ROMs or Originals?

[a nirvana fan]

Before I start, this is NOT a request for ROMs.

Ok, so the other day I wanted to play Final Fantasy IV again so I downloaded the original SNES version but then I realised how can I be doing this? downloading Final Fantasy, I want original FF's!

So after I downloaded FFIV, I downloaded some more for example Batman, Bomberman, Megaman, Mario, Sonic etc for various retro consoles.

How about you guys? do you buy original retro games or simply download them?

[NeoCracker]

If i can get the originals for a good price that, otherwise download. Especially since its hard to get an snes cartrige anymore.

[Giga Guess]

If i can get the originals for a good price that, otherwise download. Especially since its hard to get an snes cartrige anymore.

Exactly.

But then, several have been rereleased, making them easier to get (somewhat).

[Roto13]

I love to buy compilations of classic games, but I emulate all the time.

[Giga Guess]

I love to buy compilations of classic games, but I emulate all the time.

I did too....but the quality is never even close...

[Captain Maxx Power]

I bought a PSX even though I have a emulator. I bought a GBA even though I have an emulator. There's nothing to compare to using a gamepad or playing on a wide-screen TV.

[Roto13]

I love to buy compilations of classic games, but I emulate all the time.

I did too....but the quality is never even close...
Then your emulators suck.

[Giga Guess]

I love to buy compilations of classic games, but I emulate all the time.

I did too....but the quality is never even close...
Then your emulators suck.

No, YOU suck! :P

[KentaRawr!]

If I ever play old games, then roms for me. Unless I got the old version years ago and never knew. :rolleyes2

[Sylvie]

I download ROMs, but sometimes I just don't feel the same when I play it than when I do on a console or something.

[Roto13]

I love to buy compilations of classic games, but I emulate all the time.

I did too....but the quality is never even close...
Then your emulators suck.

No, YOU suck! :P
That's beside the point...

[ljkkjlcm9]

I love having the originals, but having the games on my laptop as well is great! I also was young and couldn't beat some of the older games way back when, so I got them again for an emulator and finally beat them. But for the most part I prefer to actually own the games.

THE JACKEL

[The Summoner of Leviathan]

For SNES games I get the ROMs, seeing as my SNES remote does not work. Also I am too cheap to buy systems so that is why I am using N64 emulators at the moment. I think for any old school system I would most definantly emulate, unless I have the game. Speaking of which, WHERE did my NES go?...*ponders*

[Dreddz]

ROMs are superior in the sense that there free, but nothing beats playing a game on a widescreen with surround sound.

[Roto13]

Virtual Console FTW!

[Chris]

Originals, all the time. But there some games that have gone out of print, so ROMs are sometimes the only solution.

[Rostum]

I used to have a lot of originals, but sold them ages ago when they were worth something.

Now I just have full collection of nes, snes, n64, gba (not really old), psx, and so forth lying around on my computer. I just load some games up whenever I get bored. =)

Also, a lot of PSX games never made it to Australia (like Chrono Cross), I have bought the game but then my PSX stopped working and didn't want to mod my PS2, so I just ripped it as an iso/image file and play it on my computer.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

I used emulators all the time as a matter of convenience, but nothing beats the experience of playing a game with all the proper equipment.

[Zeromus_X]

If I can't find the game, I'll emulate it. I'd probably emulate it regardless. People don't seem to understand that some of the older games are quite rare unless they're rereleased, and emulation is the only option for playing them. Of course, I still play ROMs for different patches and what-not. And yes, there's nothing like playing on a 'real' console.

[DeathKnight]

The originals are BETTER any day.

[Tavrobel]

Yeah, they are, but really, who still has an NES (not including me), and can still play or find the original games? If you DON'T already have them, then it takes forever to find them, not even accounting that they will be at a reasonable price.

Not only that, there's much maintenence to be done with an NES: you have to blow in it to make sure that there is no dust (otherwise your saved information goes POOF), it sometimes messes up, no sudden movements if you do something good that took hours to do, otherwise it will glitch, etc., etc.

There are still some games that I play on the original NES, and there's nothing like nostalgia and good old light-based-laser-guns. Shoot ducks. Level 64 on Duck Hunt, mo. OMGLAZERGUNSPEWPEWPEW!

Yeah, they are better, but it's just too much of a hassle sometimes. I go for the Emulator, partially because it's free, and is more reliable than the NES (well, if your computer doesn't suck or dislikes Emulators, it's better). Then again, there's the illegal part to consider.

[Timber Maniac]

I download primarily Japanese exclusive games, mainly because of the lack of availability and/or high price tag. It also helps that playing them on emulation means I have access to a translation patch otherwise not found on a cartridge. So basically I have no other choice if I want to play these RPG classics. I have a PC to TV image converter so it brings that genuine feel somewhat closer.

I will probably download most of the mainstream 16 bit games for the Wii.

[ZeZipster]

I emulate just about every NES game released on my PSP with on a 1 gig mem stick.

[Shine On...]

I would much rather play an original, but sometimes a ROM is all that is available, which in turn really angers me, mainly because I hate using a keyboard for control instead of the real controllers. I really want to buy some of those Snes controllers that connect to the USB ports of computers, then I would play my ROMS more often, and it would make playing them, overall more enjoyable.

[Dignified Pauper]

i think ROMs are better simply because I can speed through the game. I like to find out what is happening in the story ASAP.

[Mirage]

Buy old games in norway? That's simply impossible.

[Yuffie514]

Originals:
- conservative
- classic
- GameShark = $$$
- one panel

Emulation:
- freedom/liberal
- replica
- gadgets & glitches
- flexible screen

equal satisfaction. some great files would take too much to replicate with the ROM version, vice-versa.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

I used to download loads of SNES ROMS of this great site called Emu Connect. They had the biggest collection I'd ever seen. There were at least 100 per letter. A while back I got a new computer, and just as I started to redownload all my ROMS onto it from Emu Connect, I noticed the site wasn't working properly. A few months passed and the site (despite it saying for months they were working on technical problems) was dead. I never found a decent ROM site after that, so I gave up on ROMS.

I did try downloading some PSX games after that, but after working hard to get the right files (Playstation ROMS are much more complicated than SNES ones) I couldn't find a good site for them either.

It's too bad that I can't find any decent ROM sites. I have my SNES and PSX emulators raring to go, but no ROMS.

[Rengori]

I download ROMs, but sometimes I just don't feel the same when I play it than when I do on a console or something.
What Genji said.