Retro Gaming: Play on the original console or emulate?

[Marc_LFD]

For the purists I understand them wanting the original consoles, but personally I'm just tired of having crap lying around which I might use once or so and then never again so for me emulation serves me perfectly. Plus, for those who live in PAL regions (Europe/Australia) they're stuck buying PAL copies which were slowed down or have to import from overseas and that might not be a cheap hobby for them.



Heh, that's like a Baby Mode playing it on PAL. xD

 

[DinohScene]

Original hardware al the way.
You cannot change my mind on this.

 

[Marc_LFD]

Original hardware al the way.
You cannot change my mind on this.

I have a PS2 (Component), PS3, Wii (Component), Xbox 360, and that's just way too much connected as it is for me, plus it's just way too many cables. If I'd have the retro consoles I'd need far more space for them all.

 

[CoolMe]

I say play on whatever you enjoy playing on. For example, you can play NES, SNES, Genesis etc. games on the Wii using emulators with pretty good performance. the Wii Classic Controller is simply great for that (specially NES/SNES games), and you can use save states, play rom hacks etc. you could hook it up to a CRT too if you have one around, and it'll look stunning..
It's not about having/owning these systems it's about space management, and even game library management (if you're a purist, that only plays what you own, physically), having a few systems plugged in definitely lessens the "choice paralysis" dilemma, filtering the game library also helps.

 

[subcon959]

I like the original console plus fully loaded everdrive setup. However it's a hassle to keep swapping out systems and cables so I just settle for PC emulation most of the time.

 

[rcpd]

I don't really mind as long as the emulator plays accurately. I enjoy playing on my laptop because I can then take my laptop over to wherever to continue and even share my save files. Lately I've been buying a LOT of those games on my Nintendo Switch mostly because the graphics are accurate and playing is as well.

The one in your video? That dude ought to just buy an old Genesis and Sonic. Its horrible.

 

[Scarlet]

Portability wins out for me, original hardware be damned!

Though if that original hardware can be made portable……..

 

[KiiWii]

Portability wins out for me, original hardware be damned!

Though if that original hardware can be made portable……..

I’m in between this too, portability is so convenient, but emulation of systems like 3DS and PS2 can be very patchy regardless of a portable powerhouse.

When I’m at home I almost always use real hardware, like 99% of the time, but when I’m away it’s 100% emulation and on a system that pack in as many games and consoles as possible.

I’m really interested in FPGA stuff rn, especially with N64 related systems.

 

[hooky1992]

original hardware will always be the gold standard, but since CRT televisions get harder to find and unique electronic components used on consoles & arcade boards stop being made by manufactures, emulation will ultimately be the only way to play classic video games. Never mind the obvious difficulty of obtaining & paying for physical copies of games, with the Neo Geo A.E.S cartridges being a prime example with prices running into thousands of dollars each: https://www.pricecharting.com/console/neo-geo-aes

With traditional emulation (such as Retroarch) we will never get 100% accuracy, due to how it plays game ROMs via an interpretation of the original system recreated in software code. However, there is a product know as the MiSTer FPGA (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MiSTer) that aims to increase the accuracy of emulation by etching the actual motherboards of various consoles / arcade boards / etc ... onto silicon chips and playing the games through that (i.e.) the actual hardware is physically recreated, not an interpreted into software code.

As you can imagine, this involved obtaining circuit diagrams or the actual motherboards themselves and decapping the chips to see the logical layout within. The results are quite impressive (see video review below) but of course all this comes at a much higher cost price, however as all the work is being recorded via GitHub (https://mister-devel.github.io/MkDocs_MiSTer/cores/what/) the project will ultimately preserve the hardware of the systems for future generations to enjoy !

 

[stompysan]

I used to be console-only. I had all of my systems that I could hooked up to my TV through SCART to component. I would use flash carts to preserve my original cartridges. However, those times are long gone. I still have all of my systems, but sold off my game collections throughout the years. I have Batocera set up on my living room PC. Between the decent shaders and run-ahead frames, I don't feel I am missing anything currently by not using official hardware. If I ever get the bug again I have everything I need, but for now it will remain in storage.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

I prefer original hardware always, but these days for convenience sake I tend to emulate most of the time. I own most of the major consoles at this point, but keeping them hooked up or dragging them out from storage to hook them up anytime I want to play XYZ is just too much of a chore these days when I can just launch an emulator on my PC or Steam Deck and be on my way in a minute or two. At this point, the only retro consoles I really keep setup is my N64 and my Sega Saturn, mostly because emulation for both still leaves a lot to be desired so playing on original hardware is just better.

 

[rantex92]

nothing beats emulating old games
you want a remake of a certain gmae forget it
just use emulators and crank the shit all the way up

for instance windwaker in 8k with negative lods and hdr it wouldnt even be fair to compare it to the native game

or ps1 games rendered in 4kx4k
or...or...or i could go on for hours

another big negative point for native is dying hardware,clunky controlls and so on and so on

 

[Deleted member 681657]

I'd say emulators are a better choice for most people. If you like the feel of the original hardware then pick up a controller port to USB adapter from Raphnet-Tech.

- They take less physical space
- They're convenient
- They can render 3D games at higher resolutions
- They're free (unless you want to use an original controller)

I've played around with actual hardware before but going to the trouble of finding a suitable CRT monitor, doing 60HZ, RGB region, backlight and battery mods, tracking down an optimal motherboard revision and dealing with flashcarts just wasn't worth the time or money. Eventually I gave up and regretted it.

If I win the lottery someday then maybe I'll go back to actual hardware.

 

[Hanafuda]

Photo probably answers your question. There are others too - N64, GameCube, Saturn, Playstations ... but I don't have boxes for those. I credit emulation with getting me back into video games after I had gotten out of it due to school, partying, dating, etc. But I always felt like I was playing cheap imitations with lots of compromises. When I beat something on the real hardware, I feel my claim of conquest is legit.

 

[DavidinCT]

I've got over 50 consoles, everything from Pre- Atari 2600 to the Series X, even a LaserActive and CDI....

I picked up a SteamDeck, like a year or 2 ago (waited a year to get it), and using Emudeck, on it, it's just too easy. I also have Everdrives for a lot of the popular consoles.

Emulation is too easy and is very portable and now with cloud saves/states on Emudeck, I can take my saves with me everywhere. A lot more features than I can get on OG hardware.

The biggest problem is OG consoles take time to connect, I need to pull out a console, connect my scaler, connect the console to the scaler and pull out my hidden HDMI cable so I can connect it then go into my closet where I have TONS of games on shelves and grab a game, unless it has a Everdrive on it.

OR I boot up my SteamDeck, run Emudeck and select console then game and it's pixel perfect 95% of the time.

I do have plan to setup like 25 consoles at a time but, that will take money and time that I don't really have RIGHT NOW. I do prefer OG hardware but, for now, Emulation does very well.

 

[Fien]

I play on real consoles, but only have the ones I really play, I don't collect them. To the TV are connected a Xbox OG, Xbox 360, PS1, PS2, PS3, Wii U and a Switch.

Playing on real consoles is more hassle-free for my then with PC emulation. Within a minute I can boot a game, no malfunctions after updates or so. And it's cheaper then buying a powerful gaming PC for connecting to the TV.

 

[Ryab]

For the purists I understand them wanting the original consoles, but personally I'm just tired of having crap lying around which I might use once or so and then never again so for me emulation serves me perfectly. Plus, for those who live in PAL regions (Europe/Australia) they're stuck buying PAL copies which were slowed down or have to import from overseas and that might not be a cheap hobby for them.



Heh, that's like a Baby Mode playing it on PAL. xD

I will always play on original hardware when I easily can. Emulating games you lose out on a bit of the feeling from it.

 

[Kioku]

Emulation is great because you’re not bound by hardware limitations, and makes the experience more enjoyable. That being said, I prefer original hardware due to the nostalgia factor. Playing certain systems on emulation takes away from why the system and/or games are special to me. Don’t get me wrong, I like the convenience, but playing the games “as intended” makes more sense for me.

 

[A2600]

At this point in my life I play what I can get. I have a NES with an everdrive and the HDMI mod but I think that it’s still considered original hardware

 

[NewGBAXL]

original hardware always if possible
FPGA boards like the MiSTer are very impressive