Nestopia

Video games have put a new stepping stone in the world of business, leisure and entertainment. Starting from devices like the Nintendo Entertainment System or NES, to powerful rigs that can render HD graphics, games have come a long way. Luckily, if you want to relive past gaming experiences, it's possible thanks to emulators such as Nestopia, which give you the possibility to load entertainment system game images and enjoy them just as you once did.

A neat advantage is that you don't need to install the application, which means you can keep it on a removable storage device along with your game collection. Since most such games support multiple players, portability provides you with a virtual console that can fit in your pocket.

There's not much to look at in terms of design, nor does it need to be, since the purpose is to direct your attention to the game itself. The main window is almost completely dedicated to providing as much preview space as possible, with various screen adjustments and even a full screen mode. All functions are well-kept in the upper toolbar and are easy to identify.

Another plus is the amount of supported file formats, which range from XML, NES, UNF, FDS to simple movie or battery RAM files, as well as patches or archives. What differs from the original experience though, is the feature to save which can be done for each game and at any moment using this application.

Controls are highly customizable and come with a wide variety of options. Other than configuring buttons on a keyboard for up to four players, the application also gives you the possibility to plug in external devices, with dedicated control options for an enhanced gaming experience.

To sum it up, Nestopia is amongst the applications that anyone willing to call himself a gamer must use at least once. It lets you explore the past era of gaming, where pixels made out all graphics, 8-bit sound sent shivers down your spine and the brutally punishing difficulty and lack of save options kept your eyes glued to the screen for hours on end.