Is it Worth Buying an Emulator for '80s Style Gaming?

People everywhere miss the array of classic titles that associated with the 1980s. That's why listening to podcasts and streaming movies are popular ways to rediscover the culture. In the same manner, emulators are also a popular way to play classic '80s video games. 

Throughout the '80s, there were a number of iconic releases that were accessible on retro console machines. But now, iconic titles such as Tetris and Pac-man have been replaced by a new wave of games that offer plenty of detail and sophistication. For instance, Horizon Forbidden West is an action role-playing release that PS5 gamers play today. Additionally, smartphone gamers have augmented reality games like Pokemon Go to sample, while PC gamers can fire up an internet browser and explore popular alien-themed titles like the Reactoonz slot game. These modern-day products have an understandable appeal, but sometimes the classics warrant a revival. Thankfully, gamers in need of some retro gaming action can get their fix and it’s not as complicated as you might think.

By making the most of golden games through an emulator, a number of classic releases from past eras are accessible on a personal computer. These emulators have been created to essentially enable gamers to experience classic titles from consoles of the past. It’s worth noting, though, that downloading emulation software is illegal, but downloading the ROM images - which is essentially a copy of the game in software form - isn’t. An important difference to understand, emulators are therefore great options for many gamers.

MyEmulator is a good all-around emulator

With a strong focus on many of the retro games citizens from the 80s grew up with, MyEmulator is easily one of the best options on the list. Offering games from much-loved consoles like the NES, SNES, GBA, NDS, N64, Sega Genesis, and NEO GEO, the comprehensive selection of titles to get through is mightily impressive.

Which games can you play on MyEmulator? For those who look for a bit of 80s nostalgia, it has you well covered. Let’s start with the iconic Super Mario Bros. Perhaps the most famous video game in history, it revolutionized the idea of 8-bit entertainment when released in 1985. Mario isn’t alone among the classics on MyEmulator; you’ll also find Donkey Kong, and the original Legend of Zelda game (1986) is there too.

Atari games can be found on emulators

The '80s did not belong to Nintendo alone and if you look around, you can find plenty of emulators that mimic specific consoles. The Atari 2600, for example, was a huge success across the decade, even if it did feel somewhat dated toward the end of it. Stella, BizHawk, and RetroArch are among the best Atari emulators. Titles like Tomcat, Midnight Magic, Paperboy, and many others that time has forgotten can be found.

For many '80s kids, the Sinclair Spectrum was the gaming platform of choice. Many of us remember the horrible sound of the games loading on those darn tapes. But you can find pretty funky Spectrum emulators that deliver some of the games from your childhood – the Dizzy series from Codemasters is one of the more popular choices today – without all the fuss. Good emulators include Speculator, Speccy, and Fuse.

Finally, a word of warning. You should only ever choose emulators after doing a bit of research, and where possible, only download from official app stores if on mobile. The brands we listed in this article are all legitimate (some are free, others not), but you should always take a moment before downloading software and links onto your smartphone or PC.

Images courtesy Depositphotos