I was a bit shocked to see that the Retrode detected the saved time trial records on my copy of Super Punch-Out! that were first set nearly two decades ago. We tried out the Nintendo 64 plug-in cart, which comes with built-in slots for two N64 controllers, and found it worked as advertised, though it seemed to have some trouble relaying the full sensitivity of the controllers' analog sticks and finding N64 save files (which won't be accessible for N64 games until a future firmware update).Īside from the legal considerations, using the Retrode rather than a downloaded copy of the same game (which, let's face it, will be largely identical) is useful for one major reason: save files. The makers sell adapter cartridges that allow you to plug in everything from Sega Master System to Nintendo 64 cartridges. The Retrode isn't just limited to Super NES and Genesis games, either. It's not just for Sonic & Knuckles anymore. Stick in the game, plug in the USB cord, and the Retrode appears as an external drive sporting an emulator-friendly ROM file that's ready to play on any PC or Mac computer (we didn't test the device with a Linux box, but the makers advertise Linux mounting as well).Įnlarge / Lock-on technology. This elegant, tiny USB device (barely bigger than a couple decks of playing cards) sports a flip-up lid that reveals exposed ports that fit standard Super NES and Genesis cartridges. What's more, those physical cartridges won't last forever, and digital ROM files are a much more robust way to ensure that your classic games will last well into the future. Not only do you get to enjoy these games on a big monitor, but you get extra features like save states, slow/fast motion, video and input recording, visual filters, and more to enhance the experience. This is all a shame for the law-abiding retro game fan, because emulation is a pretty great way to enjoy the games of your youth. Some players try to limit their ROM downloads to fair use 'backups' of cartridges they already legally own, but even this is a bit legally questionable if you're downloading someone else's (largely identical) copy of the game rather than copying the physical cartridge you actually own (though it's hard to find much actual case law dealing with this wrinkle of digital game archiving). While the emulators themselves are generally accepted as perfectly legal, downloading copyrighted ROMs generally isn't OK, no matter what your cousin told you about a '24-hour trial period' exemption or abandoned copyrights. If you're a retro game fan who cares about obeying the letter of the law, emulation is a veritable minefield.

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