So, this is one thing that I have been meaning to ask for some time now.
When it comes to retro gaming, what format do you often prefer?

Official Console:
These are the original pieces of hardware that the games were originally made for.
The original console, controllers, cartridges, etc.

Personally, this is what I prefer, at least when I can get my hands on them.
I find that they handle the games in ways that no emulator or clone console can properly emulate.
The Sega Genesis being a perfect example, in terms of it's audio processor.

Clone:
3rd party remakes of the hardware and/or games (Such as the Retron)
Some of the more recent versions of these can even make games look better than on the official hardware.
With a lot of these supporting multiple consoles within one deck, these can also prove to save a buck or two.

Reproduction:
Often, official re-releases of classic games on modern consoles.
Be it like "Sega Genesis Classics Collection" or classics on Nintendo's Virtual Console.
These would prove to be the least expensive legal means of trying retro classics.

Emulator:
Most of everyone here should be familiar with these by now.
These allow you to download your favorite games off the internet, and play them on whatever device you have the emulator installed on.
These also allow the functionality of using savestates, cheat codes (Without an additional device), graphical filters, and even serve as an easy means of playing rom hacks.

Official consoles first, then emulators if I can't acquire a means to play something on the official ones or want to do something that only can be done via emulator. I prefer the original experience greatly and feel that anything else just feels wrong. The rest I have absolutely no desire to play with and frankly not the least bit of interest in them, though there are a few notable exceptions; I can dig exceptionally well-made reproductions or enhancements such as Ocarina of Time 3D, the Taxman Sonic CD remake and the Stealth/Taxman remake of Sonic 1 & 2.


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Edited by: Miles, Jun 6th, 2014 @ 9:13 pm

While it's not always feasible to play games on the original consoles, in most cases I still can't top the experience of turning on your old NES or Super NES and playing the games as they were originally intended.

I should say that the main exceptions for my preference ends up being where an official version does not exist, or it is clear to me that I will never see the real thing. (And at that point I just hope it's well made)

This is mostly limited to portable variants on clone consoles however.

The FC mobile (Portable NES) has proven to be quite the fun toy,
I'm also looking at getting a SupaBoy (Portable SNES) at some point.

I would love to have a Sega Nomad as well, but it seems that I will never find one that isn't broken or in terrible shape.
(I'm considering attempting a portable mod on this model 2 that I have that is now collecting dust)

To repeat what I said on MFGG, I usually use a RetroN 3 because it's convenient.

Once I get the RetroN 5, I'm probably gonna use that instead.

i've got something related to the sound processor of the genesis: how about old sound blaster 16 cards? as far as i can tell, the sound of the old sound blaster cards was built on yamaha's opl3 chip/technology/whatever. there's a lot of effects and such that are done on the audio output when you're using a card with a real version of the chipset that other cards or the dosbox opl3 emulator don't get right. i've got a sound blaster awe64 that, while it has fm synthesis built in, doesn't have the opl3 chip and doesn't sound quite as good.

as for playing games, it depends on what it is. with a console game, i'm going to want to play it on the actual console. pc games, however, are another thing; i don't mind using a source port for doom, because it tends to look better on my machine than dosbox would