Which games can I play?
The GameThing can play most modern and classic games thanks to your laptop's powerful processor. Depending on the specific game however, some level of configuration is needed. We're compiling and writing install guides and software packages from around the web to get you playing as fast as possible. We are not affiliated with any of the software, we simply like it and want to tell others how great it is! We'll continually update this document along with the software as we learn new things. Please support these software packages and their authors.
Legal
“Under United States law, obtaining a dumped copy of the original machine’s BIOS is legal under the ruling Lewis Galoob Toys, Inc. v. Nintendo of America, Inc., 964 F.2d 965 (9th Cir. 1992) as fair use as long as the user obtained a legally purchased copy of the machine.”
In other words, if you own these games and the console or arcade systems, you can play them. We do not support or condone piracy and do not send or link to game files. We only index the best software we've found from around the internet that can run modern and classic games with our joystick hardware. Please consult with your local laws before downloading any content.
Games and Software
The fastest way to play hundreds of classic games (even if you don't have a GameThing yet) is the Internet Archive's Internet Arcade: https://archive.org/details/internetarcade
The Internet Arcade runs inside your web browser and therefore needs no installs or updates. In fact, you could go there right now and play the games using your keyboard. We've preset GameThing's defaults to match the Internet Archive's so that you can literally plug and play right away.
Internet Archive - https://archive.org/details/internetarcade
Mac
| Console | Emulator | Link |
|---|---|---|
| All | OpenEmu | openemu.org |
| Arcades | MAME OS X | mameosx.sourceforge.net |
| Nintendo 64 | SixtyForce | sixtyforce.com |
PC
Coming soon
OpenEmu includes emulation for a variety of systems and is smart enough to download what you're missing . Their shiny UI may be overwhelming at first, but the amount of features is very appreciated. It's a good place to re-enjoy classic games because of the huge list of support such as the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. The experimental version can even run MAME games:
OpenEmu http://openemu.org
MAME OS X focuses on arcade emulation and it's simple user interface lets the player focus on the game. In general, we've found is much easier to get games running here than on other emulators. The software hasn't been updated in a while but it runs flawlessly for many of our favorite titles.
MAME OS X http://mameosx.sourceforge.net
Sixtyforce is a dedicated Nintendo 64 emulator with fantastic performance and straightforward interface. We constantly play our favorite game, Super Smash Brothers, on GameThing with sixtyforce. It's free but please consider supporting the developer:
SixtyForce http://sixtyforce.com
PC
(Coming soon)
Modern Games and Classic Games
We define modern games as any game that runs natively on your computer, meaning it does not emulate another system but uses code written and optimized for your processor. Classic games, are therefore any game that use software to emulate the original hardware the game was played on.
Many modern games support joysticks already but many others can suddenly be made more approachable by adding arcade controls. More players means more fun, so the fastest way to get your friends up and gaming is the goal. The GameThing isn't limited to one platform or even decade of video gaming history. It can be made to play literally thousands of games and we're here to make it easy.
That's not all. Even more games can be enjoyed using emulation software optimized for your computer's processor, including much more powerful systems like the Nintendo 64.