Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: Abandonware Sites
• Method 2 of 2: Emulator
• Tips
• Warnings

Nostalgia is a pretty strong feeling, even when it comes to gaming. Despite the huge variety of modern games (both PC and console), many people remember the games they grew up with. Others just want to play games they haven't seen. The very first video games were released in the early 80s. Regardless of the reason you want to play old games, finding them is easier than you think.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Abandonware Sites

1. 1 In a search engine, enter "Abandonware" or "Abandonware games" (without the quotes). Abandonware is software that is no longer sold or supported by the manufacturer, often because the manufacturer is closed or bought by another company.The search results will display several sites where you can download old games.
   • Under each site (in the list of search results), read its description to find out which sites offer free downloads of games.
   • You can also enter “popular Abandonware sites” (without quotes) into the search engine to select the correct resource. This will find some sites and forums that recommend specific abandonware sites and / or provide information about the safety of the files stored on those sites.
2. 2 Select a site and open it. Games will be organized in a certain way depending on the site. Most likely, the games are organized by category or you can use the search (if you know which game you want).
3. 3 Click on the name of the game you want. Further actions depend on the site you have chosen. In most cases, a page with information about the game and reviews from other users will open. Sometimes the button for downloading the game is quite difficult to find, but still try to do it.
4. 4 Click on the button to download the game. On some sites, you can play games directly in your browser (that is, you do not need to download such games). But if you download the game, you can play it without an internet connection. Be aware that some ads are disguised as download buttons; in this case, pay attention to the design of the button - it should be different from the overall design of the site. Also, an advertisement always has a button with which you can close it.
   • You can download different versions of a particular game, but any of them will run.
5. 5 Start the game. Most likely, the downloaded file will be placed in the Downloads folder. In most cases, an archive file will be downloaded, which must be unpacked (unless the system does it automatically). To unpack the archive, use the WinRAR program.
   • You may need to change your system settings to install an application created by unknown developers.
   • Also read the Warnings section of this article to familiarize yourself with the legality of using software downloaded from Abandonware sites.

Method 2 of 2: Emulator

1. 1 Find an emulator on the internet. An emulator is a program or device with which you can use software developed for another operating system. In our case, game emulators will allow you to install console games on a computer, laptop or mobile device. In the search engine enter "game emulator" (without quotes) or open the site [1].
   • Emulators can be used without restrictions, but read the Warnings section of this article to familiarize yourself with the legality of using older games.
2. 2 Select an emulator. The choice depends on the system or game console that you want to emulate. Before downloading a specific emulator, compare the characteristics and reviews of several emulators. Best of all, download several emulators for a specific console. Some emulators emulate graphics and sound better.
   • Most emulators emulate the operation of one system, but there are also multisystem emulators.
   • The most popular console emulators are Zsnes, Nesticle, Visual Boy Advance, MAME, Gameboid, SNESoid, N64oid. Make sure the selected emulator supports your operating system.
   • If you are going to play on a mobile device, consider its performance and choose the appropriate emulator.
3. 3 Download and install the emulator. To do this, find and click the "Download" or "Start Download" button; this button will appear on the screen after you click on the name of the desired emulator. Most likely, the downloaded file will be placed in the Downloads folder.
   • In most cases, an archive file will be downloaded, which must be unpacked (unless the system does it automatically).
   • If you downloaded the EXE file, double-click it to extract the archive and install the emulator.
4. 4 Find games for the emulator. In the search engine enter "ROM for the emulator" or "ROMs for the emulator" (without the quotes). A ROM file is an image of a game captured directly from a game cartridge, firmware, or game board. Some game sites provide information on which ROMs can be downloaded. Choose one of these sites, but before that, check its reliability.
   • Typically, game ROMs are organized by the system or console for which they were developed. Therefore, finding the game you want will not be difficult.
5. 5 Download the game you want. The process is similar to downloading games from abandonware sites.
6. 6 Open the emulator and launch the game of your choice. To do this, open the emulator menu and click "File" - "Open". After that, select the game (in the folder where it is stored). Double click on the game file to load the game in the emulator.

Tips

• Check if the game developer site exists. In some cases, an old game can be bought on the official website of its manufacturer - in this case, you will receive a legal copy of the game. Also, re-releases of older games such as Doom and Wolfenstein are available in select stores.
• If you are looking for a specific game, enter its name and the word "abandonware" or "rom" in the search engine, and then proceed as described in this article.
• Check if the emulator and ROMs can be used legally. For example, you can use DeSMuMe, Dolphin, LoveROMs, MyBoy without restrictions.

Warnings

• Be careful when downloading games from unofficial sites, because downloaded files may include malicious codes.
• Keep in mind that most of the games that you can find on abandonware sites are copyrighted, so downloading such games is not entirely legal. But abandonware sites are nevertheless very popular, because using games downloaded from such sites is unlikely to lead to any legal prosecution. However, there is a small legal risk when you download copyrighted software for free.