Downloading ROMs illegal?

[h1930]

Hi. Are downloading ROMs illegal (for emulators such as SNES9x)? If they are... I guess there is no point in owning a Pocket PC for the ROM games....

[strickjh05]

Downloading them is completely legal. Actually using them is slightly different. If you wish to use the game you downloaded you must have the original version as well. For example I play super mario brothers 1, 2 and 3 becuase I actually have a nintendo with thoose games. (Although playing on my pocket pc is much easier becuase of save and load)

All you have to do is go to some obscure gaming place and pick up some old used games for mabte a dollar. Try pawn shops, good will, garage sales and any other method you can think of.

[Slapster]

Or a cash converters, Sometimes they have em there.

[h1930]

Cash converter? What's that?

[Slapster]

Its a chain of stores where you can cash in stuff and buy used things (I got a gameboy, and an NES there) for real cheap.

[h1930]

lol I have never heard of that. Thats cool. thanks

[iiicRules]

I'm not too sure of all the legal ins and outs, but it's generally accepted that the 'right' thing to do as far as emulation goes, is to own the original.
The fun thing is you can actually finish the games! I have an old GameGear (broken power adaptor socket), so I could only play with batteries. The batteries won't get me through an entire sonic game! However with the great battery life of some modern pdas and save games, its possible to play all the way through.

An exception which comes to mind is the spectrum zx ( i think it's that machine). A specific website has sought permission from all the copyright holders of loads of games. A lot of copyright holders have given them permission to distribute, their games for free at their site (but they are still subject to copyright), and those who did not grant permission had their game downloads removed from the site.

Have fun!

[h1930]

lol oh yea I heard about that before (about Spectrum ZX)...isn't that 8 bit though? I actually don't plan on playing ROMs though..(I don't even remember why I asked about them --lol). I am going to use the PDA for programming, game programming, games, notes, study, blah blah blah

[Legend]

I have several emulators but I am not sure where to get the games. Does anyone have a link or is this a hush hush topic?

I am particulary interested in getting Super Mario brothers 3 and NBA Jam for game gear. I own both games and would like to have them on my 4355.

Thanks for the help.

[strickjh05]

kazza

[shortybkl2122]

I've got an emulator for my PDA, 2215 Ipaq I'm using, but I'm new at this, anyone know where I could get some roms for my PDA? And also a good reliable emulator, I havent tried mine yet, but if it doesnt work well I'd like to have a back up.