24 Things That Make Us Miss the ’90s and 2000s

The ’90s and 2000s marked the arrival of the oldest Gen-Z kids and the youngest millennials. Regardless of generation, it was an era where we all witnessed entirely brand new changes in our world (for better and worse).

The internet was born, video games went mainstream, and ’90s spending was thriving before it all came crashing down in the late 2000s.

Today, we’re left with memories of simpler times and digital concepts in their infancy. Here’s what triggers our nostalgia the most.

Transparent Tech Designs

Remember when tech was more than just gray and black designs? Remember see-through PS2 controllers, colored Gameboys where you could see the motherboard, and funky ’90s iBooks? They had so much personality and were often collector pieces.

We miss it and I’m calling for the trend to return. Few others scream nostalgia to me like those designs. Sigh.

Polyphonic Ringtones

In a world where we can customize our phones and tech to the extreme, we somehow lost the personality found in the ringtones of the 2000s.

When ringtones were polyphonic bleeps and bloops, everyone had fun recreations of their favorite songs, from “Crazy Frog” to “The Black Parade.” G note me like it’s 2006!

Single-Player Video Games

Video games have improved in many ways, but back in the ’90s and 2000s, they all felt like they were designed for focused single-player enjoyment.

Now, so many games are there solely for the money. They’re packed with DLCs and loot boxes. We love a bit of online gaming, but we also sure miss how games used to be dedicated to stories.

Also, just the thrill of buying a new game was stronger. Coming home with a new release doesn’t compare to adding it to your digital library with the click of a button.

Couch Co-Op Video Games

On the other hand, what happened to those games where you could sit down with your friends and family and play on the same console? Those games are severely limited nowadays, so it’s hard to recreate that same kind of feeling.

There’s a reason games like It Takes Two” were such hits in recent years — and it’s because that concept has become rare.

Beyblades

Beyblades were so popular in the 2000s that my school had to ban them because they were causing fights and injuries (such as when parts flew off and hit a kid in the eye).

We’re not advocating for injuries at school, but we’re saying the sight of a Baybalde makes us nostalgic for the early 2000s when we’d rip our favorite Beyblade into a little plastic arena at lunch.

Going to the Airport Gate

Pre 9/11, you could go right up to the airport gate to welcome or say farewell to your loved ones. It was like something out of a movie and it was far more personal and calm.

Of course, we all know why they had to tighten things up with the TSA, but that feeling of going up to the gate is something we can’t help but look back on and miss.

The Wild West Internet

Anyone around in the ’90s and 2000s experienced the internet in its youth. It was a wild west. A place of creativity and freedom, before everything became commercialized.

We remember websites with glittery animated text and the most niche blogs you could imagine. These sites and blogs were stacked with genuinely detailed and helpful information.

There was also YouTube in its early days before everyone and their dog became a YouTuber with their click-bait headlines.

MSN and AIM

Instant messaging in the ’90s and 2000s hit differently. Remember changing your name, annoying your friends with nudges, and putting your favorite moody song lyrics in your name? Or hearing that door unlock sound and checking who in your friend’s list had just signed in? Maybe it was your crush!

Over time, platforms like MSN faded away. They were replaced by more convenient apps, but that feeling of everyone under one app lives long in the memory.

Indie Rock at Its Peak

Don’t get us wrong, the 2010s were an exceptional time for indie rock. But thinking back to the mid to late 2000s is full of nostalgia for some of the best indie music of all time.

Phoenix, Arcade Fire, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Hearing that music fresh was incredible, especially when they headlined festivals.

Shrek

“Ogres have layers!” Every time I see that beautiful green creature I’m taken back to the early 2000s, full of innocence and with a bright future. Shrek is nostalgia, Shrek is forever.

Everyone loves Shrek too, he brought and continues to bring people together. Hey, did you know Shrek 5 is coming out in 2026?

Old eBay

eBay today is really just another marketplace. But it used to be a place solely for selling second-hand stuff. That side of it does still exist, but you have to dig hard amongst endless companies selling cheap knockoff items that you’ll find on Alibaba or Amazon.

We miss the time when it was the global garage sale and Weird Al’s parody song still felt relevant.

Gooey Alien Toys

Ah, you’ve just left the toy store with your new little plastic egg, containing your new little alien baby. You’ll take good care of him, stretching him until his arms inevitably snap off. These are truly 2000s toys.

But, could they ever really give birth? I’m sure we all tried rubbing two of them together, believing the myth that one would become pregnant.

Tamagotchi

Released by Bandai back in 1996, Tamagtochi became one of the most popular toys of the 2000s. We miss the surprises they brought. You played it without really knowing what they’d do and how your digital pet would evolve.

Also, they were so cute and a perfect portable toy for kids before smartphones became the norm. Pure innocence.

The PlayStation Portable

There are several ’90s and 2000s consoles we could list here, but none of them are as missed as the PlayStation Portable (PSP). Nintendo has perfected portable consoles over the years and spoiled its fans with the Switch. But for PlayStation users, the PSP was the definitive — and frankly only real — Playstation portable console.

We miss the mini discs, the perfectly designed button layout, and using it as an MP3 player, video player, and web browser.

Blockbuster

From 1985 to 2014, Blockbuster offered something that you just can’t find today — a real, physical store for video and game rentals.

It was a family event to head to Blockbuster and find a movie on the shelf, knowing you’d all be dedicating the evening to watching that. Sure, we have Netflix and streaming apps now that make it easier, but where’s the charm?

Toys “R” Us

Continuing on the theme of how some real-world places just felt better to shop at than online, how about Toys “R” Us?

These stores were a kid’s dream, giving you the chance to browse seemingly endless aisles for your dream toy. By today’s standards, that amount of choice in a physical store is just unheard of.

Eventually, Toy “R” Us went bankrupt and its stores faded from existence.

Things Moved Slower

Don’t get me wrong, I scroll social media as much as anyone else. But I miss a time when things moved slower. Today, the news changes every few hours. A hit of the summer is a hit for a few weeks.

It’s hard to keep up and if you are keeping up, it’s tiring. We can blame the internet, but maybe we’re all to blame.

Free Flash Games

The 2000s were the golden era of free online flash games. Sites like Miniclip were great solutions for bored kids looking for some free mindless fun.

And then there were dedicated multiplayer sites like Habbo Hotel, Club Penguin, and Runescape. I don’t want to know how many hours I spent on those games, but I know for sure I enjoyed every single minute.

Expressive Make-Up

Make-up was more fun in the ’90s and 2000s. With fewer tutorials and internet standards where everyone is expected to be a make-up artist, it was more about expressing yourself.

While researching for this article, the consensus was clear — make-up was a less toxic thing to learn about, read about, and use.

The Simpsons, When The Simpsons Was Good

We’re currently at Season 36 of The Simpsons. It’s far past its sell-by date. But boy do I miss its glory days.

Some things haven’t aged so well, but the late ’90s to early 2000s offered us epic episodes such as Marge vs. the Monorail, Homer at the Bat and Who Shot Mr. Burns?

Malls

There are around just 1,500 malls still in operation in the US. But in the ’90s, they were still a place where you could spend the day with your friends or family. Vibrant in color, sound, and stores, you could go shopping, watch a movie, eat fast food, and play arcade games.

Even if you find one today, they’ve become soulless and empty. We’ve got the ease of shopping online, but at what cost?

Color

There’s a trend now where everything from cars to TVs is gray, white, and black. No shame to those who like black (I’m one of them), but why did the tech companies and fashion shift entirely away from colorful designs?

If you go watch music videos or TV shows from the ’90s and 2000s, it’ll surprise you how colorful everything was.

Cartoons

It’s Saturday morning in the ’00s and whether you were the kid or the parent, there was a calmness in the home. Why? Because it was Saturday morning cartoon time.

The cartoons from the ’90s and 2000s were undeniably great, too. Remember Jimmy Neutron, Fairly Odd Parents, Powerpuff Girls, and Recess? Take me back.

Wii Sports

In 2006, Nintendo released Wii Sports. Introducing motion-sensing controllers to the family home, this game suddenly got the parents and grandparents involved in gaming.

Making your silly-looking Mii character was half the fun, but seeing the family come together and compete in bowling, tennis, and golf was extremely funny at the time.