Retro gaming and emulation: getting started
With an emulator you play games from old consoles on your PC, Raspberry Pi or Steam Deck. It’s a wonderful hobby, but the beginner question is always: which emulator do I need and where do I get games? This guide lays it out. In the following articles we explain each emulator separately, with installation, links and tips.
Is this legal?
The emulators themselves are legal programs. It’s about what you put in them:
- Games (ROMs and disc images) are protected by copyright. Only make them from games you own yourself, with your own disc or cartridge and a suitable reading device.
- BIOS files from consoles (PlayStation, PS2, Nintendo DS) are sometimes needed. Get those from your own console; here’s how.
- Entirely legal playing is possible with homebrew, freeware, shareware and re-released classics (for example via GOG or Steam).
On geekstation.nl we don’t offer ROMs or BIOS files and we don’t link to them either. So-called “ROM packs” from random sites are also a known source of malware.
Which emulator for which console?
| Console | Recommended |
|---|---|
| NES, SNES, Mega Drive, Game Boy and more | RetroArch (all-in-one) |
| Game Boy / Color / Advance | mGBA |
| Nintendo DS | melonDS |
| GameCube and Wii | Dolphin |
| PlayStation 1 | DuckStation |
| PlayStation 2 | PCSX2 |
| PSP | PPSSPP |
| Arcade cabinets | MAME |
| DOS games and point-and-click | DOSBox Staging and ScummVM |
What hardware do you need?
- Raspberry Pi 4 or 5: excellent for 8-bit to 32-bit consoles. A Pi 5 also handles PSP and Dreamcast.
- Mini PC (for example Intel N100): the best price for GameCube, Wii and often PS2.
- Steam Deck: handy and powerful enough for most systems up to and including PS2 and GameCube.
- Regular PC or laptop: anything you want, especially with a dedicated graphics card.
These are indications: how heavy a game runs differs per title.
One program or multiple?
RetroArch bundles dozens of emulators (“cores”) in one program with the same controls. Handy for the older systems. For heavier consoles, separate, specialized emulators like Dolphin and PCSX2 often work better. If you want a nice game library on top or a complete console experience, then look at a frontend like EmulationStation-DE or a complete system like Batocera.
Getting started
- Choose the console you want to play and read the corresponding article.
- Install the emulator and get your BIOS and games from your own collection.
- Connect a controller and configure it.
- Read our retro tips for shaders, backups and less lag.