Is it legal to own a ROM of a game from a compilation?

[LCDSCREEN]

I'm not too clear on the legality of ROMs in general as it seems some say they're always illegal, while others say it's okay if you own a physical copy of the game, so if someone could clear that up then that would be great, and possibly answer my question before I've even asked it, but anyway...
If I own a game compilation, or own a game on the Virtual Console or XBLA, is it legal for me to download and play a ROM of each individual game? For the most part it seems compilations just contain a ROM and emulator on the disc so it would make sense in that way, though how can you be sure that it's not actually a port?
I'm only asking because I plan on making a small computer one of these days to hook up to my TV with all of my retro games on it and I'm not sure whether it's okay for me to include stuff from the Mega Man Anniversary Collection, or all the games I've downloaded on my Wii.
Maybe to you guys this kind of stuff is irrelevant but I, as an upstanding Canadian citizen, like to purchase my games. And that sounded mean and I'm sorry.

[BigTinz]

Who gives a shit?

Just download the rom (like you were going to anyway) and play it.

[LCDSCREEN]

Who gives a shit?

Just download the rom (like you were going to anyway) and play it.

Well actually I wouldn't download the ROM if it wasn't legal. That was the whole point of making this thread.

[crux]

Inherently it's never legal to download a copyrighted game, as the uploading of the game to a public domain for others to download is illegal to begin with. Unless you create the ROM from your own source and don't distribute it, it isn't legal.

[LCDSCREEN]

Inherently it's never legal to download a copyrighted game, as the uploading of the game to a public domain for others to download is illegal to begin with. Unless you create the ROM from your own source and don't distribute it, it isn't legal.

Oh, alrighty then. Thanks!

[peglegs]

got us a dudley do right over here. I'm gonna have to agree with tinz. I am actually very curious as to why you don't want to do it if it's illegal.

[Whatupdoc?]

Maybe to you guys this kind of stuff is irrelevant but I, as an upstanding Canadian citizen, like to purchase my games. And that sounded mean and I'm sorry.

[weasels]

he probally just wants to be honest about the internet. although with older roms its no less different if getting mp3 files off the internet for free imo. no ones gonna hunt you down, true, but its still stealing nonetheless which, by social standards, is wrong. (although i download roms as well)

[GSZX1337]

no ones gonna hunt you down, true, but its still stealing nonetheless which, by social standards, is wrong.

[crux]

I completely agree that piracy is not theft (although plenty of similarities between the two exist), but as real pirates engage in theft, I don't blame anyone one way or the other for interchanging the words.