Is there any legal way of playing Arcade games?

[RCBH928]

There are a ton of arcade games that were fantastic except these games never got a console/pc release. Some of them did , but of course its a watered down version due the weak console technology back in the day.

Today consoles are super powerful, and while we saw PSX/PS2 ports and remakes , and we saw Virtual Console , no one ported the arcade games and I still wonder why .

I am guessing that there is probably something legal that would forbid releases on current console. The obvious answer is probably to buy the cabinet , but there must be an easier more convenient less expensive way?

[Violent By Design]

If the game isn't on console, and you don't want to buy a cabinet - you already know the answer to your question.

[Ghegs]

The answer is to buy (or build) a supergun, of course. I have quite a few arcade-only games that never got a home release, one isn't even emulated at the moment, and I play 'em with on my TV with a supergun. It's awesome.

[BoneSnapDeez]

I use MAME.

Support the developers by purchasing Sega/Taito/Midway/etc compilation discs for current gen consoles.

[Damm64]

Legal way... nope.

Some arcade games are likely to be never released in digital form from the original creators. To this day there is only 2 legal ways to play the arcade game of the Punisher by buying the inferior and expensive genesis port or, the more expensive way, buying the arcade.

I use MAME.

Support the developers by purchasing Sega/Taito/Midway/etc compilation discs for current gen consoles.

This is the best way to go.

[AppleQueso]

"Buying the arcade" doesn't' necessarily have to mean buying a huge cabinet that's going to take up tons of space. You could always just buy the arcade boards.

The Supergun that Ghegs suggested getting is basically a device that interfaces JAMMA arcade boards with regular TVs and controllers.

Many arcade collectors go this route actually. Buying up boards isn't quite as cheap or straightforward as buying cartridges or something, but it's very doable and makes for a very unique collecting experience.

[KalessinDB]

There's also a small number of arcade games released for the Wii Virtual Console. Very small, 140 total across all regions according to Wikipedia, but that's something.

But yeah, board collecting will be your best 100% legal way to play any given arcade game with use of a supergun.

[AppleQueso]

There's also a small number of arcade games released for the Wii Virtual Console. Very small, 140 total across all regions according to Wikipedia, but that's something.

...and bizzarely enough, none of them are any of Nintendo's arcade titles.

[RCBH928]

"Buying the arcade" doesn't' necessarily have to mean buying a huge cabinet that's going to take up tons of space. You could always just buy the arcade boards.

The Supergun that Ghegs suggested getting is basically a device that interfaces JAMMA arcade boards with regular TVs and controllers.

Many arcade collectors go this route actually. Buying up boards isn't quite as cheap or straightforward as buying cartridges or something, but it's very doable and makes for a very unique collecting experience.

So you are suggesting to buy the board and use MAME to play the games , because I legally own the board? Or is there some way to hookup the board to the tv? Sorry I hardly know anything on this topic.

Any way, no body answered my question over why are the arcade games do not get ports or remakes on the opposite of retro consoles? I imagine its a very simple process today given that games back then were "simple" compared to what goes on in today's gaming

[Ziggy]

Not to thread hijack, but something I've pondered for a while along the same lines as this thread...

What allows you to charge money for coin op games? Owning the actual game board? Let's say, for simplicity, that I bought a Street Fighter II arcade cab. It's a legit cab, 100% original. Does owning this cab, even second hand, give me the right to put it in my store or where ever and charge money for plays?

I never thought it would work along the lines of the cab owner getting X percentage of sales and having to pay a percentage to whoever, that seems too complicated. I always just figured that some one would have to buy the cab for a ridiculous amount of money but then gets to keep all profits from it. And if that's true, then even owning a (legit) cab second hand would allow you to collect money from it.

I never bothered to Google for the answer, but it's a question that pops into my head every so often.