Emulators?

Emulaters, some consider them illegal, but some think they're fine. I have no idea. I recently got an xbox 360 controller to work w/ my computer, so I downloaded an N64 emulater and some games that I own for the actual system. (Man N64 is great with an xbox controller). No I don't know if this is illegal or not.

I don't think its illegal b/c I've only downloaded roms for games I already own (OoT, MM, Super smash bros, and Startfox 64, I own them all in real life). Is it illegal to have roms that you don't own the actual game for?

Also, how many of you use emus? I've heards a lot of people say they do.

But it just boils down to the same issues as the free music, the artist (or game designer), dosen't get any royalties with the downlaod.

What do you tihk?

Emulators are very much illegal, no matter if you think they're okay or not. O_o

Nintendo says it well; there is do doubt that Emulators are illegal.

I think Emulators are generally illegal, unless you actually own the game and it still works. Even though Nintendo would still see you as "stealing" their product, I think it would be morally right if you had already bought the game.

One solution Nintendo could use is giving out somehow non-copyable Roms of whatever game you buy inside its package along with the game for whatever system. If you really wanted to play Nintendo games on the computer so badly, you would then have your chance.

As for your other question, I have used one before. I used it for the GBA, and although its "real life" games don't coost as much money, it was equally illegal...I relized that, and started to feel guilty. Soon after getting and using one, I stopped.

Emulators are perfectly legal. What's illegal are commercial roms.

^ Righto.


I have an SNES emulator and I constantly cycle through roms. Yes, it is illegal. However, I do not care.

Indeed, Emulators and Roms are perfectly legal. But, there is a catch to emulating roms... You must own the original game(s) and use the rom as a source of back-up to play your games.

I.E.: I want to play Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and I dont want to risk rubbing the bottom of the disk everytime I take it out to play. So I put the disk in my computer and rip the cd in Bin/Cue files and I mount the image(as in bin/cue files) in a fake drive from Alchohol 120%. Then I use the ePSXe emulator to play CV:SotN on my computer.

The main reason why a lot of people find it so illegal, is because of the mass number of people out there that abuse the use of back-up roms. Also note, that having an emulator by itself, is not illegal, unless if you don't have the original system to begin with. There are many emulators out there, that support homebrew made game, which is completely legal to play with...

Well I'd say if you own a Nintendo 64...And you own OoT...I would say you can download a N64 Emulator and OoT ROM and play it on your computer. Its just a different form of playing what you own.

But of course if you don't own the system non the game, Its perfectly illgeal.
But that alot of people don't care, Incluing me.

No, the whole thing with "It's legal if you own the real game" is just a lie that gamers came up with to feel better from using illegal roms. ^^ 'tis still as illegal to use a rom even if you had 10 copies of the real game.

Emulaters aren't illlegal (in my opinion), whats illlegal is commercial roms even if you have the original copy.

Can I Download a Nintendo ROM from the Internet if I Already Own the Authentic Game?

There is a good deal of misinformation on the Internet regarding the backup/archival copy exception. It is not a "second copy" rule and is often mistakenly cited for the proposition that if you have one lawful copy of a copyrighted work, you are entitled to have a second copy of the copyrighted work even if that second copy is an infringing copy. The backup/archival copy exception is a very narrow limitation relating to a copy being made by the rightful owner of an authentic game to ensure he or she has one in the event of damage or destruction of the authentic. Therefore, whether you have an authentic game or not, or whether you have possession of a Nintendo ROM for a limited amount of time, i.e. 24 hours, it is illegal to download and play a Nintendo ROM from the Internet.

Also it even says it's illegal in the instrution manuals.

Oh, and I have about 20 ROMs most of them I haven't even played.

Nintendo can say whatever they want with their games, but that wont stop me from making back-up copies of my CD based games, or of some cartridge games that I feel need to be backed up. I bought them with my own money and they can be easily damaged. So from my view point, I have the right to create a fake copy or an image of the game, so I don't have to worry about the downfalls of the CD/cartridge possibly breaking/wearing out.

I believe the main reason behind many companies saying this, is for the high risk of people redistributing, or even at a higher degree of illegality, selling the replica. In which both cases the company would loose a profit right there.

I don't feel immoral about such a subject, because (A.) I'm not relocating/distributing/selling the game. (B.) The company has received my money from buying their original product that I'm creating a personal back-up of and (C.)I'm not doing anything that would hinder them with a sale, or am I exploiting this for my own profit... So, I would be doing this for the sake of elongating the life of the game I purchased from them...

Also, if this is of such high illegality, then why hasn't there been a mass effort to stop every single Rom/Emulator website out there? There obviously has to be some type of claus protecting such sites, otherwise, I think it would seem obvious that there would have been immediate action towards the distributers back in the day, when emulation first started to become of such huge popularity... :/

They are illegal if you don't own the game, but so what. Does it really matter? It's not like the police or Nintendo are randomly going to go knocking on doors shouting "Random illegal emulator and ROM search. Oh yeah, if you do have one, could you keep it on your computer and not delete before we get in!" Exactly, you're at no risk anyway!

Originally Posted by technolink

OKay, by emulaters i ment emulaters and roms, b/c whats the use of an emu w/o roms? The main reason I use it is b/c OoT is so much better on an xbox 360 controller. Seriously. YOu like click the controle stick and iuts the A button! Anyways, nintendo itself did say that it is illigal, now that I know this, my morals will probably take over ina few days (as soon as I beat OoT, lol).

Commercial ROMs are illegal, however, it's quite possible to write your own software to run on an emulator. Emulators can be used as a testing ground for a game before it is actually put onto a cartridge/disc.

Emulators are legal, but commercial ROMs are not in anyway. That stuff about having the game, so it's legal is easily just a lie.

I think it's illegal, but I really don't care, I use them too.

Well if you have the game already it's ok. But if you took some that you never have before you can be fined. So it's you choice what would you do? Plus you must have the system owned too.

Originally Posted by ProtoLink

Also, if this is of such high illegality, then why hasn't there been a mass effort to stop every single Rom/Emulator website out there? There obviously has to be some type of claus protecting such sites, otherwise, I think it would seem obvious that there would have been immediate action towards the distributers back in the day, when emulation first started to become of such huge popularity... :/

The reason that some rom websites haven't been closed are because some of those sites aren't based in the US and the US isn't the center of the world so people that aren't from the US like me don't have to obey their copyright laws.

Anyway in the USA it is legal to create roms from your copy of the game if you download it from a website it is illegal if you own a copy of the game or not.

Also I find it stupid that some people are saying that it's illegal to have roms because it says so in the Nintendo instruction manual.Since when do people take their legal advice from Nintendo ?