Emulation-Play Before You Pay
Sep 07 '01
The Bottom Line If used right, Roms are the best way to test video games before you buy
One big problem when buying video games, not just oldies but new ones too, is knowing if you'll enjoy the game. So many times I've bought games I thought I would love and ended up in disappointment. Especially when I was younger. I would beg my parents for the latest $50 game and end up getting bored in an hour or two. Unfortunately this is the most common problem for video game lovers. But now with the high coverage new games get on the internet, it's a lot easier to know if you'll like a game.
What about the older games? The ones that grew obsolete years ago, before the internet was even a household item. You might find a few reviews on fan sites, but not much in depth coverage. Nope, the only way to tell if you'll like a game is to actually play it. Now I know most old games are cheap, but that doesn't mean you have to waste your money and take chances. So instead of asking the lazy 16-year old worker at your local replay store to let you test the game out, how else will you be able to play it? With video game emulation.
For those who don't know, video game emulation is the process of downloading an emulation program that will allow you to play Roms, downloadable video games. Currently you can find emulators and Roms for NES, SNES, Genesis, Atari systems, Master System, Gameboy, and several smaller systems. The gameplay is exactly as on the console, except you play with the keyboard. They're completely free to download, simply search for the name of the game you want with "Rom" at the end.
There is a catch though. It's illegal to download Roms unless you own the cartridge of the game. So you won't be able to legally download any game you want and play it on your computer. But you can legally download a Rom without owning the cartridge if you delete the file within 24 hours. Is 24 hours long enough for you to evaluate a game? I know it is for me as I now test out all old games on emulators before I buy.
So there's your answer. You can download games, play them for 24 hours, delete the file, and decide for yourself what you think. It's legal and it's free. It's probably the best way for you to see if you like a game before buying. Better than having a 16-year old tell you to hurry up in the middle of a store. You can find virtually any game made on the NES, SNES, or Genesis with ease, I recommend freeroms.com. They have a huge and categorized collection of various Roms and emulators. C'mon people, there's thousands of great games out there that are affordable. Now you can find the best ones without paying a dime!
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Epinions.com ID:
flyboy101
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Location: Chicago, Illinois
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I'm just your typical 20-something, idiotic male.
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