Play Those Classic SNES Games on Your iPad

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Turn your bedside e-reader and email checker into a gaming console

Want to play classics like Mario Kart and Chrono Trigger on the iPad? Given Apple's closed app ecosystem—and the relatively undefined legality of using console game ROMS—the procedure involves a little jailbreaking. And you'll also have to shell out cash to play, paying $6 to download snes4iphone or SNESHD from the Cydia marketplace.

Once you jump through these hoops though, you'll be taking advantage of the tablet's generous pixel real estate in no time. Video instructions below:

Obviously you can apply the same step-by-step to your iPhone or iPod touch, so long as your device can be jailbroken to run Cydia. Full text instructions are here.

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Rico Mossesgeld
Rico Mossesgeld
Contributing writer

Rico was a contributing writer at Tom's Guide. Based in the Philippines, Rico was plugged into the latest tech news to cover the latest future-gazing products and industry announcements. Rico no longer actively writes for Tom's Guide, and now works as a systems engineer. During his time at the site, he covered topics such as robotics, home office products and retro video games.

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14 Comments Comment from the forums
  • mavanhel
    So, you're paying cash to do something illegal? These guys are probably gonna get screwed fast. Don't get me wrong, I love my ROMs, but if you're doing something illegal (eg giving out games that aren't yours) don't charge for it.
    Reply
  • gpace
    I do have an SNES and the games, so to play it on the go, I got a SNES emulator for Pocket PC. Total cost, $0. Difficulty? Copy and paste onto an SD card. That was it. No jailbreaking, or cost, or breaking the law. Plays very smoothly and looked great on the VGA size screen.
    Reply
  • eklipz330
    this is disgusting. it's like pirates that ask for donations or to pay for using their services, WTF IS THAT?? greed at it's best.
    Reply
  • kinggraves
    A lot of things will run old school emulators, pretty funny they charge for it though, since both are built off code from freeware emulators.

    gpaceI do have an SNES and the games, so to play it on the go, I got a SNES emulator for Pocket PC. Total cost, $0. Difficulty? Copy and paste onto an SD card. That was it. No jailbreaking, or cost, or breaking the law. Plays very smoothly and looked great on the VGA size screen.
    BTW, roms are illegal, regardless of whether you own the system, games, or delete them within 24 hours. There is no "backup" in the licensing. They really only care about games they want to re release though.
    Reply
  • frosty7
    You pay cash for software that has the CAPABILITY to run "illegal" ROMS. You are not buying the ROMS themselves, nor can they legally supply them.
    Reply
  • zachary k
    my iphone 3gs can do that, they should be working more on the n64 one now that these iDevices come with faster CPUs.
    Reply
  • fjjb
    this is so OLD!!!!!
    Reply
  • um why does Apple get an article to do this when Android already has a NES, SNES, Gameboy, Gameboy Color and Sega Genesis emulator and they are free. Where is the article on how Android can do all of this? Android has been doing it for a long time and you don't have to jailbreak the Droid in order to use it.

    If you want to run an Apple related ad every day fine but lets at least hear some comparable news on Android. I'm sure there are people out there using Android in unique ways as well. Heck my friend at work had his baby do something cute with his Droid Incredible the other day. If I write an article about how the world will now be a better place because of it do you think we can put it up here? Gee that would be neat.
    Reply
  • long2know
    LPI designerum why does Apple get an article to do this when Android already has a NES, SNES, Gameboy, Gameboy Color and Sega Genesis emulator and they are free. Where is the article on how Android can do all of this?Yep - it also has the Wiimote syncing without rooting.
    Reply
  • JonathanDeane
    kinggravesBTW, roms are illegal, regardless of whether you own the system, games, or delete them within 24 hours. There is no "backup" in the licensing. They really only care about games they want to re release though.
    Honestly it depends on where you live, and the reason software like Clone DVD still is being sold. You ARE allowed one back up copy per real copy.

    http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-digital.html

    Now when talking about SNES ROM's the licensing was pretty weird and no one probably read it... So I can't say if they mention anything about making a back up, if they didn't mention it then it falls under section 117 and you can make one copy per original you own. (I myself would get in deep doo doo on this one since I keep multiple back ups of my hard drive in case one is a dud lol)
    Also you can't download them, you have to make your own back up, Not as hard as it once was though.

    http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/21/snes-usb-cartridge-adapter-should-set-ebay-aflame/
    Reply