Atari 5200 SuperSystem
This behemoth of a console also packed a powerful wallop in the mid '80s, Atari's "next wave" proved to be quite "super" indeed! Now you can play the great games without the misery of the 5200 controllers and see what all the fuss was about.

Atari 7800 ProSystem
No way was this thing ever going to overtake the NES, but in retrospect, Atari's last respectable console system (sorry, Jag fans). Loaded with updated classics, where else ya gonna play Asteroids or Centipede 2-player simultaneous?

MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator)
MAME is the big daddy of arcade emulators.  It supports hundreds of arcade games and hundreds more bootlegs and variants!  Check here for updates, as the programming team is always hard at work to improve this spectacular (and free!) software.

Commodore 64
The GAME MACHINE that they called a computer undoubtedly has the largest selection of software for any emulator available. That's mainly because the C-64 had hordes of games, many produced in Europe. Not only could this baby push some decent graphics, but it has the best sound of any of the 8-bit consoles... in fact, it rivals many of today's systems in terms of audio quality (move over, N64).

ColecoVision
There are several emulators for the venerable "third wave" game system from Coleco.  It was such a kick for me to see the familiar C O L E C O V I S I O N opening screen here on my PC, but it's been even more of a kick to boot up some of the games - certainly more convenient than hooking up the whole system to the entertainment center!

Sega Master System
Sega's 8-bit venture took Europe by storm but didn't quite capture the US marketplace. The Ninendo Entertainment System stole the show in the US and Japan, and though the Sega system looked better "on paper", it ultimately lost the 8-bit war. Sega came back strong with their 16-bit machine, the Genesis... but that is a story for another day.

Intellivision
George Plimpton would be proud to know that there are STILL a few people out there that love their Mattel system, but to date there hasn't been a revolutionary emulator.   Lucky for some of us that a commercial Intellivision software package is available... and we have some ROMs that weren't included there!

Odyssey2
You either loved it or you hated it... most people I know owned one just to "be different" from the kids that had an Atari 2600. Truth is, this systems games were quite inferior even to what the Atari 2600 was doing at the same time. Still, it is is a "period piece", and it certainly has its own personality! There are a few gems on the system, like KC Munchkin, Monkeyshines, and Quest for the Rings. Have a look-see.

Arcadia 2001/LeisureVision/Hanimex
A game system few of us owned "back in the day," which may pleasantly surprise modern day retro-gamers. We now know this was supposed to compete favorably with the 2600 and Intellivision, but it was released a hardware generation too late. It quickly ended up in bargain bins. The earliest games are often appallingly bad, but later games such as Jumpbug, Hobo, and Astro Invader may pique your interest.

Vectrex
This little "portable" console pleased early-80's gamers with its unique vector-based graphics.  At the time, vector games were the rage, and only Vectrex owners could play games like Star Castle, Star Hawk, and Cosmic Chasm the way they were meant to be played.  They're pretty hard to find these days, but you can enjoy the experience now on your PC.

Turbografx-16
16 bit, eh? That's an argument that will go on for as long as there are fans of this, the NEC HUcard playing console who's games look a heck of a lot like 8-bit games but rarely flicker or slow down. A great shooter system but with enough variety in its library to please the ornery'est of gamers.

Bally Astrocade
What should have been a great competitor to the Atari 2600 was ultimately a disappointment. Another story of "better on paper" than it's adversary, the Astrocade quickly faded into obscurity in the early 80's. The console itself was a bit pricey too, but quite expandable and forward-thinking for its time. Could this have been the greatest 8-bit console ever? Check out the games for this system and decide for yourself.