Nintendo is particularly protective of its games, and while it hasn’t gone after individuals downloading emulators, it has put pressure on people hosting games for download. Emulators are legal in most countries, but downloading a game to play on an emulator often isn’t, and distributing an emulator is considered infringement in most countries. While retro games enjoyed through emulation are no longer sold, the rights are often held by the original company. Everything you need to know about Nintendo Switch OnlineĮmulators have always existed in murky legal territory.Our guide to the best SNES emulators currently available should help you get started with a program that fits your needs. Where do you turn, then? Emulators are a great option for trying out games from yesteryear, but not just any one will do. And if you do have a copy, it can be difficult to get it to run properly if your equipment isn’t in the best shape. A good portion of games on the Super Nintendo (SNES) simply weren’t released in the West, translated into English, or sold in the United States. Unfortunately, many of those fantastic titles aren’t that easy to play anymore, unless you use an emulator. In the ever-changing landscape of video games, it’s easy to jump from one new release to the next while leaving a slew of excellent releases in the dust.