Do you guys prefer to play on original hardware or on PCSX2 emulator?

[Box]

I do think emulation has it's place, but the PS2 was my first console ever. It's fun to relive old memories, especially with an old CRT for an authentic experience. Everything works as it should, the only downsides are the cost, although soft modding is an option as well. You also might consider the age of these machines. PS2s are mostly reliable, but are aging rapidly at this point. Emulation is a good option if your PC is good enough, and you don't want to bother tracking down real hardware. It allows you to make games look better than they could originally, and gives you more options on how you want to experience them.

The main downside is that not all games work perfectly or or playable at all. You will likely have to do some tinkering at some point to get a good experience, while a console will let you play immediately.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Often times PCSX2 is more convenient, and they did add some new features IIRC. But actual hardware has its benefits too. Game compatibility being the biggest one. Some games simply aren't optimized well for emulation yet regardless what set-up you're using.

I hope that WayForward's Tomba remaster goes very well, because I'd really like to pick up more (affordable) digital & physical copies of various PS1 (and maybe eventually, PS2 if they or others get to that) games, although it'd be even cooler if they could reprint discs to run on the original systems.

 

[historia]

Modded PS3 Slim work wonder with PS2 games.

I still have a large PS3 physical collection, plus you can logged in and not get hammered.

 

[Systemshock2023]

If you have a CRT go with original HW. If not, emulation. I have a PS2 but looks like trash on LED/LCD/OLED TV unless you invest quite a bit of money in upscalers. I really regret throwing away my Philips 21' CRT. ICO looked great on it. That CRT haze you cannot replicate on an emulator.

 

[SLB1904]

Original hardware and crt is the best nostalgic experience. If you are young go for emulator. U needed to be there to understand

 

[anonpuffs]

I've never had a ps2 so any ps2 games i've played I've played via PC emulator. I like having save states. I like not having to swap discs. I like being able to turn up game speed when I want to. I don't like the PS2 controller (used it at a friend's house). So, I prefer emulator.

 

[ethomaz]

It will sound like a joke but...

I prefer to play on actual generation hardware... so if a game exists on PS5 I could end playing it if not it is just a game I won't even remember it exists.

 

[Nhomnhom]

I just set up emulators and then hardly ever play them with very few exceptions, I bet if I had the real console I bet it would appeal more to me. As it is I rather just play PS5 games.

This stuff is a lot like the appeal of LPs, I have all imaginable albums available on Spotify but I don't stop to listen to them at all. A nice CRT setup with the original hardware is the equivalent to enjoying a vinyl on a good set up.

The saving grace for emulators these days are the CRT filters, nothing is uglier than an old game displayed on an 4K screen without filters.

 

[KnittedKnight]

Original hardware is better than any PC emulation set up imo - just plug and play if you will. I say that as someone that has dabbed on all of it. That was always true specially at the advent of save file states that became standard for devs in the PlayStation/N64/Saturn era. The only benefit emulation provided for NES/SNES/Genesis is that for the NES, and much less for the SNES/Genesis, saving game state allows you to complete cheap difficulty - hard to play games - a cheat in a way. Nothing beats having old hardware with that cartridge... at least from an immersion standpoint of the whole overall experience. It's satisfying in a way to engage in the basics, have an authentic experience and ramp up that nostalgia meter to 11. PC emulation takes that authenticity feel away. Cons is you have to have the hardware and the physical ownership of the titles - thus you get into ebay collecting by default and it cost money + time. Although even that process can be immersing itself - you get to learn a lot while doing it. That's just my take imo. I got into NES/SNES collecting that way - I also quit it.

 

[Alabtrosmyster]

I use emulators for retrogaming these days, and so should you.

There are just too many benefits to even count.

 

[Gods&Monsters]

I just set up emulators and then hardly ever play them with very few exceptions, I bet if I had the real console I bet it would appeal more to me. As it is I rather just play PS5 games.

Same. I made so much research to setup all the emulators on tablets, PC, laptop etc and I never played any of them. The hours I wasted downloading everything is ridiculous

Just turn on your PS5 and be done.

 

[ultimateFF]

I still have original PS2 slim, and it still kickin' 20 years later flawlessly especially after I used method-that-you-won't-named here. Also, there's awesome Android PS2 emulator so both are a win-win for me lol.

 

[arvfab]

My current set-up is an old Samsung Galaxy S9+ and the PS Backbone for portable emulation up to GC/Wii.

 

[Alabtrosmyster]

Same. I made so much research to setup all the emulators on tablets, PC, laptop etc and I never played any of them. The hours I wasted downloading everything is ridiculous

Just turn on your PS5 and be done.

I did all that on everything under the sun since 1990s. In the end the good solutions were always hacked consoles (og Xbox, Wii, PS3, etc.) Or a PC that can handle better emulation and more cutting edge stuff.

I played all MAME games (no mahjong or adult games) back in the early 2000s, when there was around 3000 games on it, by played I mean started and put a few quarters in.

Played every single English game on these consoles:
NES
SMS
Genesis (CD too)
TG-16 (CD too)
SNES

Then I made some curated folders with the games that I figured were worth exploring further on all these systems.

I went back to actually replay some PSX RPGs and SOTN almost on a yearly basis for a time.

Despite all this, sometimes I feel like I spent more time setting up all these, and many more, downloading the ROMs, keeping the emulators up to date (sometimes they break with newer versions of windows) .

 

[Nhomnhom]

Same. I made so much research to setup all the emulators on tablets, PC, laptop etc and I never played any of them. The hours I wasted downloading everything is ridiculous

Just turn on your PS5 and be done.

That is why I wish devs would put more care in making their games available on newer platforms in a way that is at least somewhat comparable to what emulators can achieve.

 

[ultimateFF]

Same. I made so much research to setup all the emulators on tablets, PC, laptop etc and I never played any of them. The hours I wasted downloading everything is ridiculous

Just turn on your PS5 and be done.

Why you don't try Android emulators? Easy to set up unlike PC emulators lol.

 

[Gods&Monsters]

Why you don't try Android emulators? Easy to set up unlike PC emulators lol.

I actually have that too on a fire tablet. It was to play Nintendo DS or 3DS games. I tried Dragon Quest for like 5 minutes to see if it worked and that's it. That was years ago I don't even remember where the tablet is lol