Retro Thursday - Emulators: The classics and more at your fingertips.

Welcome to the July 31st edition of 'Retro Thursday' here at New Geek Protocol.

I hope some of you had a chance to try General Chaos on the Sega Genesis last week. What's that? You don't own a Genesis or General Chaos? Well, do I have a solution for you. That solution is Console Emulation.

What is Emulation? Well, in a nutshell, it is a program coded to mimic the behavior of a video game console like the Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Genesis, or even the PlayStation Portable. The games aren't physical games, but files called 'ROMs' that contain the data from video game discs or cartridges. Mainly, emulation is used for classic game consoles, but recently there have been attempts by programmers to emulate last-generation video game systems. While these attempts to haven't seen the same results as older generations, there is hope to one day perfect the emulation of systems like the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3.

My first emulation experience was on the PlayStation Portable. When the system first launched, programmers discovered flaws in the code that allowed the installation of user-created programs. This became know as Homebrew. Once the custom firmware was installed, you gained the ability to download and play emulators right on the handheld. I was fond of NES emulator 'Nester J'. Through various system firmware updates, Sony repeatedly killed the capability to use Homebrew on your console. This was mostly due to some gamers storing and playing newly-released PSP games on the system. After updating your PSP, if you had Homebrew installed, it was rendered useless. No more 'Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!' for you.

An emulator running 'Super Mario Bros.' on a PSP.

As time went on, emulators became more and more accessible and ran with greater performance. I had one called NESticle along with every Nintendo, Super Nintendo, and Sega Genesis game ever made right there on my PC hard drive. But it's important to know that while emulation itself is legal, distribution of copyrighted code is not. So technically, you can have an emulator and all is good in the world. But once you throw the "ROMs" into the mix, you're breaking the law. Due to this, I won't be linking any websites to download "ROMs" in this post. But...I will say this: a simple Google search will point you in the right direction. It's also worth noting if you own the cartridge or disc to a game, you are legally able to possess the "ROM" and play it on an emulator since you already own the intellectual property.

NESticle running on a PC.

Emulators also allow talented programmers to edit or create "ROM" files. Many people create their own games or change/upgrade one of their favorite titles. The best example of an upgraded title is "Castlevania II: Simon's Quest - REDACTION". If anyone has ever played the classic NES title "Castlevania II: Simon's Quest", it's almost impossible to know where to go or what to do without a walkthrough or guide handy. The hints are extremely pointless and there is no general sense of direction. But one emulation user changed all of that. In "REDACTION", all townspeople now provide helpful hints, towns are properly labeled, and you have an idea of where to go and what to do. The final boss, Dracula, is also upgraded to look more like Dracula and provide increasedl difficulty. The game is now fully playable decades later and becomes one of the best titles in the "Castlevania" franchise. And it's all thanks to emulation.

Emulation: Turning a bad game into a great one.

Many gamers nowadays won't be able to experience the classics offered by consoles of old. The classics are either too expensive, too difficult to find, or too time consuming to play. On an emulator, you have a library at your fingertips along with the advantage of saving your progress wherever, whenever. Playing a game of "Dick Tracy" and you want to quit? Save state. Finally going through "Zelda II: The Adventure of Link" and you want to make sure you don't lose your progress? Save state. About to fight Mike Tyson in "Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!" and are sure you will lose, but don't want to start over? Save state. It makes classic gaming more enjoyable for today's generation. It also allows you to try all different types of games without having to spend a bunch of money on something you may hate.

Thanks to the constant upgrades to technology, there are now multiple ways to play emulators. Obviously, PC is still in the mix. On my cell phone, a LG Nexus 5, I have a few classic emulators installed. There are also apps you can download to help you find "ROMs" and download them straight to your Android phone. If you're on an iPhone and want to emulate, you have to jailbreak your phone in order to download the emulator. Unless you were lucky enough to get one before Apple pulled them off the App Store. On Android, the apps are easily downloadable and simple to use.

Super Mario Bros. on an Android emulator.

Emulator Apps on Android.

The best part about cell phone emulators is the multiple controllers you can purchase if you don't want to use the standard touch screen. I bought the MOGA Pocket controller to pair with my phond and it is perfect. Via Bluetooth, you connect to your decice and are able to assign the buttons to your liking. You can also save various button layouts for different games. It's like having a generation of games in your pocket. There are also other controllers out there that aren't as mobile and have more features. But for the gamer-on-the-go or for travel, the MOGA Pocket is perfect. It runs on only two (2) AAA batteries and has a pretty long life. I used it on a 5 hour plan ride and had enough juice to play in my hotel room for a few nights and my flight home.

MOGA Pocket controller.

Every gamer should check out an emulator for themselves. Download your old favorites, try a game you've never played, or finally beat that son of a bitch Jaquio in "Ninja Gaiden" by using save states. There's nothing like experiencing the classics again and emulators allow you to do just that. What's your favorite classic game? Your favorite emulator? What platform are you emulating on? Leave a comment or hit me up on Twitter @Money_Launderer.

And, as always, game on.

-ML