Dec 08
I recently came across some websites where your able to download NES and SNES “ROMS” and “Emulators”. This all seems way too good to be true since you can literally download every single NES or SNES game on the PC for free. It just seems like it wouldn’t be legal or legitamate. Before I download any of these, I’m just wondering if downloading these games is legal, or what the deal is. Thanks
December 8th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Wrong, wrong wrong. First of all, the one thing that was correct is that the emulator itself is perfectly legal. This is because an emulator is something that a person programmed to act like a system. Since it’s created privately, and not by the major gaming company, the person who created it has every right to offer online for download.
The roms, however, are different. You have privately-made roms, which are completely legal. However, for commercial roms (ie. anything that was once sold in a store), the program is actually taken from the cartridge (or disc) itself, and so originated from the gaming company. Because of this, if you download a rom, even for a game you own, you are still acquiring information that you did not pay for. (The only exception would be if you were the one to rip the rom from your own copy, which would then be illegal only if you distributed it.)
As for “outdated” roms, don’t count on it. The original Super Mario Bros. has been out for more than 20 years, and yet the Mario trademark is still Nintendo’s. Admittedly, it’s unlikely that someone will come busting down your door just because you downloaded a more obscure game like Burger Time, but the point is, if someone DOES own the rights to it, they legally WOULD have the right to come after you.
Also, keep in mind that everything here is just what’s legal and what’s not. It’s kind of like driving ten miles over the speed limit: it’s not necessarily that they WILL go after you every single time, but if for some reason they do, you ARE technically in the wrong.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
as long as you have a copy of the game yourself then its legal to go ahead and download the ROM . if you dont own a copy of the game and download it anyway then that is illegal. Emulators are not illegal either.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
I personally think that it is not illegal due to the fact that the games are so old and that their copyright dates are bound to have expired. If it is illegal i doubt you could get into trouble, the person who created the site and distributed the ROMs/Emulators would be most likely to be pursued legally.