Looking for Playstation Portable ROMs & Emulators? Costing around $44 (£35/AU$49), these tiny computers are an extremely compact way of accessing your old game collection at a budget price. Providing that you’re willing to experiment, the Pi is customizable in terms of choice of emulators and library interfaces. The downside to this set-up is that it is bare bones, meaning you need to supply your own USB controllers, operating system, and storage space. This option is perfect for project enthusiasts and tinkerers, but isn’t as accessible as its commercial counterparts.
NES, 1993 (Super Mario All-Stars). Having pretty much invented the platform game, Nintendo reinvented it with the secret-packed Super Mario Bros. 3, then repeated it with Super Mario World. The two best side-scrollers of all time, it’s a heck of a job to separate them. The sprawling ambition of Super Mario Bros. 3 or the invention of Super Mario World? The Frog Suit or Yoshi? The Super Leaf or the Cape Feather? We’ve plumped for SMB3, but they’re so close to gaming perfection, there’s nothing in it. Read additional info at GBA Games.
Despite being expensive and a little complicated to set up, the Retro Freak is ultimately worth the extra effort: this is a superior machine that offers tons of functionality, and then some. It’s even got a very nice controller, which may not be wireless but is very comfortable and solidly built (USB controllers are also supported if you don’t want to spring for the separate adaptor that will use your vintage controllers). The actual console itself is a small brick that stores games on a MicroSD card. This plugs into a larger adaptor that reads classic cartridges and stores the game ROMs on the SD card. The sheer range of consoles supported elevates Retro Freak. All of the cartridges for NEC’s cultishly adored PC Engine, whether Japanese releases or American TurboGrafx-16 versions, run on the machine. It even supports games for SuperGrafx, PC Engine’s obscure successor, of which only five even exist.
While the original Donkey Kong Country set out to provide classic and conventional platformer style levels (a jungle area, forest area, ice area, and underwater area) DKC2 turns this on its head. The levels in DKC2 are incredibly diverse, from a pirate ship, to a bee hive, and even an amusement park. You also get a new Kong to play as, Dixie Kong, and let me tell you, she’s sweet. She can hover in the air to give you a second chance if you’ve screwed up, which is a huge blessing. DKC2 is a great game, but in my opinion they tried to go a little too wacky in this one as compared to the original DKC, but that’s just my taste. Discover additional info on Download ROMs & Emulators.