Synthwave Retro Text
An 80s chrome title with a pink glow over a neon grid that scrolls toward you. The grid is two gradient layers on a pseudo-element tilted with perspective; only its background moves.
Also known as: 80s retro text effect, outrun text css, retrowave title.
NIGHT DRIVE
HTML
<div class="txt-synthwave-text"><span class="txt-synthwave-text-title">NIGHT DRIVE</span></div>
CSS
.txt-synthwave-text {
--c: var(--txt-color, #3b82f6);
font-size: var(--txt-size, 32px);
font-family: system-ui, sans-serif;
font-weight: 700;
line-height: 1.2;
position: relative;
display: inline-block;
padding: 0 0.3em 1.2em;
font-style: italic;
font-weight: 900;
letter-spacing: 0.02em;}
.txt-synthwave-text::before {
content: "";
position: absolute;
left: -1.5em;
right: -1.5em;
bottom: 0;
height: 1.5em;
background-image:
linear-gradient(180deg, #ff3ea5 0.05em, transparent 0.05em),
linear-gradient(90deg, #ff3ea5 0.05em, transparent 0.05em);
background-size: 100% 0.4em, 0.8em 100%;
background-position: 0 0, 50% 0;
transform: perspective(4em) rotateX(58deg);
transform-origin: 50% 0;
-webkit-mask-image: linear-gradient(180deg, transparent, #000 45%);
mask-image: linear-gradient(180deg, transparent, #000 45%);
animation: txt-synthwave-text-drive 0.7s linear infinite;
}
.txt-synthwave-text::after {
content: "";
position: absolute;
left: 50%;
bottom: 1.3em;
width: 3.2em;
height: 1.6em;
border-radius: 1.6em 1.6em 0 0;
background: linear-gradient(180deg, #ffd23f, #ff3ea5);
-webkit-mask-image: linear-gradient(180deg, #000 55%, transparent 55% 62%, #000 62% 74%, transparent 74% 80%, #000 80% 88%, transparent 88%);
mask-image: linear-gradient(180deg, #000 55%, transparent 55% 62%, #000 62% 74%, transparent 74% 80%, #000 80% 88%, transparent 88%);
transform: translateX(-50%);
opacity: 0.75;
}
.txt-synthwave-text-title {
position: relative;
z-index: 1;
background: linear-gradient(180deg,
color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 35%, #fff) 0%,
var(--c) 46%,
color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 55%, #000) 50%,
#ff3ea5 54%,
color-mix(in srgb, #ff3ea5 45%, #fff) 100%);
-webkit-background-clip: text;
background-clip: text;
color: transparent;
-webkit-text-fill-color: transparent;
-webkit-text-stroke: 0.015em color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 60%, #000);
filter: drop-shadow(0 0 0.1em color-mix(in srgb, #ff3ea5 70%, transparent));
}
@keyframes txt-synthwave-text-drive {
to { background-position: 0 0.4em, 50% 0; }
}
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
.txt-synthwave-text, .txt-synthwave-text *, .txt-synthwave-text::before, .txt-synthwave-text::after, .txt-synthwave-text *::before, .txt-synthwave-text *::after {
animation-duration: 0.01ms !important;
animation-iteration-count: 1 !important;
transition-duration: 0.01ms !important;
}
}Customizing this snippet
- Color: set
--txt-coloron the element or a parent. Currently previewing#3b82f6. - Font size: set
--txt-size. Every other dimension is inem, so the whole thing scales together. Currently previewing40px. - Speed: change the duration on the
transitionoranimationshorthand. Staggered delays are relative, so they keep their rhythm. - Reduced motion: the rule at the end of the CSS turns the motion off for people who asked their OS for less of it. Keep it.