Everyone looks for some way to kill time. Maybe you have an hour between classes or the intercampus shuttle to and from the Polytechnic campus is taking longer than usual. Whatever the case, you probably want to use that time to take a break from your work; but what can you do? An option that many techies have taken advantage of (and you can too) is that they play classic videogames on their computers, smartphones and tablets. Yes, you can rock out to some Pokémon Red or Sonic the Hedgehog on the devices in your pocket or backpack.
Turn your computer into a retro gaming system by installing an emulator and ROMs. Photo by Courtland JeffreyThere are actually a couple options out there that allow you to recapture those fun times on the Super Nintendo or other retired gaming systems. Probably the easiest option is to see if the game you want is for sale in your app store or on the Internet. Sega has jumped on the idea of converting games to apps, especially their Sonic the Hedgehog series. They have recreated some of the classics, making them playable on touchscreens and compatible with Bluetooth controllers. Although Sega disappeared from the gaming system lineup, they focused their efforts on the smart device industry. They have even created new Sonic games in app form; to check out what they have available, old or new, check the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now. If you search for a specific game and come up short, fret not because there are other methods to getting that blast from the past. One option that many take advantage of is the emulator-ROM setup.
Emulators, in a nutshell, are programs that recreate, or emulate, another system. If you scour the web, you can find many different emulators for just about any old gaming system, from the original Nintendo Entertainment System, to the GameBoy and the Sega Genesis. One of my personal favorites is Snes9x. Snes9x, which is available on Windows, Mac and Android, allows the user to run Super Nintendo games on your device. Once the emulator is installed, users need to download ROMs of the games that they want to play. Imagine that a ROM is a game cartridge and the emulator is the system itself; you need both for it to work. For me, Super Mario All Stars is a must, as it is still one of my favorites that I play on my SNES. The easiest way to set yourself up with an emulator running your favorite games is to Google an emulator of the game system you want, then Google “(the game you want) ROM” and try a few sites until you get one that downloads. Open the ROM up in the emulator, learn the button controls that are set and then you are good to go.
Next time you find yourself with some free time, decide which is better: sitting and twiddling your thumbs or rocking out to Mario and the gang?
If you have any questions or comments, email me at cejeffre@asu.edu and follow me on Twitter @Court_Jeffrey. Happy ROM-ing!
