This is really well done. While I've seen other simulations of hand-held games, I really appreciate how they even include the instruction booklets with many of them. It really gives the feeling of actually having these games, some of which (several Game & Watch games) I owned as a child, and many others that I always wanted but didn't.
WOW -- thank you for transporting me back to the mind-bending hell that is that 1989 TMNT game! I remember convincing my mom to buy me that at Meijer, and riding in the back seat of the car at night, squinting, only able to see the LCD screen for a split second at a time, each time we passed another street light lol
I like that Nintendo DS Game & Watch Collection is included, so we are basically playing an emulation of an emulation :)
Also, I never knew Game & Watch were cloned by Elektronika. It's funny to see what are almost the exact same games with subtle differences (e.g. "Octopus" vs "Ocean Secrets").
When I was growing up it was family tradition to try and set the high score on the bathroom Yahtzee machine when occupying the porcelain throne. Now I can keep that tradition going in any bathroom I happen upon :)
Unfortunately, it seems to lock up if I try to "roll" with all dice held; that's supposed to just skip the roll.
> Computer programs and video games distributed in formats that have become obsolete and which require the original media or hardware as a condition of access.
Most recently, in the 2024 review of DMCA exemption requests, no video game companies objected:
> The Software Preservation Network (‘‘SPN’’) and LCA jointly petitioned to renew the exemption for individual play by gamers and preservation of video games by a library, archives, or museum for which outside server support has been discontinued, and preservation by a library, archives, or museum, of discontinued video games that never required server support. No oppositions were filed against renewal, and one individual filed a comment in support.
Itch.io itself is able to host the project thanks to DMCA safe harbor provisions.
But itch.io is not a library. That exception is explicitly for "a library, archives, or museum." Even if they were technically a library, courts have already ruled that mass unlimited lending is not what they meant by 'individual play'.
I think this is pretty clearly infringing, the only issue is that the rightsholders themselves have to be the ones that bring a suit against them.
There is a long laundry list of specific requirements in order to be considered an eligible library, archive or museum that qualifies for the DMCA exemption, which you also have to apply for and continually renew: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-23311/p-191
Here are just some of them:
(ii) For purposes of paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section, a library, archives, or museum is considered “eligible” if—
(A) The collections of the library, archives, or museum are open to the public and/or are routinely made available to researchers who are not affiliated with the library, archives, or museum;
(B) The library, archives, or museum has a public service mission;
(C) The library, archives, or museum's trained staff or volunteers provide professional services normally associated with libraries, archives, or museums;
(D) The collections of the library, archives, or museum are composed of lawfully acquired and/or licensed materials; and
(E) The library, archives, or museum implements reasonable digital security measures as appropriate for the activities permitted by paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section.
According to the DMCA, legally, it does matter, because there is a very clear definition of an "eligible archive" that itch.io does not meet for the exemption to be valid. You also have to apply for the exemption explicitly, and renew it regularly.
So cool, I picked up some of these from my parents house a few months ago. My kids have spent a grand total of about 1 minute on them, very unimpressed :D
