Downloading or owning it. Which is Better?

[unnoticedninja]

Oh, I didn't know, I heard someone on a different thread complain that they had to re buy on another ps3, guess they didn't use the same account.

[LeftyGuitar]

I prefer to own. I've recently began collecting retro games and consoles. It brings back so much nostalgia when you have the actual thing in your hands. Sure emulation can do that, but it won't be as good as if you had the real thing. Though I think emulation is what made me want to collect these awesome games. Sucks my younger siblings lost my GBC and all the games for it. It's something I'll have to collect again. I've noticed there are some good deals online. Emulation is a good way of trying out things though. It also lets you play games, you wish you could have played back in the day.

[ezsrlr]

My view is if the multiplayer is good, I'll buy because of the replay value. If it's a game with just single-player and no replay value whatsoever, then I will d/l it, unless it's really good (Kingdom Hearts for example).

[drrules]

I like to own after I try it out. Though when discussing old systems, I'd say I go with the purchase.
I recently dug through my crawl space under the stairs and pulled out my NES, SNES, Sega Master System II, Sega Genesis, Lynx, Game Gear, N64 (They were all in one box), and my Wii was returned from a friend. I'd like to find time to play with all my old systems.

Of course my original giant grey GameBoy from the 80s is next to my bed. Gotta love Super Mario Land and Fall of the Foot Clan… just not the same on an emulator. Purchase all the way!

[lordrand11]

As far as recent games go I like to purchase (with the exception of the PSP, DS, and the Wii [though there are a few exceptions for the Wii]). Emulation wise I used to have a huge collection of retro games that me and a friend of mine shared. It just became too much work and I got into the hassle of having too many games and not enough to play them in. With emulation I can play at my leisure and always be able to find a copy and the only bill I will have to front is the Internet bill.

[Soonjai]

Depends heavily on the game. In most cases I don´t care about having an original copy of anythingm but if the game is good and I have the system, I buy it.

[joseph]

Depends on the game if it needs backwards compatibility or save data trade etc buy it. if it is like any normal game download it.

[David Pridemore]

I prefer buying original copies cuz there are pretty much the perfect versions, a rom or iso can have errors, while on an actual copy the game is practically perfect.

For me, it runs both ways. Playing original games are funs but get MAJOR BORING after a while, that's where romhacks come in.

If it weren't for places like SMWCentral, Starmen.Net, & RomHacking.Net, some of those games wouldn't be much fun anymore, right?

[Drageuth]

For me, it runs both ways. Playing original games are funs but get MAJOR BORING after a while, that's where romhacks come in.

If it weren't for places like SMWCentral, Starmen.Net, & RomHacking.Net, some of those games wouldn't be much fun anymore, right?

I still enjoy most of my "original" games. In fact, I usually end up hating a ROM hack, because they are usually very shoddy, and I don't have the will or the energy to pick out the good ones from the plethora of crap.

However, I wouldn't necessarily consider ROM hacking to be "pirating," since you are getting a new game based off the engine and sprites of an old game. That, to me, is acceptable, even if it doesn't quite fall under the realm of "homebrew." It's still something different from the original, and the only way to get it would be to download and emulate it.

[shinomori_kyo]

well, this one dude offered to dl and burn tales of vesperia. but I wanted to own it. i saved up for a while.... and then bought it.

[David Pridemore]

I still enjoy most of my "original" games. In fact, I usually end up hating a ROM hack, because they are usually very shoddy, and I don't have the will or the energy to pick out the good ones from the plethora of crap.

However, I wouldn't necessarily consider ROM hacking to be "pirating," since you are getting a new game based off the engine and sprites of an old game. That, to me, is acceptable, even if it doesn't quite fall under the realm of "homebrew." It's still something different from the original, and the only way to get it would be to download and emulate it.

Crap.......hmmmm. Honestly I agree but if you look among most of the romhack trash. There will be a romhack gem. But either way, I respect your opinion as a moderator and as a fellow gamer.

Can you look at these two videos first, THEN decide, please?

Exhibit A - Super Demo World - The Legend Continues - Part 1 (aka The Good Hacks)


Exhibit B - Hacks 101 - Part 5 (aka the UGLY section of the rom)

[emufan79]

Depends on the generation.If its current gen then I buy 100% of the time.When it comes to classic games I buy 0% of the time.I have no problem with roms\images and I like not cluttering my entertainment center with 2 dozen or so old consoles.not to mention old games and consoles break.emulators dont

[luffy4]

And this is what Redump.org is for

I prefer having a real copy but with money issues and acquiring a Rare game im perfectly fine with a rom or Disc image.

this

[Retroguy]

Personally, I compromise. I like to play games on the original hardware, but I don't have the money or the space for a large collection, so what I do is buy flash carts. That way, if I never buy another game, I can still play them all (and I do still buy a game here and a game there).

[A Walrus in Heat]

I greatly prefer owning games. It just feels so much better to actually have a physical copy of the game.
That's not to say that I haven't downloaded a bunch of games though.