Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions? Here are a few of the frequently asked questions that we receive from our visitors. If the following below does not help, try our tutorial or contact us here.

What is emulation?
What is an emulator?
What is a ROM file?
Why doesn't this ROM work with this emulator?
Why are some ROM titles protected?
What is your ROM Download Queue?
What is the CoolROM Downloader?
I have a question not listed here - how do I get an answer for it?

What is emulation?
Emulation is the process of simulating hardware of one machine on another, so in our case, playing SNES, Genesis, N64, etc. games on your PC or Mac.

What is an emulator?
An emulator is the program that simulates the machine you wish to run, so in our case, an emulator allows you to run SNES, Genesis, N64, etc. game images on your PC or Mac.

What is a ROM file?
ROM stands for Read Only Memory. It is the image of the actual game; for example: Super Smash Bros. This is basically a file that has been converted from a game cartridge or CD so that you can run it on your computer.

Why doesn't this ROM work with this emulator?
Certain emulators run certain ROMs better, depending on their compatibility, so try running the ROM with different emulators. If the ROM still doesn't work, its most likely that its corrupt (not playable).

Why are some ROM titles protected?
Some games are protected by the ESA and are illegal to distribute. We fully support the gaming industry, so if you really like those games, buy them!

What is your ROM Download Queue?
It's a system we designed to make it easy for you to save and manage a list of ROMs you wish to download at a later time. This is especially helpful if you wish to download tons of different ROMs! You may add a ROM to the queue by clicking the "Add to Queue" link to the right of the Download Now link. The queue will automatically be cleared after 3 hours since the latest addition or upon closing your browser.

What is the CoolROM Downloader?
Our downloader is an executable program that makes your download process much faster (by directly downloading the file and accelerating download speed) and ensures the file is virus-free. In order for us to continue providing the best emulation experience, we may show you sponsored offers prior to the download step.

I have a question not listed here - how do I get an answer for it?
You may post your question in our forums and I am sure one of our loyal users will be more than happy to answer it.

Top 25 Downloaded Emulators

» MAME
» pSX
» Jnes
» PCSP
» Xeon


Top 25 Downloaded ROMs

Tekken 3
Crash Bandicoot
Jackie Chan Stuntmaster

Affiliates

» Champion Counter
» Computer Emuzone
» Emulators For Android
» Sony ISOs