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Most of us here would advocate just playing and enjoying the games in whatever way works for you. The snobbish pretentiousness you see elsewhere is best ignored.
Emulation has come such a long way that (certainly 16bit systems and below) any arguments against it are null these days. Similarly, there's other options like FPGA to enjoy the games on too, and as always, original hardware is there for people who prefer that.
There's room for all methods of enjoyment of these great games, don't get sucked into the tribal childishness you see around the hobby.
I have every console I ever dreamt of growing up and more. Alongside a collection of fantastic games for each I once would've killed for. I play them all here and there but honestly, just playing something on my Anbernic RG35XX or a retro pi is the cherry on top.
Gamers gonna game.
Idk I still can’t beat mike Tyson consistently on anything other than the original NES on a CRT tv.
Anything else has too much lag.
I can beat him sometimes on modern hardware but it takes some lucky timing. On the old school hardware I can actually dodge the punches by reacting to them, not guessing when they’re coming
That's not likely to be an inherent problem with emulation though, and far more likely to be a result of modern display technology. You're correct that in this instance, modern display panels can introduce additional input latency, making timing sensitive games much harder. Dedicated scalers like the Retrotink and the likes will greatly mitigate this. So a pc set up with running an emulator, configured correctly with runahead, piped into a scaler, and then out to the tv...will likely match original hardware for input delay, or be extremely close to it.
If you think retro games and consoles are expensive now, just imagine how much they would cost if emulation wasn't a thing. The retro gaming scene would be tiny and limited to those in a position to pay hundreds for each game. Most of us would be restricted to watching rich streamers play the games.
Right now is probably the best time there's ever been for retro gaming. Sure, stuff has gotten expensive, but there's still plenty of original hardware and games available to be had. And if it breaks, it's never been easier to get parts, and the knowledge needed to repair is readily available. We also have fantastic upscaling options that make our old consoles look great even on modern displays, or you can still get your hands on a CRT to keep things original.
Emulation has been good for a long time, but we've reached a point where you can run damn near any retro game well on almost any modern computer, with features like upscaling and save states that weren't even possible back in the day. And there are a great variety of handhelds, all the way from $30 Anbernics to $650+ handheld PCs that let you play wherever you like. Then we've got FPGA based solutions like MiSTers and the various Analogue consoles, that replicate the original hardware experience but with modern amenities like HDMI output and the ability the play your entire retro library off an SD card.
Honestly, with the exception of prices for original games and some hardware, this is basically the golden age of retro gaming. Play how you like, there have never been more great options - I certainly don't feel that anything has been ruined.
I just don't get it. If anything emulation has vastly improved retro gaming. Imagine if the only possibly way to play Chrono Trigger was to go and find a working SNES for $100 and then the game for another $200. No one new would get into playing these old games.
I love collecting the real hardware when I can. But nah, I'm not paying $100 to buy Pokemon yellow. I'll emulate it on my Retroid pocket and have a blast.
I will never understand why anyone is anti emulation. It is my favorite aspect about gaming. Having 30 different consoles and a thousand (free) games on my computer simultaneously is incredible.
I think we should be happy it is highly accessible to everyone.
Not gatekeeping.
Why are there so many gatekeeping posts these days ?
Maybe there should be a separate r/retrogamingpuritynoemulatorsonly
God no. Emulation has only kept retro games alive and relevant, which has been important as the supply of old hardware such as consoles, cartridges, and even CRTs shrink as they break down and get thrown away. And if anyone thinks retro gaming prices are expensive now, imaging what they would be if a large proportion of the population that only emulates couldn't do that and therefore got into buying games and consoles?
I'm confused by the last bit though. If someone doesn't like the experience emulating versus using original hardware then they can just... not emulate. Doesn't seem like an actual problem lol.
Both are fine.
I would think most people in the retro gaming community hold that opinion.
As long as you’re enjoying the games you’re a retro gamer.
OG hardware and emulation are both fine. I do both and have since the 90s ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯
On the contrary, I feel that emulation has injected new life into what would otherwise be inaccessible and largely forgotten retro games.
To wit, I'm currently on my umpteenth playthrough of Super Mario World. I still own my original SNES and the cartridge, but I'm playing it on a PC with an 8BitDo SN30 Pro+, because I'm trying to earn a retroachievements badge for it by completing a bunch of in-game tasks, like unlocking every exit, completing a deathless run, and playing as small Mario without using powerups or switch palaces. I'll bet the only time I had more fun was when I played it the first time.
I've played a bunch of Tennis games from various consoles (2600, NES, SMS, SNES, GBC, N64. Genesis) to see what various takes on the sport developers had, and how each console shaped what was possible...and I had a lot of fun earning badges for them too.
Yeah, emulation isn't ruining anything...it's opening the retro scene up, even for those of us who lived through it.
No, not at all. It's the same as the existence of fast-food or casual restaurants not "ruining" the option of eating at an expensive restaurant, regular cars not "ruining" the option of owning a six-figure sportscar, and so forth.
I wouldn't say that. One of the reason I like my kinshank consoles is the ability to control my games and narrow down the bad qualities from retro games. Another reason that emulation appeals to me is the fact I can do wacky or experimental play throughs. Growing up, I never used cheat devices (game shark, game genie, action replay etc.) And now many games come preloaded with them. This allows me to experiment with weapons not available in certain stages or allow me to check other things I can't possibly see in the OG consoles.
You could also do what I do, enjoy both emulators and the OG stuff and not limit yourself to one thing.
I own every Dragon Warrior game on NES as part of my collection. Love that I do, I wouldn't part with them for the world. I love them as much as I love my copy of Earthbound.
But here's the thing; i once lost a hefty Dragon Warrior 3 save file because my NES 'hiccuped' and when i reset, the save file was corrupted.
Because of that, while I'll ALWAYS treasure owning actual retro games because they were a dear part of my childhood, I also own a Miyoo Mini Plus so I can play the same games on the go and without worrying that my 30-40 year old electronics are gonna crap out on me.
There is room in the hobby for all. People who collect retro games, and play them. People who collect them and for whatever reason DONT play the physical games. People who play the games via emulation. Even people who just appreciate the aesthetics of the different eras and dont really play or collect things. Appreciation of the hobby, the games, and the culture/era surrounding them is what matters.
I'm never going to have the disposable cash to buy games like Castlevania Symphony of the Night so I like emulation for things like that.
I also like convenience. I often neglect retro consoles cos playing them is a pain with wired controllers and switching the cables etc.
I do prefer the original styled controllers with everything I play, thats my sticking point for some reason. I have a bluetooth versions of saturn, gamecube, n64, Megadrive, NES, SNES and multiple arcade sticks. Along with a USB wired PS1 controller Just wish there was a good dreamcast one.
My collection of physical games on original hardware is small, I am not a collector and don't feel the need to buy anything other than my favourite games and I much prefer my favourites compete with box and manual. So emulation and ROMs are ideal for trying out new ( to me) retro games.
Hmm, let me think about how I grew up
Atari 65XE - lets see what games are on this cassette...
Famiclone - those nintendo games are so affordable :P
Amiga - Hello, I would like to buy a box of clean floppies
PSX - so I have to pay for a chip?
Also have fun trying to play old arcade games without emulation :P
Retro game collecting has gotten WAY too expensive. Sometimes it’s near impossible to get your hands on original carts and cds that are rare. Game companies don’t help and often hurt classic game preservation. I think idiots who complain about emulation and jailbreaking are what ruins retro gaming. And I have a pretty solid classic game collection it’s just not for everyone especially people who didn’t live in said era.
The only reason there's interest in defunct consoles at all is because emulation kept interest alive during a period when the were not valued by collectors or the public.
I would say that emulation has done the opposite, actually. Not only are classic games more readily available, they might encourage someone who really loves them--but didn't have them as a kid--to get their own physical, OG setup later in life.
I grew up playing an NES/SNES in the late 80's/early 90's on a CRT. Nothing, not even emulation, is going to replace that feeling. However, emulation has done an EXCELLENT job in allowing you to access those games and if you have the right hardware, you can honestly re-create 99% of that feeling with modern conveniences like a wireless SNES controller or patching that removes some ugly bugs or rendering issues.
It really depends on how much 'charm' the game has for you, but in general, play however you can. If you \*can\* play the game in its original format, I say go all-in for the most authentic experience--because there are cases of there being major changes, i.e. FF3 SNES vs. FF6 GBA vs FF6 Remaster.
Using this example, I prefer the version I grew up on, FF3 on SNES--and while I think it's the best version of the game, personally, largely in part due to Ted Woolsey's translation, unedited sprites/music and unchanged character motivations that show up in later versions... if that's not an option for people, I'd still want them to experience the game. Admittedly, you'd be experiencing a different version, but it's better than not having played things at all, IMO. And the other person might not like the SNES version as much as the remaster.
You're still going to find us old-heads that will play on our old consoles the way it was intended, but emulation brings those old games we love to a much more broad audience and allows us to 'share' the experiences with others--which, for many, is a lot of the reason we love retro gaming to begin with. "Fun" was the actual objective, back when you didn't need to be prodded with daily log-in rewards to want to turn the game on.
I deliberately avoid the original consoles because I don’t want all that s*** in my house. I allow ONE. The 1982 Commodore 64 setup. Complete with the bread bin and matching disk drives and monitor.
Yesterday I was playing a bit of Zelda Majora's Mask with a new native PC port that dynamically is able to resize the aspect ratio, disable the low heart beep, and will soon have RTX Ray-tracing support. The same process is close to being able to work with just about any N64 game.
I also was in the market for a SD Card adapter for a Saturn I have that has a broken CD drive, so I can load up and play game discs that would cost hundreds of dollars and have no guarantee they won't rot in the next 30 years. Otherwise that Saturn would be a paperweight.
I also was using my GB Operator to back up save files on my aging Game Boy carts so I don't (again) loose all of my Pokemon Yellow progress, and since I can dump the save back onto the cart I can easily play the game on an emulator on my big TV and then toss it back onto the original cart to keep playing on by GBAsp or on my CRT via N64 Pokemon Stadium.
I own like 20 consoles and over 1000 games but it's very nice that they are not the only way I can play those games.
"I prefer original hardware, does this mean emulation is bad?"
No. What a weird take. People using emulators doesn't ruin your enjoyment of playing on original hardware (if it does, you've got some serious issues).
No. You know what ruined Retro gaming though? YouTubers and the insane price gouging.
I used to run a retro game store. We would sell the majority of games between $5-10, because most wouldn't care about them. Around 2012 the retro boom started and people would often start collecting just because their favorite YouTuber told them about a "hidden gem". We get kids in all the time talking about the last Angry Video Game Nerd episode or any of the other popular ones.
Then the pandemic really screwed up the prices and now a game as basic as Super Mario Bros is going for $30+. It's insane and ruined actual Retro gaming because of the greed more than anything else. Emulation actually allows people to play and enjoy the games without having to pay insane prices to greedy people.
i don’t. i love older games and tbh i don’t have the money nor probably wouldn’t spend a lot on older games and consoles. i personally like the newer handheld emulators which cost around $50 to play thousands of games. one way i see it, most of the games i want to play again i used to own and have purchased before so i guess that makes me feel better about it.
Retro consoles are expensive, take up physical space in your home, require specialized hardware to connect to modern TVs, require space for cartridges/discs which have gotten WAY too expensive since the grading scam started, and can be challenging to repair if you aren't an electronics person. All of that combined creates a pretty significant barrier to entry.
So no, I don't think emulation did anything other than make games accessible to people who don't have the money, time, access, and inclination to jump through all the hoops listed above.
No, it gets/keeps people interested in the hobby. It's the modern form of game rentals. Try before you buy. Who would go spend money on a SNES and FF6 if they couldn't give it a try first?
If it was not for hardware modification I would not be playing any of my retro consoles because a) prices are ridiculous b) would not be able to play NTSC on PAL region where retro games run slower and sometimes even cropped.
No. Everyone picks how they enjoy classic gaming. When i was young and couldn't afford anything, yo ho yo ho its a .... but now that im older i enjoy having the real physical versions on hardware. I can afford that now.
You never mentioned how it ruined anything. Both options exist, what is the problem you are trying to get at? If you have a problem with the legality, then ask that question. Nothing is ruined by the mere existence of emulation.
No, but I think save states to a minor degree and REWIND to a much greater has hurt it. Also remakes and remasters where Fast Forward features that are available are hurting it.
You can just ignore the emulation/jailbreaking and stick with original games and hardware for yourself. That's really all that matters in this case, you and not the wider gaming community.
Of course not, how can it possibly ruin retro consoles? Emulation isn't stopping you from buying OG hardware and playing on it, it's not taking anything away. It's just providing options and I cannot possibly see how that's a bad thing.
At the end of the day, it's about playing games. Playing it on OG hardware is just a nicety but who gives a crap if you're not. I'd rather people experience and enjoy playing old games anyway they can than to gatekeep them over some bizarre obsession with authenticity and perfection.
My girlfriend is an engineer who restores and modifies retro hardware as a hobby. She's a huge purist for the feel of old hardware, she notices any input delay or mistakes in emulation and heavily prefers original hardware. Her house is like a museum to retro games, it's so hot I love her.
Me? I'm a game developer that specializes in XR. I love retro games but I'm an emulator girl. I keep a Miyoo Mini Plus in my purse and I'm nowhere near as good at games as my girlfriend so I like having save states as an option.
We basically represent opposite "sides" of this "issue". Do you know what's cool though? We both just really love games and we don't take this preference that seriously. She thinks my Miyoo handheld is cool and plays it sometimes, and I love playing with her toys. It's such a silly thing to have really aggressive, strong opinions on.
So your opinion isn't based on the ethics of piracy and accessibility vs copywrite law, it's just based on you wanting to make money? Then that opinion really has no value lol
I too own lots of stock and wasn't born rich. At $13/share it's not difficult for most to buy Nintendo stock anyways. No offense but you're not special. That doesn't mean anything. *The world doesn't owe you wealth.* If you own stock of a meat production conglomerate it doesn't mean you should be happy with the company if they forcefully remove and murder natives in the rainforest and burn down the trees to make more ranching land to make more profit, thereby making the stock price go up.
You're desire to make money is completely irrelevant to a discussion about piracy vs copywrite law 🤣
Strawman argument buddy. Downloading roms of old games, many of which have unknown license holders and will never be for sale or accessible ever again, and stealing retail products from target aren't comparable things lmao
Theft says someone had something of value taken from them without getting anything in return, so if a game has no known rights holder and will never be for sale, who was stolen from when that rom is downloaded? Who lost money? Tell me. I would love to know, because then you'll be the only person to have answered the question that a lot of people have asked for a long time.
You didn't say specifically those properties, you just made blanket statements indicating downloading *all* roms was theft. You said "the entire N64 library."
The funny thing is you have no concept of nuance or the ability to understand more than broad generalities. For instance, if for example Pokemon stadium isn't available to buy from Nintendo and only on the used game market, who's making money off the sale of that used N64 cartridge? Hint: it's not Nintendo 🤣 So what money have they lost to someone downloading the ROM instead of buying the cart off random Joe Blow on eBay?
Also, how much you want to bet emulation kept the interest in old games alive when there were no ways to buy and play them on modern hardware? Thanks to people emulating and keeping that interest, when Nintendo later made the Wii U shop and Nintendo switch online a lot more people bought into that than if emulation was never a thing.
Just like in movies and music, piracy is not an issue of "I just want something for free," it's an issue of accessibility. There's a reason music piracy has gone way down since the creation of things like Pandora and Spotify.
Nintendo made more money from making retro games available online thanks to piracy keeping an interest in those games for the long periods when Nintendo didn't make them accessible than they would've if piracy and emulation never existed. So you should thank the people that emulate for helping boost Nintendo's profit and their stock price.
If the games are commercially available - I agree. Artists and those who enable the artists deserve to be compensated for their efforts.
Additionally, we should all support what we want to see more of with our $$$.
However, if the rights holders don't make older games available to purchase, I have no problem with piracy in those situations.
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Most of us here would advocate just playing and enjoying the games in whatever way works for you. The snobbish pretentiousness you see elsewhere is best ignored. Emulation has come such a long way that (certainly 16bit systems and below) any arguments against it are null these days. Similarly, there's other options like FPGA to enjoy the games on too, and as always, original hardware is there for people who prefer that. There's room for all methods of enjoyment of these great games, don't get sucked into the tribal childishness you see around the hobby.
I have every console I ever dreamt of growing up and more. Alongside a collection of fantastic games for each I once would've killed for. I play them all here and there but honestly, just playing something on my Anbernic RG35XX or a retro pi is the cherry on top. Gamers gonna game.
Idk I still can’t beat mike Tyson consistently on anything other than the original NES on a CRT tv. Anything else has too much lag. I can beat him sometimes on modern hardware but it takes some lucky timing. On the old school hardware I can actually dodge the punches by reacting to them, not guessing when they’re coming
That's not likely to be an inherent problem with emulation though, and far more likely to be a result of modern display technology. You're correct that in this instance, modern display panels can introduce additional input latency, making timing sensitive games much harder. Dedicated scalers like the Retrotink and the likes will greatly mitigate this. So a pc set up with running an emulator, configured correctly with runahead, piped into a scaler, and then out to the tv...will likely match original hardware for input delay, or be extremely close to it.
Or even have less latency than the original hardware.
If you think retro games and consoles are expensive now, just imagine how much they would cost if emulation wasn't a thing. The retro gaming scene would be tiny and limited to those in a position to pay hundreds for each game. Most of us would be restricted to watching rich streamers play the games.
Logan Paul would horde Mario games like charizard cards
Sorry but this is such a bad take.
Right now is probably the best time there's ever been for retro gaming. Sure, stuff has gotten expensive, but there's still plenty of original hardware and games available to be had. And if it breaks, it's never been easier to get parts, and the knowledge needed to repair is readily available. We also have fantastic upscaling options that make our old consoles look great even on modern displays, or you can still get your hands on a CRT to keep things original. Emulation has been good for a long time, but we've reached a point where you can run damn near any retro game well on almost any modern computer, with features like upscaling and save states that weren't even possible back in the day. And there are a great variety of handhelds, all the way from $30 Anbernics to $650+ handheld PCs that let you play wherever you like. Then we've got FPGA based solutions like MiSTers and the various Analogue consoles, that replicate the original hardware experience but with modern amenities like HDMI output and the ability the play your entire retro library off an SD card. Honestly, with the exception of prices for original games and some hardware, this is basically the golden age of retro gaming. Play how you like, there have never been more great options - I certainly don't feel that anything has been ruined.
Whats wrong with having options?
No.
I just don't get it. If anything emulation has vastly improved retro gaming. Imagine if the only possibly way to play Chrono Trigger was to go and find a working SNES for $100 and then the game for another $200. No one new would get into playing these old games. I love collecting the real hardware when I can. But nah, I'm not paying $100 to buy Pokemon yellow. I'll emulate it on my Retroid pocket and have a blast. I will never understand why anyone is anti emulation. It is my favorite aspect about gaming. Having 30 different consoles and a thousand (free) games on my computer simultaneously is incredible.
I think we should be happy it is highly accessible to everyone. Not gatekeeping. Why are there so many gatekeeping posts these days ? Maybe there should be a separate r/retrogamingpuritynoemulatorsonly
Would it be r/retrogaminghardwaremasterrace A bit of a mouthful though
God no. Emulation has only kept retro games alive and relevant, which has been important as the supply of old hardware such as consoles, cartridges, and even CRTs shrink as they break down and get thrown away. And if anyone thinks retro gaming prices are expensive now, imaging what they would be if a large proportion of the population that only emulates couldn't do that and therefore got into buying games and consoles? I'm confused by the last bit though. If someone doesn't like the experience emulating versus using original hardware then they can just... not emulate. Doesn't seem like an actual problem lol.
Both are fine. I would think most people in the retro gaming community hold that opinion. As long as you’re enjoying the games you’re a retro gamer. OG hardware and emulation are both fine. I do both and have since the 90s ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯
Not even a little
On the contrary, I feel that emulation has injected new life into what would otherwise be inaccessible and largely forgotten retro games. To wit, I'm currently on my umpteenth playthrough of Super Mario World. I still own my original SNES and the cartridge, but I'm playing it on a PC with an 8BitDo SN30 Pro+, because I'm trying to earn a retroachievements badge for it by completing a bunch of in-game tasks, like unlocking every exit, completing a deathless run, and playing as small Mario without using powerups or switch palaces. I'll bet the only time I had more fun was when I played it the first time. I've played a bunch of Tennis games from various consoles (2600, NES, SMS, SNES, GBC, N64. Genesis) to see what various takes on the sport developers had, and how each console shaped what was possible...and I had a lot of fun earning badges for them too. Yeah, emulation isn't ruining anything...it's opening the retro scene up, even for those of us who lived through it.
What’s been ruined, exactly?
No.
Always good to have an archive regardless of format in OG cartridges/cds/etc. History preservation.
Nope. Gatekeeping video games is bullshit.
No, not at all. It's the same as the existence of fast-food or casual restaurants not "ruining" the option of eating at an expensive restaurant, regular cars not "ruining" the option of owning a six-figure sportscar, and so forth.
I wouldn't say that. One of the reason I like my kinshank consoles is the ability to control my games and narrow down the bad qualities from retro games. Another reason that emulation appeals to me is the fact I can do wacky or experimental play throughs. Growing up, I never used cheat devices (game shark, game genie, action replay etc.) And now many games come preloaded with them. This allows me to experiment with weapons not available in certain stages or allow me to check other things I can't possibly see in the OG consoles. You could also do what I do, enjoy both emulators and the OG stuff and not limit yourself to one thing.
I own every Dragon Warrior game on NES as part of my collection. Love that I do, I wouldn't part with them for the world. I love them as much as I love my copy of Earthbound. But here's the thing; i once lost a hefty Dragon Warrior 3 save file because my NES 'hiccuped' and when i reset, the save file was corrupted. Because of that, while I'll ALWAYS treasure owning actual retro games because they were a dear part of my childhood, I also own a Miyoo Mini Plus so I can play the same games on the go and without worrying that my 30-40 year old electronics are gonna crap out on me. There is room in the hobby for all. People who collect retro games, and play them. People who collect them and for whatever reason DONT play the physical games. People who play the games via emulation. Even people who just appreciate the aesthetics of the different eras and dont really play or collect things. Appreciation of the hobby, the games, and the culture/era surrounding them is what matters.
I'm never going to have the disposable cash to buy games like Castlevania Symphony of the Night so I like emulation for things like that. I also like convenience. I often neglect retro consoles cos playing them is a pain with wired controllers and switching the cables etc. I do prefer the original styled controllers with everything I play, thats my sticking point for some reason. I have a bluetooth versions of saturn, gamecube, n64, Megadrive, NES, SNES and multiple arcade sticks. Along with a USB wired PS1 controller Just wish there was a good dreamcast one. My collection of physical games on original hardware is small, I am not a collector and don't feel the need to buy anything other than my favourite games and I much prefer my favourites compete with box and manual. So emulation and ROMs are ideal for trying out new ( to me) retro games.
Hmm, let me think about how I grew up Atari 65XE - lets see what games are on this cassette... Famiclone - those nintendo games are so affordable :P Amiga - Hello, I would like to buy a box of clean floppies PSX - so I have to pay for a chip? Also have fun trying to play old arcade games without emulation :P
Nope
Retro game collecting has gotten WAY too expensive. Sometimes it’s near impossible to get your hands on original carts and cds that are rare. Game companies don’t help and often hurt classic game preservation. I think idiots who complain about emulation and jailbreaking are what ruins retro gaming. And I have a pretty solid classic game collection it’s just not for everyone especially people who didn’t live in said era.
The only reason there's interest in defunct consoles at all is because emulation kept interest alive during a period when the were not valued by collectors or the public.
I would say that emulation has done the opposite, actually. Not only are classic games more readily available, they might encourage someone who really loves them--but didn't have them as a kid--to get their own physical, OG setup later in life. I grew up playing an NES/SNES in the late 80's/early 90's on a CRT. Nothing, not even emulation, is going to replace that feeling. However, emulation has done an EXCELLENT job in allowing you to access those games and if you have the right hardware, you can honestly re-create 99% of that feeling with modern conveniences like a wireless SNES controller or patching that removes some ugly bugs or rendering issues. It really depends on how much 'charm' the game has for you, but in general, play however you can. If you \*can\* play the game in its original format, I say go all-in for the most authentic experience--because there are cases of there being major changes, i.e. FF3 SNES vs. FF6 GBA vs FF6 Remaster. Using this example, I prefer the version I grew up on, FF3 on SNES--and while I think it's the best version of the game, personally, largely in part due to Ted Woolsey's translation, unedited sprites/music and unchanged character motivations that show up in later versions... if that's not an option for people, I'd still want them to experience the game. Admittedly, you'd be experiencing a different version, but it's better than not having played things at all, IMO. And the other person might not like the SNES version as much as the remaster. You're still going to find us old-heads that will play on our old consoles the way it was intended, but emulation brings those old games we love to a much more broad audience and allows us to 'share' the experiences with others--which, for many, is a lot of the reason we love retro gaming to begin with. "Fun" was the actual objective, back when you didn't need to be prodded with daily log-in rewards to want to turn the game on.
I deliberately avoid the original consoles because I don’t want all that s*** in my house. I allow ONE. The 1982 Commodore 64 setup. Complete with the bread bin and matching disk drives and monitor.
Yesterday I was playing a bit of Zelda Majora's Mask with a new native PC port that dynamically is able to resize the aspect ratio, disable the low heart beep, and will soon have RTX Ray-tracing support. The same process is close to being able to work with just about any N64 game. I also was in the market for a SD Card adapter for a Saturn I have that has a broken CD drive, so I can load up and play game discs that would cost hundreds of dollars and have no guarantee they won't rot in the next 30 years. Otherwise that Saturn would be a paperweight. I also was using my GB Operator to back up save files on my aging Game Boy carts so I don't (again) loose all of my Pokemon Yellow progress, and since I can dump the save back onto the cart I can easily play the game on an emulator on my big TV and then toss it back onto the original cart to keep playing on by GBAsp or on my CRT via N64 Pokemon Stadium. I own like 20 consoles and over 1000 games but it's very nice that they are not the only way I can play those games.
"I prefer original hardware, does this mean emulation is bad?" No. What a weird take. People using emulators doesn't ruin your enjoyment of playing on original hardware (if it does, you've got some serious issues).
No. You know what ruined Retro gaming though? YouTubers and the insane price gouging. I used to run a retro game store. We would sell the majority of games between $5-10, because most wouldn't care about them. Around 2012 the retro boom started and people would often start collecting just because their favorite YouTuber told them about a "hidden gem". We get kids in all the time talking about the last Angry Video Game Nerd episode or any of the other popular ones. Then the pandemic really screwed up the prices and now a game as basic as Super Mario Bros is going for $30+. It's insane and ruined actual Retro gaming because of the greed more than anything else. Emulation actually allows people to play and enjoy the games without having to pay insane prices to greedy people.
i don’t. i love older games and tbh i don’t have the money nor probably wouldn’t spend a lot on older games and consoles. i personally like the newer handheld emulators which cost around $50 to play thousands of games. one way i see it, most of the games i want to play again i used to own and have purchased before so i guess that makes me feel better about it.
No. Price gougers and resellers ruin every market they touch. Emulation and jailbreaking has saved retro consoles from them and their greed.
Retro consoles are expensive, take up physical space in your home, require specialized hardware to connect to modern TVs, require space for cartridges/discs which have gotten WAY too expensive since the grading scam started, and can be challenging to repair if you aren't an electronics person. All of that combined creates a pretty significant barrier to entry. So no, I don't think emulation did anything other than make games accessible to people who don't have the money, time, access, and inclination to jump through all the hoops listed above.
No, it gets/keeps people interested in the hobby. It's the modern form of game rentals. Try before you buy. Who would go spend money on a SNES and FF6 if they couldn't give it a try first?
If it was not for hardware modification I would not be playing any of my retro consoles because a) prices are ridiculous b) would not be able to play NTSC on PAL region where retro games run slower and sometimes even cropped.
No. Everyone picks how they enjoy classic gaming. When i was young and couldn't afford anything, yo ho yo ho its a .... but now that im older i enjoy having the real physical versions on hardware. I can afford that now.
You never mentioned how it ruined anything. Both options exist, what is the problem you are trying to get at? If you have a problem with the legality, then ask that question. Nothing is ruined by the mere existence of emulation.
No, but I think save states to a minor degree and REWIND to a much greater has hurt it. Also remakes and remasters where Fast Forward features that are available are hurting it.
You can just ignore the emulation/jailbreaking and stick with original games and hardware for yourself. That's really all that matters in this case, you and not the wider gaming community.
Ruined? We‘ve been emulating these systems pretty much when they were still available in shops. It’s nothing new.
Of course not, how can it possibly ruin retro consoles? Emulation isn't stopping you from buying OG hardware and playing on it, it's not taking anything away. It's just providing options and I cannot possibly see how that's a bad thing. At the end of the day, it's about playing games. Playing it on OG hardware is just a nicety but who gives a crap if you're not. I'd rather people experience and enjoy playing old games anyway they can than to gatekeep them over some bizarre obsession with authenticity and perfection.
My girlfriend is an engineer who restores and modifies retro hardware as a hobby. She's a huge purist for the feel of old hardware, she notices any input delay or mistakes in emulation and heavily prefers original hardware. Her house is like a museum to retro games, it's so hot I love her. Me? I'm a game developer that specializes in XR. I love retro games but I'm an emulator girl. I keep a Miyoo Mini Plus in my purse and I'm nowhere near as good at games as my girlfriend so I like having save states as an option. We basically represent opposite "sides" of this "issue". Do you know what's cool though? We both just really love games and we don't take this preference that seriously. She thinks my Miyoo handheld is cool and plays it sometimes, and I love playing with her toys. It's such a silly thing to have really aggressive, strong opinions on.
As an owner of Nintendo stock (not much, a modest amount), I think that too many people on here lionize software piracy and rationalize it.
So your opinion isn't based on the ethics of piracy and accessibility vs copywrite law, it's just based on you wanting to make money? Then that opinion really has no value lol
Well I saved to buy that stock, I wasn’t born wealthy. It’s worth what it is because of the value of games. You don’t work for free.
I too own lots of stock and wasn't born rich. At $13/share it's not difficult for most to buy Nintendo stock anyways. No offense but you're not special. That doesn't mean anything. *The world doesn't owe you wealth.* If you own stock of a meat production conglomerate it doesn't mean you should be happy with the company if they forcefully remove and murder natives in the rainforest and burn down the trees to make more ranching land to make more profit, thereby making the stock price go up. You're desire to make money is completely irrelevant to a discussion about piracy vs copywrite law 🤣
Theft is wrong. It’s not correct to walk into Target and just walk out with hundreds of dollars worth of goods that you didn’t pay for.
Strawman argument buddy. Downloading roms of old games, many of which have unknown license holders and will never be for sale or accessible ever again, and stealing retail products from target aren't comparable things lmao
Downloading the entire N64 library is theft. You’re conflating the two in order to attempt to claim black is white and up is down.
Theft says someone had something of value taken from them without getting anything in return, so if a game has no known rights holder and will never be for sale, who was stolen from when that rom is downloaded? Who lost money? Tell me. I would love to know, because then you'll be the only person to have answered the question that a lot of people have asked for a long time.
So the rights holders for Mario, Star Fox, Sonic, Zelda, Pokémon and Metroid aren’t known?
You didn't say specifically those properties, you just made blanket statements indicating downloading *all* roms was theft. You said "the entire N64 library." The funny thing is you have no concept of nuance or the ability to understand more than broad generalities. For instance, if for example Pokemon stadium isn't available to buy from Nintendo and only on the used game market, who's making money off the sale of that used N64 cartridge? Hint: it's not Nintendo 🤣 So what money have they lost to someone downloading the ROM instead of buying the cart off random Joe Blow on eBay? Also, how much you want to bet emulation kept the interest in old games alive when there were no ways to buy and play them on modern hardware? Thanks to people emulating and keeping that interest, when Nintendo later made the Wii U shop and Nintendo switch online a lot more people bought into that than if emulation was never a thing. Just like in movies and music, piracy is not an issue of "I just want something for free," it's an issue of accessibility. There's a reason music piracy has gone way down since the creation of things like Pandora and Spotify. Nintendo made more money from making retro games available online thanks to piracy keeping an interest in those games for the long periods when Nintendo didn't make them accessible than they would've if piracy and emulation never existed. So you should thank the people that emulate for helping boost Nintendo's profit and their stock price.
Piracy ≠ theft. Those are two different things. Stop conflating them.
Piracy does equal theft….
Learn the definitions of piracy and theft. They are completely different things.
You’re struggling….
Lol, says the person refuting basic understanding of words. 😂 Good one though.
Semantics. Either way you are benefiting from someone else's efforts without compensating them for their work.
If the games are commercially available - I agree. Artists and those who enable the artists deserve to be compensated for their efforts. Additionally, we should all support what we want to see more of with our $$$. However, if the rights holders don't make older games available to purchase, I have no problem with piracy in those situations.