Use ROMs and Emulators to Play Classic Games

Do you wish you could play classic games on your computer? Maybe you want to run software designed for another computer system. Luckily, you can easily do so using ROMs and emulators. This wikiHow article teaches you what ROMs and emulators are, how to find the right ones, and how to use them.

Using ROMs and Emulators

Find and download an emulator for the operating system you run on your computer. Then download a ROM file for the game or software you want to run. Load the ROM file into the emulator to run it on your computer. Make sure you map your controls to match the original system.

Section 1 of 5:

What are emulators?

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Emulators are tools that mimic other devices. They mimic the software and hardware of other devices so that you can run applications on your computer or other device. They can be used for testing software and applications across multiple platforms, or they can be used to run apps and software on devices they’d normally be incompatible with. There are four different types of emulators:^{[1]
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- Game console emulators: These are emulators that imitate the hardware and software of classic game consoles, such as Nintendo, Sega, or PlayStation. This allows you to play games from various game consoles on your PC or even on your mobile device.
- Mobile Emulators: These emulators are used to simulate a mobile environment, such as Android or iOS, on your PC. This allows you to play or test mobile apps on your computer.
- Computer OS Simulators: These emulators mimic the environment of a computer operating system, which allows you to install programs on computer operating systems they’d normally not be compatible with. This can include contemporary operating systems, such as Windows, macOS, and Linux, or it could be a legacy operating system, such as MS-DOS or Commodore 64.
- Web browser emulators: These emulate the environments of different web browsers. You probably won’t use these unless you are a web developer.

Section 2 of 5:

What are ROMs?

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ROMs are generally copies of games or software. The term “ROM” stands for “Read-only memory.” It can actually mean a lot of things. In the context of emulation, it is the data taken from a read-only memory storage device, such as a game cartridge, CD, DVD, or floppy disk. It can also be data taken from a memory chip.^{[2]
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- Different emulators use different types of ROM files. For example, Nintendo ROM files are a different file type from Super Nintendo ROMs, or Sega Genesis ROMs.

Section 3 of 5:

Finding Emulators

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If there’s a specific game or piece of software you want to run, you need to know what original system it was designed for. Was it a game? If so, which game console(s) did it play on? What version do you want to play? Do you want to run an application that is designed for a different operating system (i.e., Windows or Android)?
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Download the emulator. Once you know what system you want to emulate, you need to download an emulator. It is best to download emulators from their official website or GitHub page. Downloading software from third-party websites may infect your computer with viruses or malware. The following are some emulators you can download:
- Android:
  - BlueStacks (Windows)
- Arcade:
  - MAME (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- Atari 2600:
  - Stella (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- Atari 7800:
  - EMU7800 (Windows)
- Atari Jaguar:
  - BigPEmu (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- Commodore 64:
  - CCS64 (Windows)
  - Emu64 (Windows)
- Commodore Amiga:
  - FS-UAE (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- Neo Geo:
  - NeoRAGEx (Windows)
  - MAME (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- Nintendo Entertainment System (NES):
  - Mesen (Windows, Mac, Linux)
  - Nestopia (Windows, Mac, Linux)
  - FCEUX (Windows)
  - Jnes (Windows, Android)
- Super Nintendo (SNES):
  - Mesen (Windows, Mac, Linux)
  - Snes9X (Windows)
  - Bsnes (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- Game Boy/Game Boy Color/Game Boy Advance:
  - Mesen (Windows, Mac, Linux)
  - Visual Boy Advance (Windows, Mac)
- Nintendo 64:
  - Mupen64Plus (Windows, Mac, LInux)
  - Project 64 (Windows)
- GameCube/Nintendo Wii:
  - Dolphin (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- Nintendo Wii U:
  - CEMU (Windows)
- Nintendo DS:
  - DeSmuME (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- Nintendo 3DS:
  - Citra (Windows, Mac, Linux, Android)
- PlayStation:
  - ePSXe (Windows, Mac, Linux, Android)
  - Duckstation (Windows, Mac, Linux, Android)
- PlayStation 2:
  - PCSX2 (Windows)
- PlayStation 3:
  - RPCS3 (Windows, Mac, Linux, FreeBSD)
- PlayStation Portable (PSP):
  - PPSSPP (Windows, iOS, Android)
- Sega Master System/Genesis/CD/32X:
  - Gens/GS (Windows, Linux)
  - Kega Fusion (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- Sega Game Gear:
  - Kega Fusion (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- Sega Saturn:
  - Yaba SanShiro (Windows, Mac, Android)
  - GiriGiri (Windows)
- Sega Dreamcast:
  - Demul (Windows)
  - NullDC (Windows)
- Windows:
  - WineHQ (Linux, Mac)
- Xbox:
  - Xemu (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- Xbox 360:
  - Xenia (Windows)
- Multi-system Emulators:
  - Mednefan (Windows)
  - RetroArch (Windows, macOS, Linux, mobile devices, and more)

Section 4 of 5:

Downloading ROMs

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1
Download ROMs from the internet. There are a variety of websites that host ROM downloads. However, the availability of ROMs may vary. While downloading emulators is generally legal, downloading ROMs often is not, especially if they contain copyrighted content. Most of these websites have ROMs categorized by the system they are for. The following are some places you can download ROMs:
- The Megathread from r/ROMs is a great place to download ROMs. It contains a variety of links from the archive websites Myrient and Internet Archive.
- There are various ROM websites that include: www.romsgames.net, romsfun.com, romspure.cc, wowroms.com, and vimm.net.
- You can also try using torrents to download ROMs. You may be able to find specific games that you can’t find on other websites. Be careful that you don’t expose your computer to viruses or malware.
- Rom Hacks: According to gaming expert Ishrak, ROM hacks are fan-made versions of games that can only be played using emulators. In some cases, they may be a completely different game from the original.[v162405_b01]. Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Whether you are downloading ROMs or emulators, be sure to scan your files with an antivirus program before opening them. Keep your computer safe.

Section 5 of 5:

Using an Emulator

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1
Download and install the emulator. Once you figure out which emulator you want to install, download the installation file from the official website or GitHub page. Open the installation file in your Downloads folder and follow the prompts to complete the installation.
- Different emulators have different features and support different games/apps. You may want to try a few different emulators before you find one you like.
- As usual, scan your downloaded files for viruses and malware before opening them.
2
Map your controls. If you are playing classic console games, you may want to connect a controller to your PC. Otherwise, you will be playing with your keyboard. Either way, you will want to make sure you map the buttons correctly. You can generally find the option to map your controls in the Controls, Tools, Settings, or Preferences menu. Make sure you map the controls in a way that feels similar to the original game console.
- If you can’t find where to map your controls, check the help documentation or emulator web forums, Reddit, or YouTube videos for assistance.
3
Load a ROM. Loading a ROM is usually pretty straightforward. You can usually find the option to load a ROM in the File menu. However, some emulators may support different file types, such as ISO files, in addition to ROMs. There may be a different process for loading different file types. Check the help forums or software documentation if you need assistance.
- ROMS mostly come in compressed formats, such as ZIP or RAR. Depending on your operating system and the type of file compression, you may need to have a program that will decompress them, such as WinRAR (Trial Version), or 7-Zip (Free). Sometimes, it is easier to leave the ZIP file compressed and just place it in its own folder. All of the ROM files should go directly into the created folder, nicely organizing your ROMs.
  - You don’t need special software to extract ZIP files in modern versions of Windows and macOS. Just right-click the zipped folder and select Extract all (Windows) or double-click the folder (macOS).
- Some emulators have a folder set as the default for games. If so, make sure the ROM files go in that folder. If there is no folder automatically set, you may have to make one yourself.
4
Adjust the graphics settings. Many emulators support enhanced graphics settings. These may include upscaling, V-sync, framerate settings, and more. Check the graphics settings and make sure you set the best graphics settings for your computer hardware.
- If available, select “Vulcan” as your 3D graphics API. If it’s not available, go with “DirectX 11.”
- If you find the game lagging or suffering from frame rate drops, reduce your graphics settings by just a little.
Another cool feature that many emulators have is save states. This allows you to save a game at a specific spot and load the game at the exact spot. You can generally find the option to save and load your game from a specific save state in the File menu. If it’s not there, check to see if there is a separate Save State menu.
6
Enter cheat codes. Many emulators allow you to enter cheat codes, such as Game Genie, GameShark, or CodeBreaker codes. You can find lists of codes online. You can usually find the option to enter cheat codes in the Settings, Tools, or Preferences menu.
- Most emulators save a list of the cheat codes you enter. You can check which codes you want to activate and which ones you want to disable.
- Some cheat codes require a master code to be entered in order for all other cheat codes to work.
If you need to reset your game for any reason, you can generally do so in the File or Game Settings menu.

Community Q&A

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Question

How do I get a ROM off of a NES cartridge?

Community Answer

You can't. You would ruin the cartridge and the save file on the cartridge, if you have one.

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What rom site is recommended?

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Emuparadise.me and romulation.net are good and safe websites for downloading all types of ROMs, be it NES, SNES, PSX and more.

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Are emulators illegal?

Community Answer

Emulators themselves are legal. It's about the ROMS that have a fight over if they are legal or not.

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Not all games will work perfectly with every emulator. You may need to try different emulators to find which one works best.

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Warnings

Even if there is very little risk of getting caught, consider the fact that it is illegal to download a copyrighted ROM from the ROM websites on the internet. Emulators are perfectly legal.^{[3]
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Research source} ROMs created from your own copy of the games are too. Contrary to popular belief, It is not legal to download copyrighted games even if you already own a copy. There is no law permitting a 24-hour download period for ROMs that you don't own, and you are not even legally supposed to download those that you do own.

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