If there’s an era that is commonly viewed with nostalgia, it is the 1980s. Many people remember the decade fondly as the time of their childhood, when they had just begun to grow up, and they were free to do all kinds of things.
From the music to the fashion, MTV was playing groundbreaking music videos of every kind. In general, the 1980s were doused in neon colors, disco lights, and platforms, as well as a new wave of fashion. The 1980s also saw the dawn of what would become one of the most popular television genres to date: reality television.
The 1980s is also known for some of its popular fonts, especially the ones that were used by magazines and many other publications throughout that time. Even today, there are certain font styles that can clearly evoke the feeling of the 1980s, so here is a list of some of the most notable ones:
Arcade Classic
This font is based on the classic font of the 1980s. It consists of a typeface with sharp corners, forming a pixelated sort of style. This kind of font is most commonly found used in arcade machines that boomed throughout the 80s, and it was likely styled after those concepts, as well.
PacFont
With the advent of video games, PacMan was an iconic character that became a household name. This font is based on the default font found within the aforementioned PacMan franchise.
Paralines
This is one of the fonts that evoked the sense of the 1980s. It is unique in how each letter is made using three parallel lines that create a rounded sort of typeface design. This font would be fitting as the title of a retro movie set in the 70s or 80s.
VCR OSD Mono
This font is based on the OSD (On Screen Display) font found in VCRs. The letters were designed using a monochrome scheme. This typeface style helped to create an easy-to-read font while also being reminiscent of the most popular consoles of the time, such as the Atari 2600 and Commodore 64.
Retro Wave
This font is heavily inspired by the new wave scene in the 1980s, such as its movies and video games. It evokes the same kind of neon-lights nostalgia as the video game Hotline Miami.
Bayshore
This font is a typeface that creates a cursive sort of stroke, which can be a great addition to any poster, advertisement, or logos that want to give their brand that 1980s kick. It’s also great to be matched with bolder and blockier fonts, such as the VCR OSD Mono and the Paralines
Lazer 84
This font is another example of typeface that would greatly fit with retro-themed projects, especially ones that go for a darker and heavier feel. Shades of neon blue and hot pink would be perfect to go with this font.
Stargaze
The Stargaze font is a font that would fit perfectly for projects that have a more retro-futuristic sort of feel. It seems that it also has a lot of inspiration from sci-fi literature from the 1980s.
