Emulation vs. Original Hardware

[thetwaz]

I would love to do original hardware if I had the space, money and patience to acquire it and set it all up - but also you do increasingly need to have a basic level of electronic expertise (or to know someone who does) to be able to do original hardware. Capacitors that are 30-40 years old may well need replacing, but also knowing how to do basic internal cleaning of older units without wrecking the thing is essential.

That's before you get to the wear and tear on the CDs and Cartridges themselves, let along the space to store them all, and also if you're being really accurate a CRT TV to play it all on - or a TV with the right sort of connections, or adpaters or mods to the console... It all just adds up.

I do like the idea of Everdrives and flashcarts though. I'm toying with getting a GBA with one to give the concept a try (that seems relatively low stakes). I also have a PS2 that I'm toying with creating doing a mcFreeboot mod for.

Until then, I'm happy with emulating games through my Steam Deck; I've had very few problems and the sorts of things that people complain about (milliseconds of delay with BT controllers or through processing time) aren't really a massive issue for the games I play.

 

[Maximecool]

Both, but speaking only about retro games, considering the second-hand market prices for retro games like PS1, PS2, and GameCube, it’s completely ridiculous. There’s no way I’d pay €60 or €100 just because it’s “retro.” Fifteen years ago, the same game would typically cost between €5 and €20 on platforms like the PS1 and PS2 (eBay),The same games nowadays are now many more expensive.

For me, it’s about playing, not collecting. Back then, I preferred physical copies, but with these prices, it’s no longer possible just because some idiot decided that games from the 32bit and 128bit generation should cost a fortune, even when they’re not necessarily rare.

Because of this, I now spend almost all my time emulating, even though I still have a CRT.

 

[Raziya The Seeker]

I'd love to play certain games on original hardware. Heck, it's probably the only was I could conceivably play a beloved XBox 360. Alas, I am poor something of a minimalist, and I don't like when stuff sits around and collects dust. Even if it's something I like, I would prefer not having clutter.

 

[SeeroftheNight]

I hate that I'm like this but I vastly prefer original hardware to emulation. Having the whole setup with a CRT and everything really gets me into the mindset to enjoy old video games as much as possible. I've spent too much money on games and hardware...

I do still emulate sometimes too, for convenience or if what I want to play is otherwise unobtainable for whatever reason.

 

[Zergling666]

I prefer emulation because it simply fits my lifestyle much better. I am extremely close to fitting my entire life as a gamer on one device the size of a nintendo switch. Even though I still own most of my childhood consoles, it all just sits in one room gathering dust because I am frequently abroad.

 

[water_kooler]

Hello, I'm a bot -_-
A launch model Wii is the compromise between real hardware and emulation imo.

First, the disadvantages. No Dreamcast, Nintendo DS or Sega Saturn. Next, there are the claims from real hardware players that emulators have accuracy and latency issues. That hasn't been my experience yet. Lastly, emulators require changing settings and configurations. Searching through menus can be tedious.

Now the advantages. The Wii can output 240p to a CRT, 480p with a component cable, and an HDMI signal with an adapter. The SD card slot is convenient for storage. This 256GB card stores all Wii, GameCube, PS1, N64, Arcade, ect. The homebrew ports are also worth checking.

 

[DreamCPS]

For me, there is just one thing that is still better with real hardware: Crt TVs. When you play retro games on them, they just "fit" perfectly, you dont need to configure anything.

But apart from that, Im all for the emulators — being the facts that you can configure joypads anyway you want to, and have easy access to most games, the biggest advantages.

 

[strawberry29]

original console and emulation are the same but not much, it depends on what game are you playing. i prefer the console more but sometimes you couldn't afford. the emulator is good as the console but it does have it's own pros and cons like the game might slow down than function with it's normal speed or crash randomly if your emulator or pc aren't that capable of handling certain stuff

 

[GrimRiven]

I prefer emulating PSX/N64 and any other console that came out before via FPGA and upscale with the RetroTink 4K. For PS2/GC/XBOX onwards, modified original hardware so I can play my ripped games on them. Depending on my mood, I will either hook them to my CRT via component, or to my modern OLED via the above-mentionned RT4K. For controllers, I mostly use the original ones, but also starting to buy modern alternatives like the RetroFighter Hunter for the XBOX.

 

[88cmflak]

Sooo I used to emulate a lot of 3DS / DS games back in my school days and as soon as I got the original hardware years later I realize how different the experience is. For me it's not just about performance, compability or graphics. That 3ds menu, the music, a bunch of homebrew possibilities is just so pleasing to me. This was back in 2020 so the price is still somewhat reasonable as compared to now.

 

[O_Fender]

Might be easier if you had the CD or expansion that lets you save. Now, funny thing, I still own my TG-16 with Super CD (recently had someone repair the drive too) and while I do love to play my CD games on actual hardware, I find it easier to play them on emulators.

I'm about to turn 50, I grew up playing these games when they were new, and I don't know if this is weird or not, but I still mostly prefer playing on emus. There's a lot of reasons. First is save states, since being an adult I have to constantly stop my games to handle family stuff so being able to save at any point is a must. Secondly, I like to run with filters and widescreen so it looks better on my HDTV (I have a devoted laptop that I use as a multi-console to run all my emus). and thirdly, I like not having to fumble for a new cartridge or CD everytime I want to switch. Now granted, I have an Everdrive on my SNES and my TG-16, but it feels silly to me using that instead of my original carts and if I'm just going to use roms, why not cut the middle man out and just play on the emulator?

Just my own experience, not saying it's better.

I am with you friend, I can't see the point of spending all this time looking for games, often overpriced, adapting old hardware, replacing cables, optical drives, capacitors etc. and hoping all this effort will be wasted if game or console would not work properly. Emulation these days is much more convenient and let's you jump straight to the game to experience fun part, skipping all this hustle.

 

[vietcuong]

Sooo I used to emulate a lot of 3DS / DS games back in my school days and as soon as I got the original hardware years later I realize how different the experience is. For me it's not just about performance, compability or graphics. That 3ds menu, the music, a bunch of homebrew possibilities is just so pleasing to me. This was back in 2020 so the price is still somewhat reasonable as compared to now.

In our country, 3DS price is very high right now. I think it happen with almost everything that no longer produced. Back then I played a lot Pokemon DS games using Drastic (DS emulator) on my J7 Prime. I didn't like its layout for dual screen, but you can fast forward gameplay. It helps a lot when you grinding for lv up your team or finding rare Pokemons. But I agree with you about 3DS experience. You can not find it in another retro clamshell handhelds. I wish every handheld have Activity Log app like 3DS. It's help you know your progress when using 3DS, and it's very unique.

 

[Heinzu]

I think emulating is a good thing because not everyone can always afford consoles. I'm in favor of both.

 

[AzzurraIrisLeaMonde]

I prefer emulation because I can have everything certified and organized on my pc/smartphone and because I don't have space.

 

[thetwaz]

I prefer emulation because I can have everything certified and organized on my pc/smartphone and because I don't have space.

Smartphone emulation is underrated, particularly if you get a decent controller. Pizzaboy is fantastic for GB and GBA, and I've had pretty good results with ReDream for the Dreamcast and Mupen64 too.

 

[AzzurraIrisLeaMonde]

Smartphone emulation is underrated, particularly if you get a decent controller. Pizzaboy is fantastic for GB and GBA, and I've had pretty good results with ReDream for the Dreamcast and Mupen64 too.

I have a powerful smartphone and for portability is very useful. The touch control are not very good so you need better ones attached so need to spend more money that negates the positive values of having everything in your hard. To play with better controls is better a clone fpga portable device or a hacked Switch or a Steam Deck imo, iirc. : D : P

 

[thetwaz]

I have a powerful smartphone and for portability is very useful. The touch control are not very good so you need better ones attached so need to spend more money that negates the positive values of having everything in your hard. To play with better controls is better a clone fpga portable device or a hacked Switch or a Steam Deck imo, iirc. : D : P

I have a Deck, and it's definitely the better option, but Gamesir and a few others make decent extendable phone controllers.

 

[Doomsday519]

I mostly play emulated games on my Steam Deck. I have over half a dozen home consoles and a handful of handhelds but the docked Steam Deck is my primary. My comfort games are modded versions of WWE Day of Reckoning 1 & 2 and main way I play all my emulated games is on the Deck with my 8BitDo Ultimate 2 controller.

Even tho I mainly emulate on my Steam Deck, I love playing on my jailbroken PSP and PS3 when I can.

 

[What's His Face]

I prefer original hardware whenever possible. It just feels more authentic, especially when using the original controller to play the game as originally intended. That said, I also enjoy pushing ROM hacks onto original hardware whenever possible, and I prefer emulation when the emulator is at close to 100% accurate as possible while offering graphical enhancements and the like (especially for PS1/Saturn where the early 3D is fugly even by 1996 standards).

 

[TW187211]

What I would like to see is Sony making a fully FPGA HDMI PS2 with a DVD drive and 1TB hard drive to install the Games to. Give me something like that.. then I would definitely be in Gaming Heaven for sure. But yeah, we all know that would never happen unfortunately

 

[thetwaz]

What I would like to see is Sony making a fully FPGA HDMI PS2 with a DVD drive and 1TB hard drive to install the Games to. Give me something like that.. then I would definitely be in Gaming Heaven for sure. But yeah, we all know that would never happen unfortunately

The HDMI bit doesn't exist without some tech knowhow, but (in case you didn't know, which you might do) see my post about FreeMcBoot - it's very possible to fairly easily mod a Fat PS2 without any soldering to play roms on up to 2TB of hard drive.

 

[Solvalou]

The find the PS2s Interlaced signal to be unplayable today. Give me pcsx2 with all the community-made 4K + 60 FPS mods.

 

[Turbo Kid]

Smartphone emulation is underrated, particularly if you get a decent controller. Pizzaboy is fantastic for GB and GBA, and I've had pretty good results with ReDream for the Dreamcast and Mupen64 too.

You can run Switch games with relative ease now too with the recent updates to Citron and Eden, though a few games still have some issues. I've been doing all my Switch gaming for the past week or so on the Odin2 Portal.

PS3/360 will be viable sooner than people think too in my opinion. Emulation is making some big strides lately.

 

[GorgioTheThird]

With the over inflated state of the world since 2020, the hype beast nostalgia exploiting "resellers" (scalpers), and scarcity economics bros distorting the entire state of original hardware gaming, i'm partial to emulation.

That said, I do think handhelds are fantastic on real hardware, alongside consoles with unique aspects to them like the Wii. I managed to buy a PSP years before it went gangbusters with priced out 3DS hopefuls being fed the next most readily available handheld. As you can tell, i'm a bit salty about the current situation and have a lot of blame and resentment towards gringos (USA) in particular for the ultra capitalist collective-a-thon mindset towards anything and everything nowadays deemed nostalgia bait.

So yeah, emulation all the way baby. If you can bring it to the masses on devices they own, then it's a win in my book. And it democratises the entire process of video game preservation and discovery that original hardware can't anymore. I decided against buying a switch and just playing Majora's Mask (completing a new Zelda game every New Years eve has become a weird tradition lately) and buying that new 8bitdo 64 controller instead. Which is crazy because we have an N64 and a Wii stored overseas and this turned out surprisingly great as a substitute.

If you can pick up original hardware for a good price then why not, but sometimes the same amount of effort you will go through to get that working be it buying a CRT, getting space for them, buying adaptors to connect to your tv, whatever, you could have setup an emulator, connected your device to your tv and grabbed a controller.

 

[Franz_Thieppel]

I like original hardware where it makes sense. If emulation is so good it pretty much replicates the original experience then it's hard to go for hardware even if I have it.

Runahead and good CRT shaders basically made every console up to PS1 gen pretty much obsolete.

I did buy a real PS2 and Wii because PC emulators, as compatible as they were, still had the odd input lag and frame pacing problem.
...until they went ahead and fixed those too so that purchase became pointless very quick. Into storage they go.