How I Replay Retro Games Today?

This article is for people who played retro games a long time ago, as well as those who are just getting back into them after years away. It can also be for anyone who remembers playing these games in the past, but now feels that everything has changed – devices, available time, and even how we approach games. If you’re reading an article about a retro game, feel interested, and actually want to play it again, but aren’t sure where to start, this page is meant to help you get a clearer picture. This article doesn’t jump straight into technical instructions. It starts with my own playing habits and daily context, because those are the things that shape how I choose emulators and how I replay retro games today. I don’t replay retro games by collecting original hardware or trying to recreate a perfect, authentic setup. I play within my current life, using what I already have, and everything here is written from that exact perspective.

When and how I usually play retro games

Right now, I play retro games mainly on PC and on my phone. PC is usually my choice in the evening, after work and family time are done. That’s when I can sit down properly and play more seriously. Some nights I only play for a short while, but if nothing interrupts me, I sometimes play straight through in one long session.

Playing on my phone is different. I use it when I’m outside, when I have free time but don’t want to turn on my PC, or when I simply want to play something quickly anywhere. In those moments, convenience matters more than having the best possible setup.

Retro games fit this rhythm very well. They’re light, quick to start, and don’t require a long preparation phase. I don’t need to spend an entire evening just setting things up before I can actually play.

Why I keep coming back to retro games

Nostalgia is part of it, but it’s not the only reason.

I still play modern games alongside retro ones, such as Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Links or Master Duel. But there are certain gameplay styles that I only find in older games. A clear example for me is Yu-Gi-Oh Forbidden Memories, where you can fuse cards repeatedly and get drops in a way that feels very different from modern Yu-Gi-Oh games.

Retro games are also lighter and easier to access. I can’t comfortably play hardware-demanding games like Final Fantasy XV, but the early Final Fantasy titles run without any issue. I can open them and play right away, without worrying about performance or optimization.

I don’t come back to retro games because I dislike modern games. I play them because they offer experiences that modern games either no longer have, or no longer focus on.

The first real obstacle when replaying retro games

To be honest, installing an emulator is rarely the biggest problem. The part that usually causes the most hesitation is finding ROMs.

Finding ROMs isn’t easy. There are many low-quality websites filled with ads, pop-ups, and misleading download buttons. Some ROMs don’t work properly, and others make me worry about viruses or malware. More than once, I just wanted to replay a single old game, but ended up spending far too much time just trying to find a file that actually runs.

I understand why many people give up at this stage. Not because they don’t like the game, but because they get tired before they even start playing.

How I replay retro games on PC

PC is my main platform for replaying retro games at night. The bigger screen and stable setup make it easier to play for longer periods. Instead of using one emulator for everything, I prefer separate emulators for each system. It keeps things simpler and easier to manage.

Visual Boy Advance for GBA

For Game Boy Advance games, I use Visual Boy Advance. Most of the time, I just download it, run the executable file, load the ROM, and start playing. There’s no complicated setup involved, and mapping the controls only needs to be done once.

I mainly use it for Pokémon GBA, Fire Emblem, and other handheld-style games. Visual Boy Advance feels very familiar to me. I open it and play, without having to think much about the emulator itself.

I’ve also tried mGBA, which is actually very convenient. Still, I ended up sticking with Visual Boy Advance, not because it’s objectively better, but because of habit. It’s what I’ve used for a long time, and it fits the way I play.

Nestopia for NES

For NES games, I use Nestopia (you can download it from this link). Using it feels very similar to Visual Boy Advance. I download it, run the executable, load the ROM, and play. There’s no need to adjust settings or worry about performance.

Once the game is running, everything feels straightforward and stable. I can just focus on playing the game. For replaying NES titles, that’s all I really need.

ePSXe for PS1

PS1 emulation is the most complicated part for me, and I use ePSXe for that. Unlike GBA or NES emulation, PS1 emulation requires paying attention to BIOS files and plugins. If something is set up incorrectly, the emulator may fail to run or crash.

The settings can feel overwhelming for newcomers. I’ve had moments where I needed to look things up again just to remember the correct configuration.

I’ve tried PCSXR before, but it requires installation on the system. ePSXe, on the other hand, can run as a portable emulator, similar to VisualBoyAdvance and Nestopia. I can simply extract it and run the executable, which is a big advantage for me.

Once everything is configured, ePSXe runs games well. But for anyone new to PS1 emulation, this is easily the most frustrating part.

How I replay retro games on Android

On Android, I play retro games quite often, especially when I’m outside or when I have free time but don’t want to turn on my PC. Playing on my phone lets me experience games in more situations, while PC gives me a more comfortable setup when I have time to sit down properly. These two ways of playing complement each other.

Right now, I use John GBA Lite to play GBA games, mostly Pokémon. It’s simple, quick to launch, and works well for short play sessions.

One small downside is that John GBA Lite shows ads during gameplay. Because of that, I usually turn off Wi-Fi or mobile data before playing, which helps avoid interruptions. Once I got used to this habit, the experience became much smoother.

At the moment, this is the only emulator I use on Android. If I try other emulators in the future, I’ll update this section.

Save states, difficulty, and saving time

For me, save states are a way to save time, not a way to make games meaningless or trivial.

I usually create save states at important moments. For example, right before a boss fight, before a section where the character can easily die, or in places where making a mistake could ruin an entire stage. In those situations, save states prevent me from replaying the same long section over and over again.

Instead of restarting from the beginning, I can simply load the save state and continue from that exact point. This is especially helpful in games with high difficulty or unfriendly checkpoint systems.

Anyone who plays Pokémon GBA will probably understand this very well. When you encounter a rare Pokémon or a shiny, most players will create a save state before attempting to catch it. Not to cheat, but to avoid losing a rare opportunity because of bad luck.

I always try to clear a section on my own first. If I fail, I try again. Only when I’m truly stuck do I look things up. Save states help me keep my momentum and avoid burnout from repeating the same sections too many times.

What I don’t chase when replaying retro games

I don’t try to recreate a perfect, original experience. I don’t collect hardware. I also don’t want playing games to turn into a technical project.

I want to play games. I don’t want to spend most of my time preparing just to be able to play.

Final thoughts

If you haven’t replayed retro games in a long time, or if you want to start but don’t know where to begin, you can start very simply. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t have to be “the correct way.”

This is just how I do it, in my current situation.