First of all let me preface this post by informing you that this is not a list comparing all of the pros and cons of emulators vs. consoles, but rather my opinions on each, which I prefer, and some advice to help you decide which is right for you.
That being said, what are emulators. Emulators are software applications that have been developed to mimic video game consoles on PC's and other computers or systems that are not the original hardware. PCSX2, EPSXE, Dolphin and Project 64 are some of the most popular emulators for Playstation 2, Playstation 1, Gamecube/Wii, and Nintendo 64 respectively. PCSX2 and EPSXE are my personal favorites. Many emulators do not play all of the games for a platform seamlessly, but those two in particular have a great compatibility list.
I do own the original hardware consoles for all of these emulators and have played them extensively. In my experience, emulators provide a few key benefits. Some of these include: improved graphics, faster load times, digital game files, Save States (The ability to save a game at any point, my favorite feature), and support for other controllers (I like to use my XBOX 360 controller, another great feature for me).
With all of these great benefits it can be easy to jump to conclusions and say emulators are better. But there is something to be said for the nostalgia that comes with putting the real game disk or cartridge into the original console, using the original controller and feeling the mounting excitement as you watch the familiar start up loading screen. Also, I sometimes find that one of my favorite emulator features, Save States, sometimes prevents me from progressing. I don't always have a lot of time to play video games so Save States are great for that, but the ability to save at any time sometimes ends up becoming a crutch. I find myself taking too long to complete games or not completing them at all because I am not pushed to reach the next save point.
The biggest benefit of consoles is that you can play all of the games seamlessly without rampant glitches that exist with emulators. The most popular games on the most popular emulators are pretty smooth like Final Fantasy X and VII, but some of the hidden gems or obscure titles are more prone to glitches on emulators.
A major drawback of playing retro consoles is that they are usually not portable and take up a lot of space that sometimes is not available. Emulators on the other hand can be played on your desktop computer, laptop, smartphone, tablet and even on other consoles like the original XBOX and PSP.
With this in mind I actually play both emulators and the original consoles on a regular basis. I play practically all of my Playstation 1 games emulated on my PSP for the portability aspect. I play about half of my Playstation 2 games on emulators, mainly RPGs to take advantage of Save States, while playing platformers and multiplayer titles on the original console. The original XBOX, one of my favorite consoles does not have a good emulator so I play all of those games on the console. All of my Nintendo games I play on consoles to enjoy the nostalgia.
The truth is neither is better because it depends on the purpose. Personally I prefer the original hardware to emulators if I had to choose. I suggest that you download some emulators and give them a try and if you don't have the console already, wait until you find out if the emulators will suffice for you before dropping the money to pick up a retro console.
Whatever you do, keep on gaming!
