Emulator all the way. You can run multiple emulators on one computer, but you can't play SNES games on a PS3. I guess it could depend on how well programmed the emulator is, if it's buggy and it gets annoying then no ones gonna like it. I have a lot of emulators myself, and the ones I've found work without bugs, at least with the games I've played.

If you're good with electronics (which I'm not) you could probably re-wire the wires in the controllers but a lot of companies like Logitech out there sell controllers identical to that of the PSX/2/3.

Emulators just goes to show the capabilities of a PC, being able to run so many games from different consoles that consoles can't run. I haven't been able to run any PS2 or PS3 games on my computer so I have no idea if a PS3 emulator will work smoothly on my new computer, but I'd love to try. If my computer can run next-gen games using emulators than the PS3, in my eyes, is not worth the $600, more like $50.

I think both are good cause sometimes you want to play someting really old and you just can in the new monsters :P. But i'm also love to play in a good console... it 's just the way you play that really make you buy it... and sometimes they are better than pc's in some games. Of course computers get better faster than consoles but i still need both...

Well there both good. emulators [when programmed well] perform as good as the console, but you dont get the same experience coz your using a keyboard/mouse.

i prefer [if i have the console] to play it on the console.

I don't think this is the place to ask for illegal downloads... Anyways, back on topic, I think consoles are better than emulators. Game companies are getting smarter, and have made consoles that really can't be emulated (ie the powerful PS3 with motion sensitivity as well as the Wii). I've tried the DS emulator with my tablet, it was alright, but the quality in sound was bad and it kept on lagging. Unless you happen to have a super computer and a huge internet bandwidth, emulators are probably not that good in the long run.

Besides, I enjoy playing games in my large LCD TV than my HD Monitor. >.>

Emulators are more convenient than consoles, as you can just download them from the web and run many of them at once; however, consoles do have the edge when it comes to controls. While a computer can lay out the format of the buttons and stuff, it's not as... authentic as playing the console, and that matters to some people.

Vixie

Game companies are getting smarter, and have made consoles that really can't be emulated (ie the powerful PS3 with motion sensitivity as well as the Wii)

Actually, there's a program called GlovePIE that can map a Wiimote to your computer, so Wii emulation would actually be possible.

Anyway, I mostly use emulators for romhacks. It's amazing what you can do with a simple game framework, like SMW, and a bit of creativity. I also use it for translations of RPGs not released Stateside.

KyosukeJohn

But emulator is illegal...

Right, because that's so cared about these days.

Emulator > Console
PERIOD

Save states, and game accelerators make the emulator much better. It's nice to own the original but heck no, I'm a go with the emulator 90% of the time. The N64 is still better console wise I think, SNES and NES go to the emus, PS1 is was too unstable and demanding, console wins there, PS2 emulator is rediculously bad, console there. Gameboy and Gamegear go to the emus as well.

Maybe the emulator probably is very dependent to the "Power" of the Pc for example, the emulator of PS2 Who are dissaper for the Card of Video, or too for the games adapted to the Pc, Any Way The Console for me is Better

/facepalm at almost the entire thread. Some of you are fellow savestate abusers, so you pass. o7

1. Emulators are not illegal in the United States, Europe, and the world. That is all you need to know.
2. Some go really slow and don't work sometimes. Deal with it, the devs are probably working on it.
3. There is no functional Gamecube or Xbox emulator. I tried, Animepaper, I tried. ;_;
4. Read below.

Use emulators when it's an old system like a PS1, or has a small CPU like a DS/GBA. PCSX2 doesn't do well for FMVs or going at full speed unless your computer can run 7 instances of 1080p h264 movies (exaggeration), and the 2 Xbox (orginal one) emulators don't work at all. Adapters for console stuff are everywhere, and price/drivers are the only thing that restrict me. Except for the Xbox, I soldered that USB cable like there was no tomorrow.

Hmm...when you guys say the emulators don't work at all, do you refer to the bugginess of the emulator? Did you get the right bios and gpu's etc? I play with the PSX emulator on my old games and they run silky smooth at 60 FPS on our television

Wellthe best thing of the Emulator are that whit the correct PC and the best config the games obtain a very skillfull graphics,best sound...


Demo whit my console y play old games and feel the pad and machien seeing the Tv and put Cassetes and Cd onto mi console really feel nostalgic,
I still have mi Famycom and i play some games form NES

Well, it actually depends of the console that is emulated, and the situation you're in (if you want to play a game ASAP, for example).

The emulators of the old consoles are right now far superior than the consoles, because they gives you much advantages that you don't have in the consoles (like save states, graphic filters, time acceleration, etc.) and in the majority of cases they can run almost all the games.

The problem with the emulators against the consoles begins with the newer ones (although the PS2 is not new). Because programing an emulator takes a lot of time and effort, and for that some emulators still have many compatibility issues that prevents you to play all the games you want. The emu for the PS2 is an example. They have done an incredible job making the code of the emu and it can emulate much commercial games, but has many issues still and need a very powerful machine to run them. The computer you need cost a lot more than a console and doesn't run all the games yet, so i don't see much of a gain by using it to play games, maybe for experimenting if that is your hobbie.

And therein is a major problem.
When you have a set system spec, developers can really screw around with things that may make it near impossible to emulate.

For example, Xbox emulation will be nearly impossible. It's not because it's too difficult. It's because developers knew that every Xbox would have the same speed processor, so they all coded timings around that processor. In other words, if you have a faster processor than an Xbox, the games will literally run in fast forward.

Rakuen: Although that sounds like a problem initially, a good emulator will allow you to set a max FPS. Even if your processor can process more FPS, by setting the max FPS you'll allow the games to be playable. I remember a PSX emulator, I think ePSXe, where if you didn't set a max FPS I had it running around 200 FPS and it was like you said, just way too fast.

The one thing about console vs emulator is emulators take time to create. You'll never see emulators come out soon after consoles. The PS2 has been out for a while and it's just now being perfected as an emulator. As good as emulators may be, you'll never be able to play current generation consoles via emulators.

Another observation, while a little more theory based, would be compatibility. With a console you'll always have true 100% compatibility because the game is made for the console. With emulations there's always the chance you'll run into problems because the game is being emulated.

I think what Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft are doing is a great idea. Allowing you to purchase and play old games. We all know the classics are great games that have tons of replay value, why not let current generation gamers enjoy them? My one problem with this is what if you have the original cartridge? I personally think they should allow you to enter in serial #'s if you already have purchased the game. This way you aren't buying the game 2x,3x, etc. Once the serial # is activated you can block that serial # from being reactivated, thus eliminating the threat of people sharing the serial # of their games (although obviously ever system can be cracked).

Nightquest

And for the Not Knowings: Playing Games with emulators is ILLEGAL!

What in the name of the lord is the problem with illegal things? Everyone states that torrents and emulators are illegal like it's some kind of evil thing in the world. Man up. I've been torrenting for years and haven't had a problem at all, just stop complaining that it's illegal. So? It's illegal and that means? I'm sure the department of homeland security is gonna care sooo much about you and your illegal emulations when they got a war going on oversees and trrorism to deal with in the United States. Please ya'll sound like wusses (no offense but it's true), just emulate for crying out loud, cause while we're playing all the great old games and ask you why your not and your say because it's illegal and you don't want to get caught, let's see who sounds like the stronger man.