90s Games & How to Revive Them as a Nostalgia-Based Business
1. Crossfire (Board Game)
🎯 “You’ll get caught up in the Crossfire!”
Revival Idea:
Turn this kinetic shooter game into a mobile e-sports-style app with PvP mode and retro 90s synth graphics. Sell branded “desktop Crossfire” kits for offices as stress relievers.
2. Pogs & Slammers
🟡 Milk caps were basically cardboard cryptocurrency.
Revival Idea:
Launch an NFT-based Pog-style collection where slammers are limited edition collectibles. Or, create customizable real-life Pog kits for parties, bachelor nights, or schools.
3. Skip-It (Outdoor Toy)
🦵 “The very best thing of all — there’s a counter on this ball!”
Revival Idea:
Modernize it with step counters and LED lights — sell it as a TikTok challenge toy or fitness nostalgia collectible. Collaborate with influencers for “Skip-It Throwback” dance routines.
4. Oregon Trail (Video Game)
☠️ You have died of dysentery.
Revival Idea:
Create a meme-heavy browser game version with Gen Z commentary or launch a physical card game version with absurd events, like “Your influencer wagon lost Wi-Fi.”
5. Dream Phone (Board Game)
📞 “He looks great in whatever he wears… and he’s not wearing socks!”
Revival Idea:
Make an ironic dating sim app or Twitch stream version where players try to guess their mystery date based on absurd, over-the-top clues. Market it as “pre-Tinder chaos.”
6. NBA Jam (Video Game)
🔥 “He’s on fire!”
Revival Idea:
Remaster it as a retro pixel-style mobile game with streetball influencers. Add NFTs for custom courts and characters. Sell 90s-style jerseys as merch.
7. Mousetrap (Board Game)
🧀 Build the trap. Don’t question the chaos.
Revival Idea:
Make a real-life escape room challenge inspired by the Rube Goldberg chain reactions. You could also launch a YouTube engineering series recreating absurd mousetrap mechanics IRL.
8. Tamagotchi
🐣 Feed it. Clean it. Love it. Cry when it dies.
Revival Idea:
Release a retro-themed mobile Tamagotchi app or wearable, branded with throwback pixel art. Or, offer adult “productivity pets” that you care for by completing daily habits.
9. Manhunt (Outdoor Game)
🏃 Hide and seek's terrifying older cousin.
Revival Idea:
Host nostalgia-themed adult night events in city parks or campgrounds — think “Glowstick Manhunt.” Build a mobile app that connects players for large-scale IRL games.
10. GoldenEye 007 (N64 Video Game)
🔫 “No Oddjob.” – every friend group rule.
Revival Idea:
Remaster as a browser multiplayer FPS with 90s skins and soundtrack. Pair it with limited-edition controllers and an online tournament series for OG fans.
11. Don’t Wake Daddy (Board Game)
🛏️ Sneak to the fridge or face the wrath.
Revival Idea:
Create a suspense-based mobile game with cartoon horror elements. Or market it as a drinking game re-release with adult humor and new themes like “Don’t Wake Your Boss.”
12. Red Rover (Outdoor Game)
🧍🧍🧍 “Red Rover, Red Rover…”
Revival Idea:
Revive it as a kid-safe, padded version for youth fitness programs or summer camps. Could also be sold as a team-building icebreaker kit with instructional cards.
13. Mortal Kombat (Arcade Game)
🩸 Finish him!
Revival Idea:
Merge retro aesthetics with AR filters and let users record “fatality-style” TikToks. Or create an ironic clothing line with pixelated gore and catchphrases.
14. Girl Talk (Board Game)
💋 Spin the wheel, spill the tea.
Revival Idea:
Make a podcast around re-reading old 90s girl game cards as adults. Sell physical nostalgia decks for parties, bridal showers, or TikTok "Truth or Dare" content packs.
15. Bop It
🔊 Twist it! Pull it! Bop it! Fail dramatically!
Revival Idea:
Create a “rage mode” version as a phone app or smart speaker skill. Or revive it as a party game with sabotage settings and streamer reaction challenges.