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[charpsp20]

So I got picodrive DS genesis emulator working and was wondering which other emulators have some freeware/homebrew games with them. I heard ScummDS has a couple games that are now abandonware so i might try that. Could someone give some links? thanks.

[bitblt]

Look for Emulators in the dev-scene.com Homebrew Catalog . . .
http://www.dev-scene.com/NDS/Homebrew_Catalog
Most emulators have at least a few freeware ROMs. Google is your friend.

Don't forget the drunken coders archive . . .
http://www.drunkencoders.com/

[charpsp20]

Thanks; so is abandonware legal? (ie dont need to own the original copy in order to rightfully download?) If not what is? And is this why ive seen pocketnes compilations of commercial nes roms that are only freeware sites?

[dantheman]

I don't know about the legality of abandonware, but if you're getting commercial NES games with your PocketNES compilations, that's not legal.  If you download a homebrew NES game like Tepples's Lockjaw game, then that's fine.

[kkan]

For everyones information ......commercial nes roms still remain the Intellectual property of NINTENDO as with most copyright/digital media laws last for around 50 - 70 years and can be renewed at anytime by the publisher/creator/owner of the copyright ie NINTENDO etc

Abandoware is certainly not ROMS ... even the very dated ATARI VCS roms that seem like an eternity in age (Atari vcs came out 30 years ago  ) are  and STILL  remain copyright of ATARI

most abandonware thats out there is usually officially released by their creator or programmer often for nostalgia

I don't see NINTENDO putting out roms at any time free of charge now or in the near future

[charpsp20]

Here's info at wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abandonware. Seems like there in no such legal term as abandonware in copyright law-- only games that into freeware by the publisher's information.

Yet some sites that mentions homebrew: http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/DS/DS+Homebrew/feature.asp?c=2167 cites abandonia for a "legal" copy of flashback. Needless to say the site has other abandonware data. wikipedia mentions them:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abandonia

Then this site: [removed] has the pocketness compilations but is supposedly all are released legal freeware. Sorry if these links are too specific; and feel free to remove them if theyre a problem.

[dantheman]

I removed the one link because those are indeed commercial NES roms packaged into the GBA files, and even though they're barely playable due to it being an old version of PocketNES, it's still not legal.

As for the abandonware, I really have no clue what to do about that, if anything.

[charpsp20]

Someone should tell them then that that's not legal as its supposed to be on a specific homebrew/freeware only site. Im guessing if you look at the other games on that site they are truly freeware. I guess though they could be misleading people by thinking nes roms are freeware when they arent.

the abandonia website according to wikipedia maybe okay since they are supposed to be really strict with what they consider is public. And the reloaded sistersite is supposed to be all freeware. Like i mentioned, one supposed homebrew topic website alluded to them. 

[dantheman]

Eh, the whole site's always been rather iffy.  In fact, links to it are banned at PocketHeaven.  In any case, I'll move this to General Homebrew since it would fit better there.

For NES freeware games, try NESDEV or its forums.  For GBC, try Drymouth at http://demiforce.parodius.com/drymouth/

PDroms used to be a great place for freeware demos like that, but they took down all their files long ago.

[charpsp20]

yeah, your right. Im still interested in what people think about Abandonia though.