Retro & nostalgia · 2010s – present
Synthwave
Neon pink and cyan glowing lines on a dark purple grid, retrowave sunsets, and the after-dark energy of 1980s action films and arcade games.
Live preview base style — press Wear
$2,100
Revenue, up 12% from last month.
| Customer | Plan | Status | MRR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwind | Studio | Active | $1,240 |
| Acme Labs | Team | Trial | $0 |
| Kaldi Coffee | Studio | Active | $860 |
Use this style 16 tokens
- --bg
oklch(14% 0.04 300) - --fg
oklch(96% 0.01 300) - --muted
oklch(68% 0.08 300) - --surface
oklch(18% 0.05 300) - --surface-2
oklch(22% 0.06 300) - --border
oklch(35% 0.1 300) - --accent
oklch(72% 0.28 340) - --accent-fg
oklch(14% 0.04 300) - --focus
oklch(78% 0.2 195)
| Token | Value |
|---|---|
| --font-body | 'Rajdhani', system-ui, sans-serif |
| --font-display | 'Audiowide', 'Rajdhani', system-ui, sans-serif |
| --font-mono | ui-monospace, monospace |
| --radius | 2px |
| --radius-sm | 0px |
| --shadow | 0 0 16px oklch(72% 0.28 340 / 0.22), 0 4px 20px oklch(0% 0 0 / 0.6) |
| --shadow-lg | 0 0 40px oklch(72% 0.28 340 / 0.3), 0 16px 48px oklch(0% 0 0 / 0.7) |
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Audiowide&family=Rajdhani:wght@400;600;700&display=swap');
:root {
--bg: oklch(14% 0.04 300);
--fg: oklch(96% 0.01 300);
--muted: oklch(68% 0.08 300);
--surface: oklch(18% 0.05 300);
--surface-2: oklch(22% 0.06 300);
--border: oklch(35% 0.1 300);
--accent: oklch(72% 0.28 340);
--accent-fg: oklch(14% 0.04 300);
--focus: oklch(78% 0.2 195);
--font-body: 'Rajdhani', system-ui, sans-serif;
--font-display: 'Audiowide', 'Rajdhani', system-ui, sans-serif;
--font-mono: ui-monospace, monospace;
--radius: 2px;
--radius-sm: 0px;
--shadow: 0 0 16px oklch(72% 0.28 340 / 0.22), 0 4px 20px oklch(0% 0 0 / 0.6);
--shadow-lg: 0 0 40px oklch(72% 0.28 340 / 0.3), 0 16px 48px oklch(0% 0 0 / 0.7);
}Where it came from
Origin: Music genre aesthetic, Outrun games, 1980s sci-fi films
Synthwave reimagines a version of the 1980s that never quite existed — seen through films like Blade Runner, Tron, and Miami Vice. The aesthetic took off alongside the music genre, appearing in games like Hotline Miami and the film Drive. Purples, pinks, and teals glow against near-black backgrounds, with vanishing-point grids suggesting infinite speed through the night.
How to spot it
- Dark purple or near-black base
- Neon pink, cyan, and magenta with glow effects
- Receding perspective grid, horizon sun, scan lines
- Heavy italic or condensed wide display type
Trade-offs
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Extremely atmospheric and immediately evocative | Very specific — reads "80s retro game" immediately |
| Neon-on-dark contrast aids readability for key text | Hard to adapt to clean professional contexts |
| Great for games, music, and nightlife brands | Glow effects can overwhelm content if overused |
In the wild
- Hotline Miami game UI and artwork
- Outrun racing game series
- Kavinsky and Perturbator album artwork
Use it when
Games, events, music, or anything that wants to channel 1980s nocturnal energy.