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[JdPat04]

I want some info on emulators.

Seen him talk about them before but don’t know if anybody else on here knows anything about them.

[FuckESPNdotCOM]

I know a little bit about emulators. What are you having trouble with?

[JdPat04]

I know a little bit about emulators. What are you having trouble with?

I want to get one but not sure what I’m looking for or what I need.

I just want something where I can play all of the old games from my childhood... without having to shell out $15+ for each game.

I’d like for it to be able to be two players but again, I don’t even know much about them to know where to start.

[FuckESPNdotCOM]

I know a little bit about emulators. What are you having trouble with?

I want to get one but not sure what I’m looking for or what I need.

I just want something where I can play all of the old games from my childhood... without having to shell out $15+ for each game.

I’d like for it to be able to be two players but again, I don’t even know much about them to know where to start.

Emulators = programs like Mupen64 and RetroArch that emulate a certain video game system.
ROMs = digital game copies to run in emulators.

I think your best bet would be to get a Retropie (basically an OS meant for video game emulation). It's a Raspberry Pi mini-computer that you can plug USB controllers into and you can get games preloaded into it. With everything it should cost around $70-$200. Raspberry Pis require a little bit of assembly (nothing harder than attaching a heat-sink with thermal paste, plugging in some wires, and snapping together a case) although many come pre-assembled. I'm sure there are tons of guides out there. They also sell micro SD cards with ROMs preloaded.

Another option is to buy the <system> Minis that companies like Nintendo and Sony have pushed out. NES Mini, SNES Mini, PS Mini, etc. They have their own issues such as fixed game lineups and PS Mini controllers sucking (no analog joysticks).

The cheapest option would probably to install an emulator on your phone or computer and download the game ROMs to play. IDK about Iphone being able to connect with multiple controllers except maybe with Bluetooth. Otherwise you can use a USB hub if you need it. Most newer computers have HDMI out and you can get adaptors if necessary to send it to your TV. I recommend using a PC unless you really want to game on the go given you said you wanted multiplayer. Of course you can load games on your phone and PC. It has the advantage of being free but you have to download all the ROMs and emulator software yourself. And you would have to get USB controllers or controller-to-USB adaptors if you wanted to use controllers.

Note: Games will not work perfectly and generally have minor glitches because the emulators have all been reverse-engineered. Some ROMs will work better in different emulators or with different settings. They're usually not unplayable, but it's not perfect. I've only really used emulators on Android with old N64/PS1/Game Boy games I own. I even have an Android TV stick that I use for gaming sometimes.

I strongly suggest you look up Retropie and emulators on Youtube just to get a basic understanding of what you're getting into. They can help you make a better decision based on your needs.

Retropie:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2QcC2GmV9Ew

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=REcWAAvfT4s

On PC:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qcmKgjQTtnE

[JdPat04]

Thank you, and yea I was thinking of something like the Pi because that what he talked about.

I don’t have a computer or a laptop. I just use my old ass iPhone until it breaks and then I’m getting something different.


I was wanting something I could plug and play into a tv with two controllers for my son and I.

[FuckESPNdotCOM]

Thank you, and yea I was thinking of something like the Pi because that what he talked about.

I don’t have a computer or a laptop. I just use my old ass iPhone until it breaks and then I’m getting something different.


I was wanting something I could plug and play into a tv with two controllers for my son and I.

No problem. I like to help. Yeah, you could definitely do that with the Retropie. It's probably got what you really want. Usually the ones that require less setup are more expensive, but considering you're basically getting all those retro consoles and hundreds of games in one tiny computer, it's not a bad deal if you want to spring for it.
I don't endorse playing games you don't own, but the preloaded stuff comes in there anyway.

How the hell do you live without a PC? At least tell me you have a keyboard.

[JdPat04]

Thank you, and yea I was thinking of something like the Pi because that what he talked about.

I don’t have a computer or a laptop. I just use my old ass iPhone until it breaks and then I’m getting something different.


I was wanting something I could plug and play into a tv with two controllers for my son and I.

No problem. I like to help. Yeah, you could definitely do that with the Retropie. It's probably got what you really want. Usually the ones that require less setup are more expensive, but considering you're basically getting all those retro consoles and hundreds of games in one tiny computer, it's not a bad deal if you want to spring for it.
I don't endorse playing games you don't own, but the preloaded stuff comes in there anyway.

How the hell do you live without a PC? At least tell me you have a keyboard.

Had them years ago and dropped knocked mine off the damn desk and broke it. We went to laptops after that and once mine crapped out I just had my iPhone.

Ashley has a computer and stuff that she uses for work. She has a keyboard for it but I don’t own any of that. Cost too much for me to get a new one considering I would only use it for leisure.

I use her old iPad for watching stuff and it’s about 5-6 years old.