I know that this site is highly emulation based but I want to propose the question what do you prefer? Booting up the roms or playing the real thing with the real controllers etc...

Me personally being a collector I'd rather have the real deal over any emulation out there no matter how good the emulator. The only thing I don't really have a choice on is my MAME cabinet I'm not going to build a arcade collection as I don't have a basement in my tiny house and even if I did I'd have to get special wiring to support the power load.

My biggest problem with the real thing at the moment is my HD TV. I put it in 4:3 mode and it looks good but it still looks odd. It just doesn't have that real feel of an older TV. So what is it Emulation or Systems and games?

If I could find them, I'd get the older consoles. Currently, though, I only have my Genesis with a few games and my N64 that has problems with overheating or something. Plus, a lot of the games I had when I was younger were Pokemon, so like half of the N64 ones are.

I prefer real, but as a student I don't yet have the means required to obtain much stuff.

Depends on the situation really. I have a couple of console->usb adapters (SNES,N64,PS1,PS2,XBOX) so while I do prefer using the original console controllers for sure, I don't necessarily need the console itself. Freeze states are what make me prefer emulation over actual consoles. I am an adult now, and have limited game playing time (sort of)... There are often times I only get to play a game for 15-20 minutes a day. This is fine for modern games actually, do to their constant saving. Older emu games though many times require you to play through in one sitting over at least an hour. Ain't gonna happen for me without save states.

i prefer the real deal, but all my old consoles are still at my parents place. i have my mac connected to my tv and surround system, so i use the original controllers with usb-converters. waverace64 looks awesome in 1920x1080

Definitely real. From an engineering standpoint, the hardware is cool. From a business standpoint, I own the games and they aren't going to be lost as soon as some company retires a networked service or fails to maintain an emulator. Plus, for the moment, my original hardware copies are where all my good save files are from back in the day

seanstar wrote:

Enjoy them while they last! I've recently seen the ravages of age with SNES cartridges with flat SRAM batteries! Replacing them can be extremely irritating!

Yeah man enjoy those saved games. Some of my games are starting to loose save states. They are not hard to replace just need soldering iron and the new batter with connectors. I play a lot of my games with my 3 yr old he LOVES the older systems. So we've been playing Super Mario World or I am and he sits with a NES Max controller and watches and laughs. Anyway I had everything unlocked even the world changed to fall with no more koopas up to world 6. Turned it off put it in the next day GONE! GONE! So I had to do a speed run so my son could watch Bowser go down. He loved it. I'm rambling. Get ready to change those batteries!