Design example · you receive the colours of the version shown.
Retro game keychain: mini controller with clicky D-pad
€19 incl. VAT
€15.70 excl. VAT · ball chain included · free shipping in the Netherlands · delivered within 30 days
A small round pendant with a cross-shaped D-pad, like on an old games console. Press it and it clicks. A retro game keychain for anyone who grew up with a controller in their hand.
- 3D-printed for you and carefully packed.
- Printed in the colours shown. No colour choice.
- Ball chain included.
- We assemble it before it ships.
- Small parts: not a toy. Not suitable for children under 3.
- Printed after payment and delivered within 30 days. Put a deadline in the comments field; we confirm by email.
- 14-day cooling-off period after receipt.
Order Mini Retro Snap
Shape and use
About Mini Retro Snap
The Mini Retro Snap consists of three printed parts: a base, a button in the shape of a D-pad and a lid. The three press together; there are no magnets, springs or other loose parts inside, and no metal clicker is needed. We assemble it before it ships. Press the D-pad and it clicks. It is a fidget, not a games console: there are no electronics inside and you cannot play games on it. Designed by Vireo Studio.
We print it in the colours you see in the photos: a light blue face with a purple rim and a white D-pad. In the designer's photos it hangs on a ball chain. Ball chain included. This is decoration, not a toy; not suitable for children under 3 (small parts). Photos: © Vireo Studio.
What you get
- Three printed parts (base, D-pad button, lid) that click together
- Assembled before shipping
- Clicking D-pad, without a metal clicker
- No magnets, springs or electronics
- Printed in the colours shown: light blue with a purple rim and a white D-pad
- Ball chain included
How ordering works
- Choose the quantity and enter your delivery address. We check postcode and house number against the Dutch address register.
- You pay the total incl. VAT via Stripe. Shipping within the Netherlands is included.
- You receive a confirmation by email. We print Mini Retro Snap in the colours shown and ship the keychain within 30 days.
Want a keychain with a name, text or logo? That is custom work: custom keychains.
Designer and image source
Photos: © Vireo Studio Design by Vireo Studio, via Hive. OmniTechs is an authorised seller, Hive ID KMK0U9TA75. You receive the physical product; digital files are not supplied.
Frequently asked questions
Why is retro gaming so popular?
Largely because of nostalgia: research shows that thinking back to the past gives people a positive and connected feeling, and old games call up such memories. More about this in the guide on this page.
How does it work: three parts that click together, a clicking D-pad, not a games console?
It consists of three printed parts, a base, a D-pad button and a lid, which click together. We assemble it before it ships. Press the D-pad and it clicks, without a metal clicker, magnets or springs. There are no electronics inside: it is a fidget, not a games console. Ball chain included.
What does it cost (€19 incl. VAT), what colour is it printed in, is a ball chain included and when is it delivered?
It costs €19 incl. VAT. We print it in the colours you see in the photos: a light blue face with a purple rim and a white D-pad. Ball chain included. We print after you pay and deliver within 30 days; shipping within the Netherlands is included. If you have a deadline, put it in the remarks field; we confirm by email.
Fidget keychains
Why is retro gaming so popular?
Largely because of nostalgia: anyone who played on an old games console as a child likes to pick those games up again. Psychological research shows that nostalgia gives people a positive feeling, strengthens their bond with others and boosts their self-image. An old game can call up exactly that kind of memory.
What research says about nostalgia
In 2006 Tim Wildschut, Constantine Sedikides and colleagues published seven studies on nostalgia. Nostalgic memories were often about moments with friends or family, or about big events, and contained more positive than negative feelings. Nostalgia came up more often during a bad mood or loneliness.
In their experiments, nostalgia strengthened the bond with others, increased people's positive view of themselves and gave a positive feeling. So a retro keychain is a small thing that can call up a big memory.
A short history
The first home games console came on the market in 1972. In 1976 and 1977 a new generation followed, in which you put games on cartridges into a slot, so you could play many different games on one device. In the mid-1980s consoles with better graphics arrived, and in 1989 handheld gaming took off.
Anyone who grew up in that period still recognises the shapes of the time. That is what this keychain plays on.
What makes a retro keychain fun?
- You recognise the cross-shaped D-pad straight away, even without a brand or logo.
- It is a small gift for someone who grew up with a controller in their hand.
- Clicking the D-pad feels like steering a game, without a screen.
- It fits in your trouser pocket or on your bunch of keys.
The D-pad as an icon
The Mini Retro Snap plays on that recognisable shape: no brand, no logo, just a cross-shaped D-pad that clicks when you press it. We assemble it before it ships, so you can start clicking straight away. A printed part like this can be finished smoother or nicer after printing; what is possible, you can read in the knowledge-base article on finishing 3D prints.
More background: Choose the finish before producing a 3D print.
Design by Vireo Studio, via Hive. You buy the print, not the file.
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