There’s also the middle ground, original hardware but modded to take backups. My Wii, GC and N64 have all been modded to take SD card backups but still run on authentic hardware. The SNES and NES are next.
I live in Vietnam - there are some hard-core madlads who own original hardware/clones, but I find emulation just magical indeed. To have a basically complete library of a bunch of great titles and share them with my wife who didn't experience them growing up but was nonetheless fascinated.
I emulate but I use the original controllers to make it feel like I'm still playing on OEM hardware with filters that make the game look like from the early 90's.
Yeah controllers are by far the most important thing for the experience. Thankfully 8bitdo has great inspired by controller or adapters, Bluetooth mods available.
When it comes to Nintendo the only morally acceptable thing is downloading their roms. Yes that also involves the switch for me, since that corporation is pure evil. Absolutely revolting behavior, they destroyed so many lives with their greed..
If I'm in my jammies and I have a bowl of Cap'n Crunch in my hands: original hardware. If I'm in my big boy pants and rounding up the nerve to leave the house: emulation.
I do understand why some people think like that, but for me that's like saying that all my decades and years of playing retro consoles were for naught. I had fun with them for being simply fun for fun's sake, if that makes any sense? What does help with emulation, is the save states and screen filter options (especially as I no longer have a CRT). Some portables, like the Gameboy have very nostalgic screens, however the faintness, ghosting, and lack of backlighting doesn't help the experience.
I sold my retro collection to help fund the parts to a nice gaming PC and emulated what I wanted to play. I found myself playing more since I didn't have to hunt for a cartridge, make sure the right console was connected, fiddle with decades old hardware that may be starting to fail, etc. Now I can just go into Launchbox, pick a system, pick a game and I'm playing. My one exception was I went back and restarted an Xbox and Xbox 360 collection since some of those games weren't as easy to emulate and I like those systems. No way I'd go back to any of the 8 or 16 bit hardware though, or PS1, I have been spoiled by the extra settings and features I've gotten from emulation.
Did almost the same. Have a nice HTPC hooked up to my 85 inch 4k TV in my living room and using wireless keyboard and mouse and controllers with LaunchBox setup. Consoles look great on it esp upscaled. The handheld systems look kind of bad stretched on an 85 inch screen but that is why I have the Anbernic 35xxSP for. I did keep some Sega Genesis, GameGear and OG GameBoy games just for nostalgia sake but got rid of everything else. I think its ok to mix emulation but have a few favorite original systems and games for them.
I have most of the USA Dreamcast library including the hard to find capcom fighters and shumps. Really thinking about getting rid of them since $50 emulation handhelds can play those games on a TV with Bluetooth controllers.
@@egon4564 Looking back, selling my Dreamcast 20 years ago was one of my greatest retro regrets, but once that Power Stone Capcom collection drops, every single game I had on there EXCEPT the WWF titles has been ported elsewhere. The WWF titles I can emulate.
I’m loving the Round Table, all ready see all these faces having got into the emulation hobby over the last couple of years, and it’s really good to see the collaboration of all these guys and hear their comparative views, all in a fast easily digested format. This series is a winner 👌🏻
For me a lot of the nostalgia I had for original hardware is in the controllers. For that reason I love that we can now get Bluetooth or usb versions of classic controllers like Nintendo 64 and connect to something like Batocera PC and feel like we are playing the real thing. Also, I generally don’t upscale N64 in emulation. I keep the original resolution and add simple filters to smooth things out like a crt would. Upping the resolution makes for much sharper image with cleaner lines but also makes everything look flat and all the original low res textures don’t scale up so they look like crap comparatively.
What's Ken Making did a good video comparing FPGA and ARM. In this day and age, all you need is a mini gaming PC and/or a retro handled and then you have the whole retro library. If you are worry about accuracy because slight visual bugs bother in a small number of games, if you have the hardware, their are plenty of accurate emulators like PSX Beetle, BSNES, MGBA, ect.
I was so excited to see Retro Fun Tech and Retro Tech Dad make an appearance here. They got me into Android gaming. Really hope to see the Retro Round Table grow more and more in the next season.
Here are my preferences: Emulation if playing on a modern display without all of the needed scalers and original hardware if playing on a CRT and I want to relive your childhood with all of the vibes of your memories intact. Both have merits and a time and place. The fact that my Raspberry Pi can connect to a CRT via its 3.5mm jack that is capable of composite makes that a great option as well if save states and all of the modern conveniences are important due to a game's difficulty, lack of save functionality, etc. It is all very specific to what we want and need at a given time.
I really appreciate the points and perspectives here! Hardware preservation, hardware and game design, and the ever increasing expense of retro gaming hardware are all factors that play into the importance of both emulation and original hardware. Great video as always!
I’m really into handheld emulation, there are so many games I wouldn’t have ever had the opportunity to play, on so many platforms, literally tens of thousands of games now made accessible, and the devices themselves are inexpensive. These are games made, at least with the older systems, when limitations were high and gameplay was more important than the graphics, substance over style. You ideally need a few devices, with different screen ratios to benefit from the almost inexhaustible catalogue of games on many platforms out there, and they won’t take up the space that all those old consoles and cartridges would. Wether it’s nostalgia or curiosity that makes you select a title to play, there is still a distinct level of childlike wonderment available from these very convenient little handheld devices …a very rewarding hobby! I’m excited to see what devices will emerge over the next couple of years, although there is a great deal of saturation at the moment, but that just means it’s a great time to start out, with all this choice and these competitive prices!
I gave my old games to my sister like 20 years ago, because I knew I'd never use them again since I had switched to emulation. And the scene has gotten massively better since then. I don't miss that old stuff at all when I've got literally all of it available at a moment's notice on an old raspberry pi, complete with modern features to improve the experience.
Wii original. Dreamcast original for 4 player games (because the wires kept everyone in close). I think I'd say the same for NBA Jam and other 4 player arcade machines. There was something about being shoulder to shoulder.
I first got into retro emulation back in 2008. Things were more primitive then, at that point, PS1 emulation was hit or miss. Most N64 games could be emulated, but a few games still didn't run quite right. And emulating the GameCube consistantly was still a dream. I have always preferred using original hardware and I think I always will. But as time goes on, original hardware starts to break down and it gets very hard or prohibitively expensive to actually get original hardware to work. I'm looking at you Nintendo 64 Steelstick. While things like 3D printing have helped with this, I have found that I have moved more and more towards using emulation for daily use. Emulation has gotten to the point that it's practically indistinguishable from the original and it's just so easy to set up and use nowadays. So while I'll never turn down the opportunity to play a SNES game on original hardware, I'm finding that those opportunities are becoming a lot less frequent.
For those concerned about the tiny bit of input latency that you get with software emulation, just enable run-ahead or primitive frames through Retroach, set accordingly and you'll be golden. ^^
I used to use save states and speed up and other perks of emulation and now although I am still 100% for emulating, I prefer to emulate as close to the original gaming experience as possible (only in game saves, no fast forwarding, no graphics enhancements etc.) I feel like the joy and nostalgia has definitely increased for me.
Emulation. I remember experiencing Megaman X3 on snes9x back in the day because the cartridge was expensive and hard to find. I was blown away by the intro. Still brings nostalgia even on an emulator
I'm still hoping for a merge of original hardware and emulation one day. I want to collect physical games for older systems but have all the benefits of emulation such as fast forward, cheats, and save states. There is something about putting a physical cartridge into a system that can never be replicated. Happy to hear there will be a season 2 of Retro Round Table. I recently binged this show and it's now my new favourite thing on TH-cam!
I absolutely love this series! Your editing is always top tier comedy, but also you always assemble an amazing cast with great insights! I’m so glad the table is round so nobody is stuck at the corner with nowhere to put their mug of rootbeer
Wow, the end of S1 was a real heavy hitter! I totally didn't expect to see Yodarh's ghost going toe-to-toe against Cammie 4. I can't wait for S2...oh wait, what were we talking about here? While I have totally been recollecting many of the systems that I grew up on, I prefer emulation. I love being able to tinker with settings to get whatever effects let alone being able to carry all these systems/games around in one device. I am seriously looking forward to where you are going to take this series in S2! As always, thanks for everything you do for the community, Mr. Dweeb!
I agree with adin's take, everything other than 3ds emulation cuz its so hard to enulate those dual screens right. I have been looking into a slide-up external small display of some kind tho (for my legion go) to make it more doable.
I have lots of original hardware, but the headache of modding consoles or buying upscalers to play on modern displays has me very excited over FPGA consoles. I feel like i have a very good balance between original hardware and emulation.
I do like playing original hardware when I can, but I'm lazy and my back hurts and I don't want to mess around with my old CRT and a bunch of wires. So for the most part I'm going to emulate, even for games I have physically. Except for my Vectrex, because there's something about that buzzing screen.
For me emulation IS the nostalgia. Growing up my parents went above and beyond to get me plenty of gifts, but money was tight so my collection was limited. I discovered emulation in 7th grade and that became how i played most games. I always preferred to own the physical cart but that was rarely possible. Being an RPG fan made things extra hard, those tended to be more expensive, and thats IF they were even available. To this day i prefer the old fan translated versions of Tales of Phantasia, Terranigma, and Sieken Densetsu since Its how i first experienced them. If it werent for emulation i never would have been able to play some of the greatest rpgs ever made. Those fan translation patches made my childhood better. Special place in heaven for everyone who put so much work into creating those English patches.
do you consider FPGA based (especially clock cycle accurate) gaming to be emulation or original hardware? My setup consists of analogue pockets, mega sg, super nt, retrousb avs I prefer fpga where possible, and original hardware with FPGA based hdmi mods when not My most played emulation setup is actually my RPI connected in 240p/480i to my PVM, that's where i play most of my ps1 games for instance. I know it's emulation, but because it's virtually lag free on a CRT it feels more like original hardware than any other emulation device i own on a related note and why i love analogue hardware so much, I still enjoy the act of going to my local game store and browsing the shelves for a cartridge that I want to play i may be plugging it into an fpga emulation devices and using save states liberally but the experience of picking up a new game and bringing it home to slot it into your console is super important to me i tend to play games i own physically far more than any games i have as roms and for whatever reason my mind considers cd based consoles to juts be roms on a cd so i never collect them, so i have no issue playing those on original hardware via an HDD mod or on an emulator
As the amount of available original hardware gets thinner and prices more extreme, most of the retro-gamers will have to look for alternatives: 1. Hardware emulation (FPGA), 2: After-market clones, 3. Software emulation. It is great that all of the approaches continue developing. In the end, each game, hardware and player need a bit different approach.
I love emulation, mostly for more modern systems - PS2, PS3, Wii, Wii-U, Switch, etc... but I also love hand-held emulation on one of the Anbernic vertical devices, as it's close to a DMG Gameboy. But, for me mostly, as long as it's all set up and ready - Original Hardware all the way. You cannot beat actually using hardware that was made back in the time, something that actually has history. That history might be fun times with your family around a CRT, back in the time, bringing back some magical memories. Using original keyboards on retro computers, or actual real controllers on retro consoles - yes, you can do this with a Mister FPGA, but it still has a sort of disconnection to it. Thing is, would you drive a Ferrari, or Lamborghini, or whatever your dream car is, if you knew that it was a replica, with a Ford engine, and more modern parts ? Yes, on the outside it might look exactly like your dream car, and might even sound similar to your dream car, but it's not a REAL Ferrari, or Lamborghini, it's a replica that is close, but not perfect.
This was delightful to watch! For noe, emulation is my only option due to budget. I do dust off he older game boy color once in a while... But for everyday use, my emulation retro handheld with its rechargeable batteries, ergonomic form factor, backlighting, etc definitely gets more use
Also: I don't have storage space for a game library, or multi home consoles... Much less arcade cabinets! Rent is high, space is limited, emulation & digital games generally are more accessible for low income/budget gamers
I still own my original Vectrex and it is still my favorite system. Anyone who has had the opportunity to play the game that was built in, Mine Storm, would most likely agree it was an awesome upgrade from Asteroids. I kick myself not knowing I could have written GCE and got a fix for the glitch in the game and obtained the holy grail cartridge Mine Storm 2. I know the workaround but still would have been nice to have the cart. That being said, emulation wins. I don't want to keep using it and it break down on me. I will shed real tears on that day.
Tech Dweeb, do you like doing retro achievements? Or do you prefer playing without them? A part of me feels motivated because of the achievement sets but also I feel like I look at a game completely different and it alters the way I enjoy a certain game because I'm keeping those achievement sets in mind.
This is a great series. It's so fun to play on original hardware for the nostalgia but all the extra stuff you have to do to make retro consoles work in modern TVs is a dismal. Retro Handhelds however I think can be a different story because most have been hacked to the point of at least adding save states. My kids don't even know what it's like to play games where you die and start over or your mom unplugs your Nintendo to vaccine and your game goes back to start.
I'm definitely an original Hardware kind of guy I have my retro gaming tower and I have my CRT computer setup for games that I think would still use it. Boils down to software modification of any system I can and if I can't then the emulation gets broken out.
Emulation. While I don't use save states or ffwd functions... the convenience (having a large collection at finger tips) is huge, portable option is huge, and then I do love some rom hacks (especially for my sports games and bringing them forward with modern teams and rosters).
I am torn on this question. While I am always partial to original hardware and physical media due to a variety of factors, I find my emulating more and more these days. There is a joy in finding old games and old hardware at a used game stores and the like but it's expensive. Especially nowadays it is no longer a cheap hobby if ever was. I also live on my own now so there really isn't too much space for so much of it either. Sure one day I would like my own house with a dedicated gaming space but right now it is not really feasible. With emulation, I don't really have worry about space nor price, I can play them right on my computer when I am in the mood or on the go with my emulator console. Its just a matter of convenience. As the many folks in the video have already stated, there is just so many quality of life features accessible through emulation that is hard to go back to just playing on the base console. Have anyone tried to go back and play game on a OG Gameboy? Yeah when I was kid, it was good enough however I even bought a backlight for it because it was annoying to play in certain places or at night. The Analog Pocket is just a superior experience.
Tech Dweeb, were the Brothers at.....lol where is Ur casual gamer at. That guy is sharp as a tack. He has helped me out just like Russ from (RGC) has. He's great with setting up emulators like Xbox you name it, this guy knows his stuff. See if you can get him on your next round table.🙏🏻
Ppl who say original hv forgotten whats it was like to play retro games or the lens of nostalgia is clouding their eyes. Who remembers how finicky it was to setup video for the ps2. Who remembers having a cd get scratched or for no obvious reason stops half way through the game. Who remembers your siblings writing over your saves cus you only had two cards. Remember when broken controllers just stayed broken. Who remembers the old tvs going pink after a while. I mean im here for the games not all that used to come with it.
I have tons of original hardware and I still am holding on to it but I mentally switched to emulation years and years ago. One of the biggest things that really made me happy was the update on the PS2 emulator. Once it got that qt update the fact that so many games can be rendered widescreen and upscaled is amazing and I probably won't play on a real PS2 ever again. And 32 bit and below (maybe Saturn at times) is indiscernible from original hardware making it much easier to emulate
I definitely prefer emulation because of basically what everyone has said with the modern upgrades but also for someone who doesn't want to spent a lot of money to mod consoles or to buy an OSSC, just the average gamer, emulation just looks better on modern TVs. I was never happy with trying to play my N64 on my modern 50 inch TV. The controllers are a big part of the nostalgia but we have so many options nowadays that recreate the look and feel of those controllers. I love the 8bitdo SNES style controllers. I don't feel like I'm missing out. It definitely feels like an improvement over the original, a better way to play those old games.
I still have all of my classic consoles, all the way from the original Odyssey in1975, Microvision (first cartridge based handheld) in 1978, Odyssey II in 1980, Atari 2600 in 1981, Atari 5200 in 1982... well, you get the point, all the way up to the XBOX 360 and PS3 (is that really retro yet?) and I'm 100% in on emulation for several reasons that weren't even mentioned in this video. Firstly, none in your Round Table mentioned being able to play their games upscaled to 4K using HD texture packs. Run that game at 4X or 6X the internal resolution! Many older games were limited by the resolution of the output and display device and not the actual 3D models inside the game engines. Using upscaling and texture packs breathes new life into old games in a way that we never expected. Who needs a remastered version of God of War from the PS2 or PSP when you can play it with a new HD texture pack at 4K? Not me, I say. 2ndly, no one also mentioned being able to play games from the PS2, Gamecube, Nintendo 3DS, or Wii in ACTUAL 3D. Using a 3D monitor, 3D TV, or VR headset, you can now play games with actual depth to the games. You haven't played Donkey Kong Country Returns until you've played it on a 75" 3D TV, or even in a VR headset like the Quest 3 (which is how I play my 3D games now using Virtual Desktop). This was a complete game changer for me, and I've been doing it for almost 10 years now. No one seems to mention it or even be aware. Thirdly, being able to play games handheld that were never meant to be played that way is a game changer (quite literally). GameCube and Xbox on planes, trains, and automobiles? Yes, please! Fourthly, the convenience of being able to carry your entire game library around with you on a small hard drive is ridiculous. Having a portable distribution of Batocera is something that we never could have even dreamed of 40 years ago. Could you imagine trying to carry around all of those cartridges and discs? No way, Jose. And lastly, you had mentioned using a Wiimote for games is a reason to keep your Wii around. If you have moderate soldering skills, or know someone who does, you can use an actual Wii Bluetooth module for connecting your Wiimote and accessories to a computer for 4K or 3D gaming sessions with zero lag. It completely bypasses the operating system software layer, and ties your Wiimotes directly into the Dolphin emulator. It is the only way I play my Wii games now, and it's fantastic. And entirely convenient. To me, emulation wins, hands down, in all cases. The Phawx mentions using the original controllers, which you can absolutely do using the USB adapters. And if you're holding the proper controller in your hands, and looking at the screen while playing, what does it matter what's hooked up to the display? I also noticed that his consoles were on a shelf and not hooked up to anything. Almost as if they're just display items. ;) Thanks for a fun video, and keep up the good work.
Microvision! Lol, I had that one with bowling and baseball. I wish I hadn't sold it. I do still have the Mattel handheld football and baseball games that came out in the late 70s. They still work great!
@@johnmadison3472 We had a bunch of games for it. I, too, played a bunch of bowling and baseball. Also the breakout game called "Block Buster", the Star Trek game, Connect Four, and Pinball. What a fun thing to have as a kid in the 70s!
I like both! I have original consoles, Emulation devices, FPGA devices and my trusty gaming PC and my laptop. All my original consoles however are „hacked“ so you can insert a SD card or an HDD and play all the games I want on original hardware, just like I do it on my MISTer FPGA or RetroArch.
A couple of points... A. I agree with most on here, emulation is just way more convenient, so I prefer it over real hardware along with not needing a big amount of space dedicated to it, and all of the modern features added to emulation vs real hardware. B. The point about the Wii.... You can use the Wii remote with a pc, so you can still get the awesome features of dolphin (like upscaling and such) and still use the original controller. There are Wii motion sensors you can buy that don't require that proprietary connection of the original. Other than that, I do agree DS/3ds are best on real hardware (or at least play DS on 3ds) for the dual screen/touch screen aspect. One thing I do like to do with emulation though is to have a close to original feeling controller, For that I am thankful there are companies out there making such products like 8bitdo, retrobit, retro flag, retrofighters and so on. To me, that is as close to real hardware as I need.
Don't get me wrong I LOVE emulation and retro handhelds, However, It doesn't beat having the physical console in my opinion. Its the nostalgia of holding the original GameCube controller or tapping the Xbox 360 power button and hearing that dinging sound it makes gives me a warm feeling, a feeling that I would have never felt with emulation. But emulation still has its advantages. sorry about the yappin session but this is my opinion. Thank for making these great videos TechDweeb!
Emulation allows for a multitude of different control options with modern day controllers. The n64 controller which was cutting edge of its era leaves a lot to be desired. Finally some games with single sticks can be modded or hacked to be used with dual sticks.
What portable emulator would you recommend for a guy who just wants a good experience playing Gran Turismo 2? Thank you! I’ll take my answer off the air.
Love to play original WII on original Hardware. With HDMI adapter it's close to the same feeling like years before. Also "newer" consoles as PS3 and XBox 360 I prefere to play on original Hardware. All other Systems can be well emulated because of savestats, grafical overlays. Very nice video again TechDweeb! Greetings from Germany.
I am pretty terrible at video games, but really enjoy playing them. When I do have time to play, I love having the ability to turn on cheats so I can see the game. Emulation is typically the way I like to go. However, I do agree that playing Wii games on the Wii and 3DS DS games on their systems is the best!
I remember when the cables didn't seen long enough and somebody else wanted to use the TV. When I had to buy a roll of quarters just to have to go to the arcade and wait my turn to spend my quarter(s) to play that big wooden cabinet. Nothing else like it. First time I saw Asteroids it was in a table where one person played and everyone else gathered around to watch and offer strategy tips. No joystick on that machine. Thrust, right turn, left turn, fire, and hyperwarp were specific pinball-flipper-style buttons. The versions on the TV just can't match it. First time I saw Combat was another table where four players could play against each other! And I still haven't seen anything like that big ol' first-of-its-kind track ball on Missile Command. For my money, it's the only way to play. Oh, track ball for Centipede as well. Sure, emulation is more CONVENIENT, but it's got its own problems. There's still a lot it can't do. But it's so hard to find the old stuff anymore, especially that's still working, or even affordable.
@@TechDweeb Summer of '72 I played Computer Space in a pop-up pinball arcade tent at the Ohio State Fair. I'll play a good arcade machine wherever I can find 'em as long as I have at least a spare quarter. I'm still looking for Any Way At All that I can play Computer Space again.
I have to go with emulation. I do miss all my consoles from the 80s and 90s and loved using them. Back then though, I always dreamed of a Gameboy like handheld for each console and today we have that and I am living the dream.
I'm going with Emulation for 2 reasons first is I have a disability and most systems and handheld are difficult to play so I need to use a joystick or controller comfortable for me, and 2nd is that tons of games have poorly thought out saving systems and save state fixes and improves them all, it's like playing with a superhero ability. Fought your way to the end and the Jillian asks you to join him? You know it's a trick but you kinda want to see the dialogue but worried about having to spend two hours to get back here save state fixes that for you
For me I prefer playing games on a tv from my couch. So emulation for me only really happens if I’m playing a mini console or something like a switch port of a classic game that I don’t own original hardware for. It also depends on the game. Playing a game like Final Fantasy III on my SNES classic is a great experience. Playing Sonic the hedgehog on my Genesis Mini, not so much.
I do love my GameBoy Micro. It was THE gba I wanted when I was a kid and never got a chance to get it. Now that I'm an old manchild, I finally got the chance to buy one and it is a joy to have and play with it. That being said, I usually end up going for emulation to play games, even GBA ones. I love the way GBA games look on my RGB30, I love playing romhacks and speeding up when I find something tedious, not being too worried about battery life (my GBM has a really old battery), being able to use bluetooth controllers and earphones, connect it a bigger screen and play whatever system I want. I'd say today I enjoy having my micro by my side while I prefer playing on my RGB30 (heck, I even just bought a V10 as an exclusive gba machine). I can only think that my child-self would be mind-blown if he had a chance to use an emulation device as we have nowadays.
I think it's mostly depends on how many of your favourite games emulate well. While I like to emulate Dreamcast, there are few games that struggle and look weird. Good example is Xtreme Sports and some WinCE games. But most of the time I will just grab my DreamStation 64 (RG405v) and get into action right away. No intros, no mipmap issues, pixel to pixel perfect PS1, DC and N64. Also just like Russ said I don't want to use my original DC and CRT it's plugged in just because tI don't want to shorten their lifespan further. So for me the answer is emulation 99% of the time
I think it was 1997 when i learned that with a pc i could easily play any NES, SNES, Master System and Mega Drive game. This made me want to work with IT (they have PCs!) because as long as i have a pc nearby to play Crystalis or something , i will be able to go through the adult things.
I use FPGA which emulates the hardware so the games run perfect. My Analogue Pocket is full of arcade roms, NES, SNES, TG-16, TG-16CD, Sega SMS, Genesis, GB, GBC, GBA. The screen filters built-in do not hinder performance and looks almost exactly like the real thing. No GameBoy emulator has come close to the original screen like the AP. I do want to get a Mister sometime soon. Not all systems support save states. For Virtual Boy, I use a 3DS and it is awesome. DS and 3DS, I play on a 3DS but stream through PC using Artic Base (Its like a 3DS Switch). For GameCube, Wii, Wii U and OG XBOX, I use modded hardware with HDMI out on all of them and each system has practically every game on an SD card or HDD. I do have a real NES I recently picked up, got two 8bitdo BT adapters and use NSO NES controllers w/o any noticeable lag on a CRT but mostly because I like the zapper games. I also use a flash cart that can do NES, Famicom and FDS games and it has the expansion audio mod
I'm with Adin that the PSP is such a great form factor. Still I can't go back after experiencing upscaled locked 60 fps PSP emulation. I would also add DS as one I prefer original hardware. The DS lite in particular looks so good for pixel art, and I can't find a filter to match it in emulation.
@@prodyg I have an RG505 for playing PSP which is great. I still miss the larger d-pad and buttons from the original PSP. I believe the Retroid Pocket 4 has even smaller buttons than the RG505.
Retro Roundup??? Also, Dang, every single person from the emulation community coming together to discuss Emulation versus Original, this is going to be gooodddd man. (Thanks goodness I got myself something to eat+drink before this video).
For me it depends on the game, I'm usually play emultation if I want to play something like an rpg and I want something portable. but some games I prefer to play on original hardware. currently I'm playing resident evil 1 in my ps1, but playing ff7 in my steam deck since I can fast forward
I have made an attempt to do original hardware, but my TV is too new. Emulation looks way crisper on my TV. I will at least try and get a similar controller when I emulate. I’ve been buying Retro Fighters recently.
Wii, Switch, 3DS, DS, PSP, PS Vita - original hardware everything else - emulation I love the way old games look on a 3.5 - 4 inch screen, especially PS1 and NES.
I feel Wii and switch doesn't require the hardware as you can easily get Wii motes and nunchucks working on dolphin with a mayflash sensor bar And the only thing the switch has going for it is the the fact it's portable and if you enjoy the joycons if you mainly play docked Ryujinx at 1440p with a 60fps patches looks incredible
What about the middle ground...multicarts on original hardware? Also I prefer handhelds i can consolize or dedicate to one system like RG-arc for Genesis. So my sweet spot is this hybrid zone that encompass physical and digital
Emulation for sure. Especially since I have entire console catalogues on one device. I also have access to several QOL and newer features that emulation offers.
Really, both. I love em both for different reasons. If I had to pick one or the other though, original hardware for me every time. If a game is too expensive to acquire then I'll modify said hardware and..play it via other means. Saturn's a great example. I just gotta have that accuracy and I gotta have that CRT TV. Not because it's a CRT but because I want to be able to play games at their native resolution on a bigger screen. If you play an NES game on a big modern screen but at native resolution you're gonna have to squint.
After decades of using emulation, I've switched back to original hardware*. The biggest positive I can say is that it keeps me focused. Emulation is magical and super important for preservation, but it makes things *too* easy at times. Having a billion games on a handheld kind of devalues them and makes it easier to quit, cheat, scum, or fast forward a game. Nowadays I'd rather go all in on one game, no enhancements, and fight the urge to speed through the experience. *When I say original hardware, I mean original console and CRT. I do take advantage of BlueRetro adapters and flashcarts/ODEs where appropriate.
I always wondered, i did have Coleco, NES, SNES, 3DO, Saturn,N64, Dreamcast Gameboy, GBA, , PSX , SEGA CDX and i probably forget some and never seen any difference. Never thought FPGA was necessary, to me it all. Looked as my memories . Sadly MS made sure i cant really play anymore so my retroid 2+ reminds me a little and TH-cam videos...
It'd had be very interesting to also add the pretty new FPGA thing to the poll. Some swear it's the best of both worlds. I never tried it personally and I would have loved to get some opinions from experts.
![[#2024MAMA] ROSÉ (로제), Bruno Mars - APT. | Mnet 241122 방송](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/dgGqD28J6aQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Let's just take a moment to appreciate the Phawx's ability to accurately point behind him!
No replies? Let me fix that 😎😎
Something different about the phawx. Seems like he has a 150iq
There’s also the middle ground, original hardware but modded to take backups. My Wii, GC and N64 have all been modded to take SD card backups but still run on authentic hardware. The SNES and NES are next.
I'm excited to mod a 2nd hand Gamecube soon!
GDEmu on Dreamcast, xStation on PS1, Fenrir on Saturn, OPL on PS2... Lots of great options for disc-based games, too.
Physical media eventually dies. Emulation is the future whether we like it or not.
Everything dies
Yeah and I don't like this but the future is like you said ... 😢
I don't think it's gonna die just became more and more expensive hobby
Oh man! This is a hard pill to swallow but yeah, physical media will eventually go extinct. Maybe when we’re old timers!!
@@dlericx1876 all physical media eventually breaks down and becomes unusable, "dying"
EMULATIONNNNNN FTW
and maybe hardware emulation, like FPGA, that's the way.
I live in Vietnam - there are some hard-core madlads who own original hardware/clones, but I find emulation just magical indeed. To have a basically complete library of a bunch of great titles and share them with my wife who didn't experience them growing up but was nonetheless fascinated.
@@TSDT that's awesome! 💯
Hế-lô ( ( :
I emulate but I use the original controllers to make it feel like I'm still playing on OEM hardware with filters that make the game look like from the early 90's.
Same! For me it's much less to do with the visuals and much more to do with the controllers.
Yeah controllers are by far the most important thing for the experience. Thankfully 8bitdo has great inspired by controller or adapters, Bluetooth mods available.
Buying 15+ year old tech and 15+ year old games has gone from "The only morally acceptible way to play those games" to a collector hobby.
It became too expensive to get older stuff. And I’d never be able to find and any of the good games.
When it comes to Nintendo the only morally acceptable thing is downloading their roms.
Yes that also involves the switch for me, since that corporation is pure evil.
Absolutely revolting behavior, they destroyed so many lives with their greed..
@@rolux4853 agreed Nintendo sux, yarr.
It's expensive, I don't feel bad having full ROM sets.
Can you point to what Nintendo has done, I'm not familiar with anything negative...
If I'm in my jammies and I have a bowl of Cap'n Crunch in my hands: original hardware. If I'm in my big boy pants and rounding up the nerve to leave the house: emulation.
@@CheapOneLiners relatable
As a friend of non-clutter, I find emulation much more appealing than a bunch of stuff hanging around gathering dust.
Retroachievements was a game changer for me. What's the point of playing a game if you can't document it with stats and fake internet points?
It's like going to an arcade and seeing how your skills compare to others.
I do understand why some people think like that, but for me that's like saying that all my decades and years of playing retro consoles were for naught. I had fun with them for being simply fun for fun's sake, if that makes any sense?
What does help with emulation, is the save states and screen filter options (especially as I no longer have a CRT). Some portables, like the Gameboy have very nostalgic screens, however the faintness, ghosting, and lack of backlighting doesn't help the experience.
I sold my retro collection to help fund the parts to a nice gaming PC and emulated what I wanted to play. I found myself playing more since I didn't have to hunt for a cartridge, make sure the right console was connected, fiddle with decades old hardware that may be starting to fail, etc. Now I can just go into Launchbox, pick a system, pick a game and I'm playing. My one exception was I went back and restarted an Xbox and Xbox 360 collection since some of those games weren't as easy to emulate and I like those systems. No way I'd go back to any of the 8 or 16 bit hardware though, or PS1, I have been spoiled by the extra settings and features I've gotten from emulation.
Did exactly the same
Did almost the same. Have a nice HTPC hooked up to my 85 inch 4k TV in my living room and using wireless keyboard and mouse and controllers with LaunchBox setup. Consoles look great on it esp upscaled. The handheld systems look kind of bad stretched on an 85 inch screen but that is why I have the Anbernic 35xxSP for.
I did keep some Sega Genesis, GameGear and OG GameBoy games just for nostalgia sake but got rid of everything else. I think its ok to mix emulation but have a few favorite original systems and games for them.
I have most of the USA Dreamcast library including the hard to find capcom fighters and shumps. Really thinking about getting rid of them since $50 emulation handhelds can play those games on a TV with Bluetooth controllers.
@@egon4564 Looking back, selling my Dreamcast 20 years ago was one of my greatest retro regrets, but once that Power Stone Capcom collection drops, every single game I had on there EXCEPT the WWF titles has been ported elsewhere. The WWF titles I can emulate.
I plan to keep my retro collection for my daughter. When i die she can hopefully sell a buy something nice
I’m loving the Round Table, all ready see all these faces having got into the emulation hobby over the last couple of years, and it’s really good to see the collaboration of all these guys and hear their comparative views, all in a fast easily digested format.
This series is a winner 👌🏻
For me a lot of the nostalgia I had for original hardware is in the controllers. For that reason I love that we can now get Bluetooth or usb versions of classic controllers like Nintendo 64 and connect to something like Batocera PC and feel like we are playing the real thing. Also, I generally don’t upscale N64 in emulation. I keep the original resolution and add simple filters to smooth things out like a crt would. Upping the resolution makes for much sharper image with cleaner lines but also makes everything look flat and all the original low res textures don’t scale up so they look like crap comparatively.
What's Ken Making did a good video comparing FPGA and ARM. In this day and age, all you need is a mini gaming PC and/or a retro handled and then you have the whole retro library. If you are worry about accuracy because slight visual bugs bother in a small number of games, if you have the hardware, their are plenty of accurate emulators like PSX Beetle, BSNES, MGBA, ect.
I was so excited to see Retro Fun Tech and Retro Tech Dad make an appearance here. They got me into Android gaming. Really hope to see the Retro Round Table grow more and more in the next season.
This was a very cool video idea...well done. Russ's points are exactly how I feel, preservation of all my consoles
Fantastic idea for a discussion. Would love to see more of these.
Here are my preferences: Emulation if playing on a modern display without all of the needed scalers and original hardware if playing on a CRT and I want to relive your childhood with all of the vibes of your memories intact. Both have merits and a time and place. The fact that my Raspberry Pi can connect to a CRT via its 3.5mm jack that is capable of composite makes that a great option as well if save states and all of the modern conveniences are important due to a game's difficulty, lack of save functionality, etc. It is all very specific to what we want and need at a given time.
I really appreciate the points and perspectives here! Hardware preservation, hardware and game design, and the ever increasing expense of retro gaming hardware are all factors that play into the importance of both emulation and original hardware. Great video as always!
I’m really into handheld emulation, there are so many games I wouldn’t have ever had the opportunity to play, on so many platforms, literally tens of thousands of games now made accessible, and the devices themselves are inexpensive. These are games made, at least with the older systems, when limitations were high and gameplay was more important than the graphics, substance over style.
You ideally need a few devices, with different screen ratios to benefit from the almost inexhaustible catalogue of games on many platforms out there, and they won’t take up the space that all those old consoles and cartridges would.
Wether it’s nostalgia or curiosity that makes you select a title to play, there is still a distinct level
of childlike wonderment available from these very convenient little handheld devices …a very rewarding hobby!
I’m excited to see what devices will emerge over the next couple of years, although there is a great deal of saturation at the moment, but that just means it’s a great time to start out, with all this choice and these competitive prices!
Sometimes I think I like TRYING to play the games as much as playing them. Emulation is a game within itself.
What a wonderful way to start my morning! Thank you TD for including me 💗💗💗💗
I gave my old games to my sister like 20 years ago, because I knew I'd never use them again since I had switched to emulation. And the scene has gotten massively better since then. I don't miss that old stuff at all when I've got literally all of it available at a moment's notice on an old raspberry pi, complete with modern features to improve the experience.
Wii original. Dreamcast original for 4 player games (because the wires kept everyone in close). I think I'd say the same for NBA Jam and other 4 player arcade machines. There was something about being shoulder to shoulder.
Why not pick up a USB hub and some wired 8bit do remotes?
I first got into retro emulation back in 2008. Things were more primitive then, at that point, PS1 emulation was hit or miss. Most N64 games could be emulated, but a few games still didn't run quite right. And emulating the GameCube consistantly was still a dream. I have always preferred using original hardware and I think I always will.
But as time goes on, original hardware starts to break down and it gets very hard or prohibitively expensive to actually get original hardware to work. I'm looking at you Nintendo 64 Steelstick. While things like 3D printing have helped with this, I have found that I have moved more and more towards using emulation for daily use.
Emulation has gotten to the point that it's practically indistinguishable from the original and it's just so easy to set up and use nowadays. So while I'll never turn down the opportunity to play a SNES game on original hardware, I'm finding that those opportunities are becoming a lot less frequent.
For those concerned about the tiny bit of input latency that you get with software emulation, just enable run-ahead or primitive frames through Retroach, set accordingly and you'll be golden. ^^
Awesome content TechDweeb. As an old school gamer myself, playing arcade and any other old school system, emulation is most convenient for me.
I like a Mix of the both TBH although I’m finding it progressively hard to not have save states when I’m playing original hardware.
Retro round table for the win. This is an amazing concept. Really enjoy the different opinions and perspectives
I used to use save states and speed up and other perks of emulation and now although I am still 100% for emulating, I prefer to emulate as close to the original gaming experience as possible (only in game saves, no fast forwarding, no graphics enhancements etc.) I feel like the joy and nostalgia has definitely increased for me.
Emulation. I remember experiencing Megaman X3 on snes9x back in the day because the cartridge was expensive and hard to find. I was blown away by the intro. Still brings nostalgia even on an emulator
I'm still hoping for a merge of original hardware and emulation one day. I want to collect physical games for older systems but have all the benefits of emulation such as fast forward, cheats, and save states. There is something about putting a physical cartridge into a system that can never be replicated. Happy to hear there will be a season 2 of Retro Round Table. I recently binged this show and it's now my new favourite thing on TH-cam!
I absolutely love this series! Your editing is always top tier comedy, but also you always assemble an amazing cast with great insights! I’m so glad the table is round so nobody is stuck at the corner with nowhere to put their mug of rootbeer
Wow, the end of S1 was a real heavy hitter! I totally didn't expect to see Yodarh's ghost going toe-to-toe against Cammie 4. I can't wait for S2...oh wait, what were we talking about here?
While I have totally been recollecting many of the systems that I grew up on, I prefer emulation. I love being able to tinker with settings to get whatever effects let alone being able to carry all these systems/games around in one device. I am seriously looking forward to where you are going to take this series in S2! As always, thanks for everything you do for the community, Mr. Dweeb!
I agree with adin's take, everything other than 3ds emulation cuz its so hard to enulate those dual screens right. I have been looking into a slide-up external small display of some kind tho (for my legion go) to make it more doable.
3DS still wow me with it's 3D effect. Definitely something I always keep.
I have lots of original hardware, but the headache of modding consoles or buying upscalers to play on modern displays has me very excited over FPGA consoles. I feel like i have a very good balance between original hardware and emulation.
Into the Retroverse
Kobe would be proud cause this guy simply never misses. Great video Dweeb, great job to the entire panel as well!
You take the win for best gag of the series!
I do like playing original hardware when I can, but I'm lazy and my back hurts and I don't want to mess around with my old CRT and a bunch of wires. So for the most part I'm going to emulate, even for games I have physically. Except for my Vectrex, because there's something about that buzzing screen.
Would have loved to see Retro Bird and his 2 cents on this video
For me emulation IS the nostalgia. Growing up my parents went above and beyond to get me plenty of gifts, but money was tight so my collection was limited. I discovered emulation in 7th grade and that became how i played most games. I always preferred to own the physical cart but that was rarely possible. Being an RPG fan made things extra hard, those tended to be more expensive, and thats IF they were even available. To this day i prefer the old fan translated versions of Tales of Phantasia, Terranigma, and Sieken Densetsu since Its how i first experienced them. If it werent for emulation i never would have been able to play some of the greatest rpgs ever made.
Those fan translation patches made my childhood better. Special place in heaven for everyone who put so much work into creating those English patches.
do you consider FPGA based (especially clock cycle accurate) gaming to be emulation or original hardware?
My setup consists of analogue pockets, mega sg, super nt, retrousb avs
I prefer fpga where possible, and original hardware with FPGA based hdmi mods when not
My most played emulation setup is actually my RPI connected in 240p/480i to my PVM, that's where i play most of my ps1 games for instance. I know it's emulation, but because it's virtually lag free on a CRT it feels more like original hardware than any other emulation device i own
on a related note and why i love analogue hardware so much,
I still enjoy the act of going to my local game store and browsing the shelves for a cartridge that I want to play
i may be plugging it into an fpga emulation devices and using save states liberally but the experience of picking up a new game and bringing it home to slot it into your console is super important to me
i tend to play games i own physically far more than any games i have as roms
and for whatever reason my mind considers cd based consoles to juts be roms on a cd so i never collect them, so i have no issue playing those on original hardware via an HDD mod or on an emulator
As the amount of available original hardware gets thinner and prices more extreme, most of the retro-gamers will have to look for alternatives: 1. Hardware emulation (FPGA), 2: After-market clones, 3. Software emulation. It is great that all of the approaches continue developing. In the end, each game, hardware and player need a bit different approach.
We need to remind Stubbs not to take his bedtime gummies before making these clips.
I love emulation, mostly for more modern systems - PS2, PS3, Wii, Wii-U, Switch, etc... but I also love hand-held emulation on one of the Anbernic vertical devices, as it's close to a DMG Gameboy.
But, for me mostly, as long as it's all set up and ready - Original Hardware all the way. You cannot beat actually using hardware that was made back in the time, something that actually has history. That history might be fun times with your family around a CRT, back in the time, bringing back some magical memories. Using original keyboards on retro computers, or actual real controllers on retro consoles - yes, you can do this with a Mister FPGA, but it still has a sort of disconnection to it.
Thing is, would you drive a Ferrari, or Lamborghini, or whatever your dream car is, if you knew that it was a replica, with a Ford engine, and more modern parts ?
Yes, on the outside it might look exactly like your dream car, and might even sound similar to your dream car, but it's not a REAL Ferrari, or Lamborghini, it's a replica that is close, but not perfect.
This was delightful to watch! For noe, emulation is my only option due to budget. I do dust off he older game boy color once in a while... But for everyday use, my emulation retro handheld with its rechargeable batteries, ergonomic form factor, backlighting, etc definitely gets more use
Also: I don't have storage space for a game library, or multi home consoles... Much less arcade cabinets! Rent is high, space is limited, emulation & digital games generally are more accessible for low income/budget gamers
My only wish for Christmas this year is for an official Techdweeb podcast.
I still own my original Vectrex and it is still my favorite system. Anyone who has had the opportunity to play the game that was built in, Mine Storm, would most likely agree it was an awesome upgrade from Asteroids. I kick myself not knowing I could have written GCE and got a fix for the glitch in the game and obtained the holy grail cartridge Mine Storm 2. I know the workaround but still would have been nice to have the cart. That being said, emulation wins. I don't want to keep using it and it break down on me. I will shed real tears on that day.
Tech Dweeb, do you like doing retro achievements? Or do you prefer playing without them? A part of me feels motivated because of the achievement sets but also I feel like I look at a game completely different and it alters the way I enjoy a certain game because I'm keeping those achievement sets in mind.
This is a great series. It's so fun to play on original hardware for the nostalgia but all the extra stuff you have to do to make retro consoles work in modern TVs is a dismal. Retro Handhelds however I think can be a different story because most have been hacked to the point of at least adding save states. My kids don't even know what it's like to play games where you die and start over or your mom unplugs your Nintendo to vaccine and your game goes back to start.
I'm definitely an original Hardware kind of guy I have my retro gaming tower and I have my CRT computer setup for games that I think would still use it. Boils down to software modification of any system I can and if I can't then the emulation gets broken out.
Emulation. While I don't use save states or ffwd functions... the convenience (having a large collection at finger tips) is huge, portable option is huge, and then I do love some rom hacks (especially for my sports games and bringing them forward with modern teams and rosters).
Retro Dodo gets my vote for being a guest on the series.
I am torn on this question. While I am always partial to original hardware and physical media due to a variety of factors, I find my emulating more and more these days. There is a joy in finding old games and old hardware at a used game stores and the like but it's expensive. Especially nowadays it is no longer a cheap hobby if ever was. I also live on my own now so there really isn't too much space for so much of it either. Sure one day I would like my own house with a dedicated gaming space but right now it is not really feasible. With emulation, I don't really have worry about space nor price, I can play them right on my computer when I am in the mood or on the go with my emulator console. Its just a matter of convenience. As the many folks in the video have already stated, there is just so many quality of life features accessible through emulation that is hard to go back to just playing on the base console. Have anyone tried to go back and play game on a OG Gameboy? Yeah when I was kid, it was good enough however I even bought a backlight for it because it was annoying to play in certain places or at night. The Analog Pocket is just a superior experience.
Tech Dweeb, were the Brothers at.....lol where is Ur casual gamer at. That guy is sharp as a tack. He has helped me out just like Russ from (RGC) has. He's great with setting up emulators like Xbox you name it, this guy knows his stuff. See if you can get him on your next round table.🙏🏻
Ppl who say original hv forgotten whats it was like to play retro games or the lens of nostalgia is clouding their eyes. Who remembers how finicky it was to setup video for the ps2. Who remembers having a cd get scratched or for no obvious reason stops half way through the game. Who remembers your siblings writing over your saves cus you only had two cards. Remember when broken controllers just stayed broken. Who remembers the old tvs going pink after a while. I mean im here for the games not all that used to come with it.
I have tons of original hardware and I still am holding on to it but I mentally switched to emulation years and years ago. One of the biggest things that really made me happy was the update on the PS2 emulator. Once it got that qt update the fact that so many games can be rendered widescreen and upscaled is amazing and I probably won't play on a real PS2 ever again. And 32 bit and below (maybe Saturn at times) is indiscernible from original hardware making it much easier to emulate
Please VladNerd!!!! He has to be there
I definitely prefer emulation because of basically what everyone has said with the modern upgrades but also for someone who doesn't want to spent a lot of money to mod consoles or to buy an OSSC, just the average gamer, emulation just looks better on modern TVs. I was never happy with trying to play my N64 on my modern 50 inch TV. The controllers are a big part of the nostalgia but we have so many options nowadays that recreate the look and feel of those controllers. I love the 8bitdo SNES style controllers. I don't feel like I'm missing out. It definitely feels like an improvement over the original, a better way to play those old games.
I still have all of my classic consoles, all the way from the original Odyssey in1975, Microvision (first cartridge based handheld) in 1978, Odyssey II in 1980, Atari 2600 in 1981, Atari 5200 in 1982... well, you get the point, all the way up to the XBOX 360 and PS3 (is that really retro yet?) and I'm 100% in on emulation for several reasons that weren't even mentioned in this video.
Firstly, none in your Round Table mentioned being able to play their games upscaled to 4K using HD texture packs. Run that game at 4X or 6X the internal resolution! Many older games were limited by the resolution of the output and display device and not the actual 3D models inside the game engines. Using upscaling and texture packs breathes new life into old games in a way that we never expected. Who needs a remastered version of God of War from the PS2 or PSP when you can play it with a new HD texture pack at 4K? Not me, I say.
2ndly, no one also mentioned being able to play games from the PS2, Gamecube, Nintendo 3DS, or Wii in ACTUAL 3D. Using a 3D monitor, 3D TV, or VR headset, you can now play games with actual depth to the games. You haven't played Donkey Kong Country Returns until you've played it on a 75" 3D TV, or even in a VR headset like the Quest 3 (which is how I play my 3D games now using Virtual Desktop). This was a complete game changer for me, and I've been doing it for almost 10 years now. No one seems to mention it or even be aware.
Thirdly, being able to play games handheld that were never meant to be played that way is a game changer (quite literally). GameCube and Xbox on planes, trains, and automobiles? Yes, please!
Fourthly, the convenience of being able to carry your entire game library around with you on a small hard drive is ridiculous. Having a portable distribution of Batocera is something that we never could have even dreamed of 40 years ago. Could you imagine trying to carry around all of those cartridges and discs? No way, Jose.
And lastly, you had mentioned using a Wiimote for games is a reason to keep your Wii around. If you have moderate soldering skills, or know someone who does, you can use an actual Wii Bluetooth module for connecting your Wiimote and accessories to a computer for 4K or 3D gaming sessions with zero lag. It completely bypasses the operating system software layer, and ties your Wiimotes directly into the Dolphin emulator. It is the only way I play my Wii games now, and it's fantastic. And entirely convenient.
To me, emulation wins, hands down, in all cases. The Phawx mentions using the original controllers, which you can absolutely do using the USB adapters. And if you're holding the proper controller in your hands, and looking at the screen while playing, what does it matter what's hooked up to the display? I also noticed that his consoles were on a shelf and not hooked up to anything. Almost as if they're just display items. ;)
Thanks for a fun video, and keep up the good work.
Microvision! Lol, I had that one with bowling and baseball. I wish I hadn't sold it. I do still have the Mattel handheld football and baseball games that came out in the late 70s. They still work great!
@@johnmadison3472 We had a bunch of games for it. I, too, played a bunch of bowling and baseball. Also the breakout game called "Block Buster", the Star Trek game, Connect Four, and Pinball. What a fun thing to have as a kid in the 70s!
a dead nintendo looks just as sexy on the shelf as a working one. i'm enjoying mine while we're both still alive!
I like both!
I have original consoles, Emulation devices, FPGA devices and my trusty gaming PC and my laptop.
All my original consoles however are „hacked“ so you can insert a SD card or an HDD and play all the games I want on original hardware, just like I do it on my MISTer FPGA or RetroArch.
A couple of points... A. I agree with most on here, emulation is just way more convenient, so I prefer it over real hardware along with not needing a big amount of space dedicated to it, and all of the modern features added to emulation vs real hardware. B. The point about the Wii.... You can use the Wii remote with a pc, so you can still get the awesome features of dolphin (like upscaling and such) and still use the original controller. There are Wii motion sensors you can buy that don't require that proprietary connection of the original. Other than that, I do agree DS/3ds are best on real hardware (or at least play DS on 3ds) for the dual screen/touch screen aspect.
One thing I do like to do with emulation though is to have a close to original feeling controller, For that I am thankful there are companies out there making such products like 8bitdo, retrobit, retro flag, retrofighters and so on. To me, that is as close to real hardware as I need.
Don't get me wrong I LOVE emulation and retro handhelds, However, It doesn't beat having the physical console in my opinion.
Its the nostalgia of holding the original GameCube controller or tapping the Xbox 360 power button and hearing that dinging sound it makes gives me a warm feeling, a feeling that I would have never felt with emulation. But emulation still has its advantages. sorry about the yappin session but this is my opinion. Thank for making these great videos TechDweeb!
Well said!
Emulation allows for a multitude of different control options with modern day controllers. The n64 controller which was cutting edge of its era leaves a lot to be desired. Finally some games with single sticks can be modded or hacked to be used with dual sticks.
What portable emulator would you recommend for a guy who just wants a good experience playing Gran Turismo 2? Thank you! I’ll take my answer off the air.
Love to play original WII on original Hardware. With HDMI adapter it's close to the same feeling like years before. Also "newer" consoles as PS3 and XBox 360 I prefere to play on original Hardware. All other Systems can be well emulated because of savestats, grafical overlays. Very nice video again TechDweeb! Greetings from Germany.
Emulation, hands down. You can easily obtain games at no cost, without wasting space, and with added benefits!
Right ❤
That's illegal 😂
Piracy on original hardware is a good option also.
A modded vita with games is a better experience than vita3k
Fast forward + RPGs + treadmill has become my favorite hobby. Gaming way more and being way healthier is an unexpected future
@@MisterDrumsNoob vita3k cant even play all the games, there is a compatibility chart.
13:31 Agreed. N64 emu still needs work.
I like how every single one of them have the anbernic SP lmfao that little thing made a lot of grown ups feel like kids again and I'm all for it!
I am pretty terrible at video games, but really enjoy playing them. When I do have time to play, I love having the ability to turn on cheats so I can see the game. Emulation is typically the way I like to go. However, I do agree that playing Wii games on the Wii and 3DS DS games on their systems is the best!
I remember when the cables didn't seen long enough and somebody else wanted to use the TV.
When I had to buy a roll of quarters just to have to go to the arcade and wait my turn to spend my quarter(s) to play that big wooden cabinet. Nothing else like it.
First time I saw Asteroids it was in a table where one person played and everyone else gathered around to watch and offer strategy tips. No joystick on that machine. Thrust, right turn, left turn, fire, and hyperwarp were specific pinball-flipper-style buttons. The versions on the TV just can't match it.
First time I saw Combat was another table where four players could play against each other!
And I still haven't seen anything like that big ol' first-of-its-kind track ball on Missile Command. For my money, it's the only way to play. Oh, track ball for Centipede as well.
Sure, emulation is more CONVENIENT, but it's got its own problems. There's still a lot it can't do.
But it's so hard to find the old stuff anymore, especially that's still working, or even affordable.
I miss arcades 😔. (REAL arcades, not the fun fair arcades that are around today)
@@TechDweeb Summer of '72 I played Computer Space in a pop-up pinball arcade tent at the Ohio State Fair.
I'll play a good arcade machine wherever I can find 'em as long as I have at least a spare quarter.
I'm still looking for Any Way At All that I can play Computer Space again.
I have to go with emulation. I do miss all my consoles from the 80s and 90s and loved using them. Back then though, I always dreamed of a Gameboy like handheld for each console and today we have that and I am living the dream.
I'm going with Emulation for 2 reasons first is I have a disability and most systems and handheld are difficult to play so I need to use a joystick or controller comfortable for me, and 2nd is that tons of games have poorly thought out saving systems and save state fixes and improves them all, it's like playing with a superhero ability. Fought your way to the end and the Jillian asks you to join him? You know it's a trick but you kinda want to see the dialogue but worried about having to spend two hours to get back here save state fixes that for you
For me I prefer playing games on a tv from my couch. So emulation for me only really happens if I’m playing a mini console or something like a switch port of a classic game that I don’t own original hardware for. It also depends on the game. Playing a game like Final Fantasy III on my SNES classic is a great experience. Playing Sonic the hedgehog on my Genesis Mini, not so much.
emulation, im playing games that I never played.
I do love my GameBoy Micro. It was THE gba I wanted when I was a kid and never got a chance to get it. Now that I'm an old manchild, I finally got the chance to buy one and it is a joy to have and play with it.
That being said, I usually end up going for emulation to play games, even GBA ones. I love the way GBA games look on my RGB30, I love playing romhacks and speeding up when I find something tedious, not being too worried about battery life (my GBM has a really old battery), being able to use bluetooth controllers and earphones, connect it a bigger screen and play whatever system I want.
I'd say today I enjoy having my micro by my side while I prefer playing on my RGB30 (heck, I even just bought a V10 as an exclusive gba machine). I can only think that my child-self would be mind-blown if he had a chance to use an emulation device as we have nowadays.
Just found your channel and it was amazing! I love me some emulation.
Good thing you guys didn't invited someone like Harman Smith lol
I think it's mostly depends on how many of your favourite games emulate well. While I like to emulate Dreamcast, there are few games that struggle and look weird. Good example is Xtreme Sports and some WinCE games. But most of the time I will just grab my DreamStation 64 (RG405v) and get into action right away. No intros, no mipmap issues, pixel to pixel perfect PS1, DC and N64.
Also just like Russ said I don't want to use my original DC and CRT it's plugged in just because tI don't want to shorten their lifespan further. So for me the answer is emulation 99% of the time
Could you emulate a retro TH-cam video from back in the days (240p or even less)...
I think it was 1997 when i learned that with a pc i could easily play any NES, SNES, Master System and Mega Drive game. This made me want to work with IT (they have PCs!) because as long as i have a pc nearby to play Crystalis or something , i will be able to go through the adult things.
I use FPGA which emulates the hardware so the games run perfect. My Analogue Pocket is full of arcade roms, NES, SNES, TG-16, TG-16CD, Sega SMS, Genesis, GB, GBC, GBA. The screen filters built-in do not hinder performance and looks almost exactly like the real thing. No GameBoy emulator has come close to the original screen like the AP. I do want to get a Mister sometime soon. Not all systems support save states. For Virtual Boy, I use a 3DS and it is awesome. DS and 3DS, I play on a 3DS but stream through PC using Artic Base (Its like a 3DS Switch). For GameCube, Wii, Wii U and OG XBOX, I use modded hardware with HDMI out on all of them and each system has practically every game on an SD card or HDD. I do have a real NES I recently picked up, got two 8bitdo BT adapters and use NSO NES controllers w/o any noticeable lag on a CRT but mostly because I like the zapper games. I also use a flash cart that can do NES, Famicom and FDS games and it has the expansion audio mod
Think it would have been interesting to include a wider discussion about FPGA as well.
This is the collaboration video everyone is looking for
I'm with Adin that the PSP is such a great form factor. Still I can't go back after experiencing upscaled locked 60 fps PSP emulation.
I would also add DS as one I prefer original hardware. The DS lite in particular looks so good for pixel art, and I can't find a filter to match it in emulation.
The retroid pocket 4 is my favorite way to play PSP games.
@@prodyg I have an RG505 for playing PSP which is great. I still miss the larger d-pad and buttons from the original PSP. I believe the Retroid Pocket 4 has even smaller buttons than the RG505.
Retro Roundup??? Also, Dang, every single person from the emulation community coming together to discuss Emulation versus Original, this is going to be gooodddd man. (Thanks goodness I got myself something to eat+drink before this video).
Original Hardware was great when I was a kid, now that I’m grown emulation fits my lifestyle much better. Great topic!
For me it depends on the game, I'm usually play emultation if I want to play something like an rpg and I want something portable. but some games I prefer to play on original hardware. currently I'm playing resident evil 1 in my ps1, but playing ff7 in my steam deck since I can fast forward
I have made an attempt to do original hardware, but my TV is too new. Emulation looks way crisper on my TV. I will at least try and get a similar controller when I emulate. I’ve been buying Retro Fighters recently.
Cool little series, TD. Looking forward to season two!
Wii, Switch, 3DS, DS, PSP, PS Vita - original hardware
everything else - emulation
I love the way old games look on a 3.5 - 4 inch screen, especially PS1 and NES.
I feel Wii and switch doesn't require the hardware as you can easily get Wii motes and nunchucks working on dolphin with a mayflash sensor bar
And the only thing the switch has going for it is the the fact it's portable and if you enjoy the joycons if you mainly play docked Ryujinx at 1440p with a 60fps patches looks incredible
What about the middle ground...multicarts on original hardware? Also I prefer handhelds i can consolize or dedicate to one system like RG-arc for Genesis. So my sweet spot is this hybrid zone that encompass physical and digital
Emulation for sure. Especially since I have entire console catalogues on one device. I also have access to several QOL and newer features that emulation offers.
The wicked gamer and the TechDweeb are hands that need to meet and greet
I love this series please keep this going
Wish I was apart of this conversation. If you have the space, original hardware but emulation is more cost effective.
Really, both. I love em both for different reasons. If I had to pick one or the other though, original hardware for me every time. If a game is too expensive to acquire then I'll modify said hardware and..play it via other means. Saturn's a great example. I just gotta have that accuracy and I gotta have that CRT TV. Not because it's a CRT but because I want to be able to play games at their native resolution on a bigger screen. If you play an NES game on a big modern screen but at native resolution you're gonna have to squint.
After decades of using emulation, I've switched back to original hardware*.
The biggest positive I can say is that it keeps me focused. Emulation is magical and super important for preservation, but it makes things *too* easy at times. Having a billion games on a handheld kind of devalues them and makes it easier to quit, cheat, scum, or fast forward a game. Nowadays I'd rather go all in on one game, no enhancements, and fight the urge to speed through the experience.
*When I say original hardware, I mean original console and CRT. I do take advantage of BlueRetro adapters and flashcarts/ODEs where appropriate.
I always wondered, i did have Coleco, NES, SNES, 3DO, Saturn,N64, Dreamcast Gameboy, GBA, , PSX , SEGA CDX and i probably forget some and never seen any difference. Never thought FPGA was necessary, to me it all. Looked as my memories . Sadly MS made sure i cant really play anymore so my retroid 2+ reminds me a little and TH-cam videos...
It'd had be very interesting to also add the pretty new FPGA thing to the poll. Some swear it's the best of both worlds. I never tried it personally and I would have loved to get some opinions from experts.