How Do You Play Retro Games? (read post first)

I always like to play whatever games I can on original hardware, not just for collecting but also for the authentic experience. I also play reproductions, but only of games not released in my region such as Alien Soldier on Genesis or Star Fox 2 on SNES. I would like to have some of my consoles modded for better video eventually, but I haven't found the time or money just yet.

Aside from that I also have games on Steam that I don't care to buy the original console of, and I play some "programmable series" NES games like excite bike or wrecking crew on Virtual Console because they actually save custom levels, which you can't do in other emulators or even on the original North American release, because you need the Famicom tape recorder thing to save tracks on the cartridge games..

I usually play my Retro games digital downloads cause I find it easier to do then tracking the original copy [Authentic] and I honestly don't know jack about Emulations so won't comment about it. Digital Downloads also do help the developers getting there money back so they can continue to support future retro games. Rare Replay comes to mind when I bought it on XBL.

Voted: Digital Download.

There´s one option missing:

All of them.

That´s how I play my retro games. I do prefer physical possession ( cartridge/ disc ) but most of my games are digital copies.

I always try and do physical possession of the original or a port of some kind. I just like having physical copies of games best. Although I have downloaded older games I had no other way of playing like Super Metroid or the Thief games. Legally, of course. I'm not a thief.

Authentic, usually.

All of the above

I use the original hardware and cartridges for Retro games. I have a NES and NES 2 top loader, Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis model 1 and Sega Mega Drive model 1, The original Gameboy, and Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance.

While these games can be played on a Retron 5 console. I would rather use the original Hardware. Retron 5 is like a Emulation console. It is good in the fact you can play on modern Televisions. But for me I use an old fashioned SD Television with my retro console.

I have a HD TV for the modern PlayStation 4 and Xbox one, But I did bother to track down a SD TV and all of the original Hardware. Even though you could just buy a Retron 5.

Mostly authentic, but I like buying older games digitally sometimes. I've never really bothered with emulators, other than a few times where I played Mario Party with a friend.

Always go for original when possible. I've never messed around with emulators, the first time I've really used them has been on the 3DS with the virtual console.

I cast for "authentic", but the truth is many of my games are digital downloads too. I chose authentic because that's my preference. I'm a gamer first and a collector second, so if there's a good deal on a digital port or whatever on a game that's hard to find I'll go for it, but in an ideal world I prefer using the original hardware

It all depends... I would rather play every game I want on it's original console. Nothing can ever describe that nostalgic feeling you get when you're blowing one of your SNES carts. But for the games that I REALLY want to play but don't have the money for the actual cart or CD, I would use an emulator or download them digitally.

I mostly like to buy Authentic, but of course some games out there are either to hard to find or very expensive. So on those occasions Id buy it digitally.

emulation all the way, I have boxes and boxes of games and no space in my apartment to display them all. Having to go through tons of boxes, then go grab my console out of storage and hook it up is just way to much trouble. Additonally, emulators let me save anywhere, I generally do not abuse this system because of my old school gamer pride but I simply do not have the time to sit there all day and play through ghosts n goblins twice in a row like I did when I was young.

Mostly Emulation on my pc. Used to own more older games got rid of some because of limited space and not looking good on my hdtv still have about 50 ps2 and 35 wii games.

Use official Gamecube adapter (wii u) for gamecube games, Dolphin bar for wii games, ps4 controllers for ps1,ps2 , Xbox 360 controllers for n64, and buffalo Classic usb Game pad for nes,snes, sega genesis.

It's tricky... I like playing it on the original hardware whenever I can, but when it comes to a game like Earthbound, I'd much rather pay $8.00 on the Nintendo E-shop and play it on Wii U, as opposed to paying $300 on Ebay for an actual cartridge. Plus, like you said, if you download it, the money goes to the developers.

Authentic way i own now. PS1.PS2 NDS lite. And game's are way better than current gen's. And now i can buy any game i wan't. Back in the day's i was kid, and didn't get to play any K18 games.

In terms of video quality, playing retro games on authentic hardware with an older CRT TV usually gives the best picture quality.

It is not a pefect world, I emulate games if I can't afford them or isn't translated into english. No regrets.

Authentic all the way.…..

Option 4, all the above.

I go for an authentic experience while still maintaining the quality of life in modern gaming I've become used to.

This means I prefer:

• FPGA hardware emulation with near 100% accuracy (Super NT, Mister FPGA)
• Original Hardware, modded to output a digital signal via HDMI, modded to bypass a disc drive.

I'm not opposed to other methods.

• I just picked up a Wii U as my next retro platform project. WiiU's are cheap AF right now.
• I like to try each iteration of the Raspberry Pi with RetroPi. The Rpi4 is a lot faster than the 3. I'm looking forward to trying that out.

I chose authentic. However that doesn't always mean I try to use the original controllers :)

all of the above

I usually pick the mini console as I prefer using the og hardware connected to hdmi.

I tent to prefer original hardware, but I'm not against using digital downloads such as the Ps3's PS classics and Nintendo's E-shop.

The only classic game I own digitally on Xbox one is guardian heroes as my Saturn broke last year.

Original hardware whenever possible for me. Even newer games, I'll only do digital downloads under certain circumstances.

Original hardware whenever possible, but unfortunately most of the time I need to emulate it.

Poll needed an all of the above option - possibly other option too. I play older consoles, older consoles that play older console/arcade games (Atari Anniversary, Namco Museum on Xbox), downloads, and the occasional online emulator.

Original systems and digital downloads.