Quick definition:Software or hardware that imitates one computer or console so that games designed for the original system can be played on a different device, such as a modern PC or phone.
Meaning
An emulator reproduces the behaviour of one system on another. A console emulator, for example, translates the instructions meant for the original processor into instructions that a modern computer can understand, and it imitates the original graphics and sound hardware so that the game behaves as it once did.
Accuracy varies. Some emulators aim to copy the original hardware as faithfully as possible, which demands a great deal of processing power, while others take shortcuts to run faster at the cost of occasional glitches. Many also add extras that the original machines lacked, including higher resolutions, rewind features and the ability to save at any point.
Emulation is closely linked with game preservation, since original hardware ages and eventually breaks. It is also used by developers who test software on many platforms. Debate continues over how the practice interacts with copyright, particularly when games are shared without the permission of their owners.
Origin:The word comes from the verb to emulate, meaning to imitate or match. In computing, it described systems that reproduced the behaviour of other machines. Game emulators became popular among home computer users during the 1990s, as personal computers grew powerful enough to copy the workings of older consoles.
Example:Hannah wants to replay a favourite game from her childhood, but her old console no longer works. She installs an emulator on her laptop, loads a copy of the game she owns, and connects a controller. The game runs at a sharper resolution than it ever did on the original television, and she can save her progress at any moment. Did you know?Emulators themselves are generally considered lawful in many countries, since they are original software that copies how hardware behaves. The legal difficulty usually lies elsewhere, in copying game files or the console's internal software. Many preservationists value emulation as a way of keeping old games playable once the hardware has failed.
