by the price of entry, this is about as low a barrier as it gets. 53% off brings it to under $30, which is genuinely remarkable for a three-speed turntable that plays 7", 10", and 12" records and has built-in stereo speakers. It also has Bluetooth input if you want to use it as a speaker for your phone, plus AUX and RCA output.

The Casio F91W is one of those objects that has somehow never gone out of style despite being entirely unchanged since 1991. In a world of smartwatches demanding your attention, there is something deeply refreshing about strapping on something that just gets on with being a watch.

If you're going to sit at a desk all day, you may as well do it with a mouse that looks like it time-travelled from 1989. The R8 is inspired by classic retro gaming hardware and comes with a charging dock that doubles as a signal extender — but underneath the nostalgia is a genuinely serious piece of kit. It's built with a PAW 3395 optical sensor, 4K polling rate, and programmable buttons. Available in grey, green, and a C64-inspired colourway for the real purists.

Lava Lamps will always be a retro staple. This 16-inch version adds a modern twist with 17 colour-changing LED modes controlled by a wireless remote, so you can dial in exactly the right vibe for whatever the evening calls for. It comes in black or silver base and will look great on a desk, beside table, or games room.

Pac-Man. On a tiny officially licensed arcade cabinet. That fits in your hand. If you need more convincing than that, the 2.75-inch full colour display is sharp, it has a headphone jack for private play, and it can run on batteries or USB-C. Essentially, it's a collectible as much as it is a game and it also comes in Galaga, Space Invaders, Tetris, and Street Fighter versions if Pac-Man isn't your era.

Sometimes the most retro thing you can do is make snow cones in your kitchen on a Tuesday. This table-top machine uses stainless steel blades to shave ice into fluffy snow cone consistency, comes with two reusable cups and a scoop, and makes up to 20 treats per session. Stock up on syrups and you've got the most popular item at any summer gathering sorted.

The 180-piece laser-cut wooden kit builds into an 11.5-inch antique-style globe complete with a wooden stand and built-in LED light, no glue required. It's the kind of thing you put together on a slow Sunday afternoon, and then can't quite bring yourself to take apart because it looks too good on the shelf. Relaxing to build, beautiful once finished, and would make a thoughtful gift.

If your childhood gaming memories involve blowing into a cartridge and hoping for the best, this one is for you. The R36MAX II is a handheld retro console that comes pre-loaded with over 18,000 classic games across multiple eras, on a 4.5-inch HD screen with a battery that will last well beyond any journey or lunch break. It has a detachable stand for hands-free play, swappable joysticks, and a UI simple enough that you'll be playing within minutes of opening the box. It runs on Linux.

Here's the thing about phone photos: you take thousands of them and look back at almost none of them. There's something about holding an actual print that makes a moment feel real in a way that a camera roll just doesn't. The Kodak Mini 2 Retro connects to your phone via Bluetooth and prints credit-card-sized photos in about 55 seconds using dye sublimation — so no ink cartridges to replace, and prints that are waterproof and fade-resistant. This bundle comes with 38 sheets included so you can get started straight away.

The JM21 runs Android 13 so you can still use Spotify or Apple Music on it if you want, but the real appeal is that everything simply sounds noticeably better than it does through a phone. It's thin enough to slip into a pocket, runs for 12.5 hours on a single charge, and connects wirelessly via Bluetooth too. If you've ever listened to a song and thought it sounded a bit flat or tinny on your phone, this is the upgrade that fixes that.