Back to the Eighties: A Retro Date Night

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Nostalgia. There’s something comforting even about the word itself.

With everything happening in the world lately, nostalgia for the past has skyrocketed. So we decided it was time to start a new series: Dating Through the Decades. If you are going to yearn for the past, you might as well be with the one you love. We’re releasing several curated dates revolving around trends of different decades, from food to style to pop-culture.

In our first of the series, we’re starting with “the decade of decadence,” also known as the 1980’s.

What do you think of when you think of the 80’s? It could be hair—scrunchies, side-ponies, perms, and mullets were all the rage forty years ago. Or it could be the clothes—bright neon colors, geometric shapes, shoulder pads, and high-waisted pants. For us, it’s all of the above, style mixed with a proliferation of pop-culture, that makes the 80’s an exciting decade we want to relive.

We crafted a date night that encompasses all the best parts of the 1980’s, from movies to arcade games to junk food to music videos, and broke it down for you here. Everything on this date you can do from home using our printable date night kit.

Start a Movie Marathon

Do you remember these 80’s movie moments? John Cusack holds up a boombox outside the bedroom of the woman he loves in Say Anything. Jennifer Beals pulls a chain to release a cascade of water over her as she dances in Flashdance. Harrison Ford runs for his life, pursued by a large boulder in Raiders of the Lost Ark. These scenes have entered the archives of cinematic history, and if you haven’t seen them in a while (or at all), the time has come.

We crafted a list of 1980’s movies that are perfect for a date night movie marathon. Most are funny, some are sad, many are romantic—and most of all, they all ooze with retro charm. How many movies on the checklist have you already seen? We’ve included a printable version of the list that you can check off as your marathon continues throughout the upcoming months.

Play Arcade Games

Arcade games feature highly in 1980’s nostalgia. Think back to the classics—Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Mario Bros., Frogger, Galaga, Dig Dug. What would video games be today without them? While arcades are harder to come by these days, classic arcade games are more available than ever before. Plus, you don’t need any quarters to play them.

Play a few arcade games on your retro date night and compete to see who has the most skills. In our printable date night kit, available for download at the bottom of the page, you can keep score of who levels up most and designate a prize for the winner. Here’s a few places you can find 80’s arcade games:

Apps

On your TV, phone, or tablet, you can download apps of classic arcade games. Most of the ones available are knock-offs but still have the same vibe as the originals.

• Crossy Road (similar to Frogger)

• Pac-Man 256 (similar to Pac-Man)

• Super Boy Adventure World (similar to Mario Bros.)

• Galactic Attack (similar to Galaga)

• Super Kong (similar to Donkey Kong)

• Digger Dan (similar to Dig Dug)

Consoles

Nintendo NES Classic Edition

If you want a controller and the ability to play on your big screen, you can now buy new consoles in the style of old consoles that have compatibility with new TVs. The Nintendo NES Classic Edition has thirty pre-loaded games including the original Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, PAC-MAN, Dr. Mario, Mega Man, and Final Fantasy.

Retro-Cade Plug and Play Game Console

For non-Nintendo games, like Mega Man 2, Double Dragon, Final Fight, Burger Time, Strider, Joe and Mac, and more, try the Retrocade console.

Jamswall Handheld Game Console

Likewise, you can get classic arcade games on handheld consoles that hook up to your TV, like this one in the style of the original Gameboy, with over 400 games loaded.

Websites

Some websites also give you the ability to play old arcade games for free on your computer, like this Free 80’s Arcade.

Chow Down on Retro Snacks

The 1980’s brought many pre-packaged foods into existence, including many kid-targeted products like breakfast cereal and candy. Kids from the decade will remember such delicacies as Hi-C, Push Pops, Crystal Light, Fruit Roll Ups, Cheez Balls, Mr. T Cereal, Big League Chew, and—let’s not forget—Jell-O Pudding Pops.

Pudding pops, a fudgy frozen treat with the flavor and decadence of pudding, stopped being sold in the decades following. However, we’ve got an easy two-ingredient recipe (you read that right—two-ingredients) that will send your tastebuds soaring back to the 80’s. Make them as a treat for your date night, preferably in your date’s favorite flavor. Download the recipe with the date night kit.

take it to the bedroom

Married couples are always looking for ways to spice things up, particularly in the bedroom, so we came up with a game that will increase intimacy in a fun and creative way—80’s style.

Some of the most memorable and iconic pop-culture moments of the 1980’s come from music videos. Mainstream music videos were a recent invention featured on MTV which, in the days of reality TV, people tend to forget stood for “Music Television”. The first music video played on MTV was, appropriately, Video Killed the Radio Star by Bruce Woolley in 1981.

A 1980’s date night wouldn’t be much without some of these creative, clever, and sometimes outright odd pieces of pop-culture history. That’s why we incorporated the music videos into a game. The rules are simple: watch a playlist of 1980’s music videos with your date, like the one we’ve posted below. Sing, dance, and laugh along. The only catch is whenever the artist sings the name of the song, you have to kiss. It’s as easy as that—though you might realize that music of the 80’s was way more repetitive than you remembered. All the more to your benefit. We’ve included the rules to the game and some can’t miss songs in the printable date night kit below.

Here are step-by-step instructions for your date night, as well as the printable date night kit:

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Back to the Eighties: a Retro Date Night

Time: 2+ hours  |  Cost:  $-$$  |  Location: At Home  |  Level:  Easy

Hitch up that side pony, strap on those leg warmers, and get ready for the date night of your, well, past life. We’re giving you everything you need for an 80’s nostalgia date night at home, including a printable date night kit with: an invite for your date, a recipe for pudding pops (you know they don’t sell them anymore, right?), an arcade challenge, a bedroom game to heat things up, and the ultimate 80’s date night movie checklist.

What You’ll Need:

Printable Date Night Kit
Arcade Games
80’s Music Video Playlist
Pudding Pops Recipe & Ingredients
80’s Movies of Choice

What to Do:

1. Download the free printables below—including the PDF Invite, Movie Checklist, Bedroom Game, Pudding Pops Recipe, and Arcade Challenge—and print on high-quality cardstock, at home or at your local shipping and printing store. Cut out the pieces (we recommend using a portable paper cutter). Otherwise, you can download them to your phone or tablet and screenshot the invite to text it to your date. Then, gather your materials.

2. Deliver the invite to your date. You could text the digital invite, or leave the printed version out on the counter one morning, send it via snail mail, pin it to your fridge, or come up with something else creative.

3. Prepare the pudding pops from our printable Pudding Pops Retro Recipe. Put them in the freezer for at least five hours before your date so you have a treat during your movie.

4. At the time of your date, start with the arcade games. See our recommendations above for where and what to play. Keep score on our Arcade Challenge printable and designate a prize for the best game player.

5. Choose and watch a movie from the 80’s Date Night Movie Marathon checklist. If you’re into it, you can turn this date into a summer-long event and watch the rest of the list later.

6. Enjoy the movie while snacking on the pudding pops you made earlier. Feel free to buy other snacks that remind you of the 80’s, too.

7. Finish the night with our printable Let’s Get Physical Bedroom Game. Watch 80’s music videos—we’ve included an ideal playlist above—and sing, dance, and make-out like crazy.

8. Follow us on social @makeadateofit and sign up for our email newsletter for more creative date nights!

This Post was Last Updated 07/22/2020

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