Poll of the Day > Is eliminating all your retro gaming hardware and emulating the better way?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Are you really missing out if you don't have a real SNES or PlayStation?

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If you already have the stuff then I don't think it's bad to hold on to, but it's not really worth buying new (old) games anymore

On the one hand it is less clutter, on the other hand you miss out on things not playing on real hardware. For example, Star Fox actually runs too good on emulators or even clone consoles. The game was notorious for having massive slowdown due to the FX chip when running on an original SNES. But, the game was designed around that, so people who complain that it is "too hard" probably don't realize it is supposed to be played at like half the framerate they usually play it at. Also, some NES games (usually unlicensed ones) don't work well on anything other than original NES hardware.

The main one I can always tell if someone is emulating or running on a clone console is Dudes with Attitude, as the main hub is supposed to look like this:

https://www.mobygames.com/game/nes/dudes-with-attitude/screenshots/gameShotId,286331/

But when emulated it looks like this:

https://www.video-games-museum.com/en/screenshots/Nes/4/4897-ingame-Dudes-With-Attitude.jpg

But yea, I would rather get stuff digital now then searching our retro hardware, especially since the last retro game store in my area went out of business several years ago.

Edit: Oh yea, and of course there is Mike Tyson being impossible in Punch Out unless you are playing on a CRT...

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Dikitain posted...

But yea, I would rather get stuff digital now then searching our retro hardware, especially since the last retro game store in my area went out of business several years ago.

Please turn in your mod badge after admitting to such a heinous crime

CoorsLight posted...

Please turn in your mod badge after admitting to such a heinous crime

Custom states you have to beat me in a fight to the death with a weapon of my choosing. I pick rubber chickens.

I will meet you on the battlefield in 3 days time!

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It looks like people are moving away from emulation. FPGA replacements and ODE mods are the way to go.

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SKARDAVNELNATE posted...

It looks like people are moving away from emulation. FPGA replacements and ODE mods are the way to go.

But that requires you to own more stuff, which is outdated thinking.

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SKARDAVNELNATE posted...

It looks like people are moving away from emulation. FPGA replacements and ODE mods are the way to go.

That's still for enthusiasts, the reason people like those is that playing original hardware on modern TVs is untenable nowadays. But hardware usually wasn't the thing that's hard to find, it's the games that are expensive.

Although as I was typing this up, I remembered that everdrives are a thing, so eh

Solid Sonic posted...

But that requires you to own more stuff, which is outdated thinking.

If you want to limit the amount of stuff you own that's fine for you. I happen to like owning stuff and I think the practice is still very popular.

CoorsLight posted...

That's still for enthusiasts, the reason people like those is that playing original hardware on modern TVs is untenable nowadays.

There are HDMI adapters for most systems as well as other video converters for that.

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Bump.

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Emulation doesn't give the same experience. Plus in the case of piracy, it's illegal.

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Zeus posted...

Emulation doesn't give the same experience. Plus in the case of piracy, it's illegal.

These days the piracy argument is starting to be supplanted by the concept of game preservation taking precedence. It's more important to be able to share the history of video games with those who come after us than it is to respect the IP holders' ability to continue selling it.

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Games over 20 years old may as well be public domain. Is it really even a notable revenue stream at that point anyway? It's ridiculous that in order to play something like majora's mask, I'd have to buy some overpriced copy and an N64 if I didn't already have a functional one

I wish I could get it into law that if a company no longer sells a product its legal to pirate. It would encourage companies to keep products available.of course more obscure titles they probably wouldn't sweat like bio freaks on the n64 or gods of war which was a mortal kombat knock off ironically made by midway iirc

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no it is never the way!

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Physical is the way but the other way isnt bad either

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Solid Sonic posted...

It's more important to be able to share the history of video games with those who come after us than it is to respect the IP holders' ability to continue selling it.

90% of the time the IP holders don't even sell it.
Hell, some games CAN'T be sold because of licensing issues

mooreandrew58 posted...

I wish I could get it into law that if a company no longer sells a product its legal to pirate.

Sounds good

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Emulation is far superior.

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Solid Sonic posted...

These days the piracy argument is starting to be supplanted by the concept of game preservation taking precedence. It's more important to be able to share the history of video games with those who come after us than it is to respect the IP holders' ability to continue selling it.

We've lost some games already.
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Ive often toyed with the idea of going full minimalist and getting rid of all of my older games and systems and then just getting whatever Id like to replay on PC.

But, nah, Im not gonna do that. Unless absolutely necessary.

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rexcrk posted...

Ive often toyed with the idea of going full minimalist and getting rid of all of my older games and systems and then just getting whatever Id like to replay on PC.

But, nah, Im not gonna do that. Unless absolutely necessary.

Only way I would do this is if I can get the money to build computers that would run older games for each era. PC ones I mean.
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I usually just emulate everything now a days anyways. I know most emulators aren't cycle perfect, but I can't tell the difference most of the time (I mean, I was such an ignoramous that I was happy with zsnes for the longest time and that is not even remotely accurate). It is way more convenient for me to have a bunch of games I can easily access that look half way decent on a pixel display. Quality of life features such as save states and fast forward are also very nice, although I try to avoid save scumming as it ruins the fun, but if there is a unfun section that you don't like repeating over and over again it is nice to have in your back pocket.

Ultimately, these old systems will die, so everyone will be playing on emulators one way or another, given enough time, so it is a more futureproof system

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