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An '''emulation box''' is an unofficial term for a device built with for the specific purpose of running emulators. They generally consist of overpriced and locked-down ARM microcomputers and some are more so just "collector's items". They should While it can technically be avoided as your any small computer will generally provide better performance overall. ==Boxes==*[[wikipedia:NES_Classic_Edition|NES Classic Edition/Famicom Classic Mini]] ($59.99) - Official Nintendo product designed to only emulate the NES. Includes 30 games.*[[wikipedia:SNES_Classic_Edition|SNES Classic Edition/Super Famicom Mini]] ($79.99) - Official Nintendo product designed to only emulate the SNES. Includes 21 games. Uses the exact same hardware (motherboard, SOC and all) as the NES Classic, but with a different firmware.*[[wikipedia:PlayStation Classic|PlayStation Classic]](<strike>$99.99</strike> $40) emulation boxes we list here are primarily single- Official Sony product designed purpose embedded devices intended to only emulate the PS1. Includes 20 games. Uses [[PCSX-Reloaded#PlayStation_Classic|PCSX-ReARMed]] as its emulator.*[https://www.snk-corp.co.jp/us/neogeomini/ NEOGEO Mini] (<strike>~$110</strike> $89.99) - Offical SNK product designed to only emulate the NEOGEO. Includes 40 games. Uses capitalize on nostalgia despite a [https://github.com/xugamezhouyuhua/neogeominiemu modified version multitude of NJEMU].*[http://www.capcomhomearcade.com/home CAPCOM Home Arcade] (~$254) - Offical CAPCOM product designed to emulate CPS1 and CPS2 arcade games. Includes 16 games. Uses [[FinalBurn Alpha]] as its emulator. Scheduled to launch October 25th, 2019.*[[wikipedia:Sega_Genesis_Mini|Sega Genesis Mini]] ($79.99) - Official SEGA product designed to only emulate the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. Includes 42 games and is scheduled to launch September 19th, 2019. Unlike the other "minis", this one may offer [https://www.polygon.com/2019/6/4/18652108/sega-genesis-mini-mega-drive-tower-price useless add-ons] that are purely for aesthetics and provide no additional features.*[[Retron5]] better alternatives being readily available ($159.99) - Emulates NES/GBC/GBA/Genesis/SNES and includes cart readers for those systems. Uses [[RetroArch]]like computers, [[Snes9x]]mobile devices, and [[Genesis Plus GX]] for its emulation.*Sega Genesis Flashback (AtGamesgame consoles) - Produced under license from Sega. Emulates the Master System and the Sega Genesis. Very disappointing and the ensuing outcry has led Sega to drop their planned further partnership with AtGames for their actual Sega Genesis Mini.There are generally two types of boxes:

===Controversies===;First-party boxesSome :Use the official branding of those products have attracted a console, with the ire of parts support of the emulator community over issues company who made it. More often than not, modern console manufacturers are not necessarily related to the product's quality, but ones related to open source emulators. In some caseswho come up with the idea, it's because negotiations with open source emulator and/are usually approached by some other company who offloads some or frontend developers fell through and all of the company used work of getting it running.;Third-party boxes:Use their own branding because they don't have a "lesser" option as a replacementlicense to use the actual companies' trademarks. In others, an arrangement was reached, contracts and money were exchanged only A legal ruling for the project maintainers emulators has allowed them to turn out not to have gathered use the complete consent name of all contributors, some parts are licensed the console in marketing (such as a strictly non-commercial license, and similar issues. Sometimes, it might have advertising the ability to do with an incomplete source code release play games from companies that have to abide by GPLv3 obligations. And of coursea specific console on the packaging), but not as the company might be acting malicious towards emulator developersname for the box itself.

Since the problem with these is primarily Emulation boxes are frowned upon because, aside from a meta problem that doesnfirst party box't have much to do with the products value as a collector's actual qualityitem, the hardware in an emulation box is often nothing more than a cheap, locked-down, ARM-based system-on-a-chip, and the price you pay for obtaining it is marked up by the designer in order to make easy money. To make matters worse, numerous boxes have been found using emulators illegally, due to a controversial subject even within prohibition in the emulator developer circles 's license (some well-known developers such as byuu did eventually agree to work with like commercial distribution or locked down hardware), resulting in many controversies unfolding over the likes of Hyperkin, after all) this section is about listing some of those casesmatter.

* Capcom Home Arcade==First-party boxes=={| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"! scope="col"|Product! scope="col"|Manufacturer! scope="col"|Reimplements! scope="col"|<abbr title="Manufacturer's suggested retail price">MSRP</abbr>! scope="col"|Emulator used! scope="col"|Notes|-|[[wikipedia:NES_Classic_Edition|NES Classic Edition / Famicom Classic Mini]]|[[Nintendo]]|[[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|Nintendo Entertainment System]]|$59.99|[[Kachikachi]]| Official Nintendo product designed to only emulate the NES. Includes 30 games.|-|[[wikipedia:SNES_Classic_Edition|SNES Classic Edition / Super Famicom Mini]]|[[Nintendo]]|[[Super Nintendo emulators|Nintendo SNES]]|$79.99|[[Canoe]]|Official Nintendo product designed to only emulate the SNES. Includes 21 games. Uses the ''exact same hardware'' (motherboard, SoC, and all) as the NES Classic, but with a different firmware.|-|[[wikipedia: Capcom Sega_Genesis_Mini|Sega Genesis Mini]]|[[Sega]]|[[Sega Genesis emulators|Sega Genesis]]|$79.99|m2engage|Official SEGA product designed to only emulate the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. Includes 42 games. Interestingly, it has licensed the same specs as the (with compensationS)NESC. The emulator used was developed by [[wikipedia:M2 (game_developer) FinalBurnAlpha from |M2]], who is best known for handling the emulation of various re-releases of games including several Sega ports and the Genesis Virtual Console on the project's maintainerWii.|-|[https://sega.jp/genesismini2/ Sega Genesis Mini 2]|[[Sega]]|Sega Genesis, [[Sega Genesis emulators|Sega CD]]|$99.99|m2engage|Official SEGA product designed to emulate normal Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games plus Sega CD/Mega CD games and two enhanced Genesis/Mega Drive games. Includes 60 games. Compared to its predecessor, however this the system has lead to some an overclocked SoC, double RAM, and 8GB of NAND storage. Again, [[wikipedia:M2 (game_developer)|M2]], handled the emulation of Genesis and Sega CD games.|-|[https://www.googlekonami.com/search?q=capcom+home+arcade+illegal&oq=capcom+home+arcade+illegal controversygames/pcemini/gate PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16 Mini]|Konami|[[PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16) emulators|PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16]] |$99.99|m2engage|Official Konami product. Includes 57 games (58 in Japan) and has about an equal mix of American and outrage by fellow FBA developers Japanese exclusives. The casing and branding has the same regional differences as the original (who didn't agree with this moveJapan is the original white PC Engine, Europe is the Core Grafx revision, and eventually made their own forkthe USA is the TurboGrafx-16) and MAME developers . The emulator used was developed by [[wikipedia:M2 (where some of FBA's code comes fromgame_developer)|M2]], as FB the same company that did the Sega Genesis Mini and other console ports.|-|[[wikipedia:PlayStation Classic|PlayStation Classic]]|[[Sony|Sony Interactive Entertainment]]|[[PlayStation emulators|Sony PlayStation]]|<strike>$99.99</strike> $20|[[PCSX-Reloaded#PlayStation_Classic|PCSX-ReARMed]]|Official SIE product designed to only emulate the PS1. Includes 20 games.|-|[https://www.snk-corp.co.jp/us/neogeomini/ NEOGEO Mini]|SNK|[[Neo Geo and variants|Neo Geo]]|<strike>~$110</strike> $89.99|modified version of [https://github.com/xugamezhouyuhua/neogeominiemu NJEMU]|Offical SNK product designed to only emulate the NEOGEO. Includes 40 games. |-|[http://www.capcomhomearcade.com/home CAPCOM Home Arcade]|Capcom|[[Arcade emulators|CPS1 & CPS2]]|~$254|[[FinalBurn Alpha's license isn't cleared ]]|Offical CAPCOM product designed to emulate CPS1 and CPS2 arcade games. Includes 16 games.|-|[https://sega.jp/astrocitymini/original/index.html Astro City Mini]|Sega Toys|Arcade|JP¥ <strike>12800</strike>13511<br>$<strike>129.99</strike>161.99|?|Offical SEGA product designed to allow for commercial use emulate various Sega arcade games. Includes 36 games and many of those developers think the FBA's license is an ugly mess of contradicting licenses that should not existtest program "Dottori-Kun".* Retron5 |-|[https://sega.jp/astrocitymini/v Astro City Mini V]|Sega Toys|Arcade|JP¥ 19580|?|Offical SEGA product designed to emulate various vertical-oriented Arcade games only. Includes 22 games (Hyperkin23 in the International version distributed by Limited Run Games)|-|[https: Is using RetroArch//www.taito.co.jp/egret2mini Egret II Mini]|Taito|Arcade|JP¥ <strike>18678</strike>15800<br>$<strike>229.99</strike>109.03|?|Offical Taito product designed to emulate various Taito arcade games. Includes 40 games, Snes9x10 more bundled with optional paddle+trackball controller, Nestopiaand more purchasable games released in the form factor of SD cards.|-|[https://www.nintendo.co.jp/hardware/gamewatch/index.html Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros.]|[[Nintendo]]|NES and Disk System|JP¥ 5478|?|Offical Nintendo product designed to emulate Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 2 (The Lost Levels).|-|[https://www.nintendo.co.jp/hardware/gamewatch/zelda/index.html Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda]|[[Nintendo]]|NES or Disk System and Game Boy|JP¥ 5480|?|Offical Nintendo product designed to emulate The Legend of Zelda, VBA-M Zelda II: Adventure of Link and Genesis Plus GXLink's Awakening. While they did release their source codeInternational versions have the NES versions available, while the latter four have a nonJapanese version only has the Disk System versions.|-commercial license|[https://sega. Retroarch's source code used jp/ggmicro/index.html Game Gear Micro]|[[Sega]]|Game Gear and Master System|JP¥ 4980|[[m2engage]]|Offical SEGA product designed to emulate Game Gear games. The form factor is small and is difficult to play by Western users, as the device was partialmeant to not be sold outside Japan. 5 variants of the handheld exist, 4 being in retail and had DRM going against GPLv3 obligationsone being exclusive as a Limited Edition for Aleste Collection. Only the Aleste version includes Master System games.|-|}

==Third-party boxes=={| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"! scope="col"|Product! scope="col"|Manufacturer! scope="col"|Reimplements! scope="col"|<abbr title="Manufacturer's suggested retail price">MSRP</abbr>! scope="col"|Emulator(s) used! scope="col"|Notes|-|[[Polymega]]|Playmaji|Multi-system|$299.99-$499.99 <small>(Deluxe bundle)</small>|[[Mednafen]], [[Mesen]], [[Kega Fusion]], and [[MAME]] |Modular system. First emulation box with CD support and one of the few to run on an Intel processor instead of ARM. Emulates PS1, Saturn, Genesis, Sega CD, 32X, TG-16/CD, Neo Geo CD, NES, SNES (only disc-based systems are supported out of the box, cartridge-based systems requires a separate add-on for each system). |-|[[Retron5]]|Hyperkin|Multi-system|$159.99|[[RetroArch]], [[Snes9x]], and [[Genesis Plus GX]] |Emulates NES/GBC/GBA/Genesis/SNES and includes cart readers for those systems.|-|Sega Genesis Flashback|AtGames|[[Sega Genesis emulators|Sega Genesis]]|$79.99|? <br/>(Genesis-on-a-Chip ?)|Produced under license from Sega. Emulates the Master System and the Sega Genesis. It also has a cartridge port that can load original cartridges to some degree. The ensuing outcry over the subpar emulation quality has led Sega to drop their planned further partnership with AtGames for their actual Sega Genesis Mini.|-|Arcade1Up Home Arcade|Arcade1Up|[[Arcade emulators|Arcade]]|$200-$500 (Depends on the game)|[[MAME]], [[FinalBurn Alpha]], [[RetroArch]], and MOO <small>(their own commercial emulator)</small><ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/Arcade1Up/comments/a02870/hack_original_board_not_just_replace_w_pietc/</ref>|Officially licensed recreations of selected arcade cabinets. Emulates whatever arcade cabinet they can get the license for. Many have criticized its short height (about 3/4 the size of a normal cabinet), lack of a CRT monitor nor any filters for it, and minor inaccuracies compared to the original. Many hobbyists have even gone as far as to replace the main motherboard with a Raspberry Pi just to use [[MAME]] instead.|-|[https://www.zuiki.co.jp/x68000z/ X68000 Z]|[[Zuiki]]|[[Sharp X68000 emulators|X68000]]|29530 JPY (standard pack)|?|Miniaturized X68000 personal workstation. Limited run. The standard pack comes with a joypad and two games: Gradius and ChoRenSha 68K on SD cards. Full-sized USB keyboard (mechanical switches, X68000 layout), USB mouse, and more games on SD cards are available separately. Capable of booting from third-party floppy/disk images. |-|Pandora Boxes|Unknown|[[Arcade emulators|Arcade]]|$30-$170 (Depends on model and peripherals)|[[MAME]], [[FinalBurn Alpha]] (Older ones) / [[RetroArch]] (Newer ones)|A kind of plug & play device filled with hundreds of pirated arcade game ROMs, which was designed to be used as substitutions for actual arcade boards in commercial arcades. Emulation quality is always hit or miss, with issues like unbearable slowdowns, input latency, and screen tearing in some games.|} ==Controversy=====Poor catalog===A first party box may prove to be lacking due to its game catalog missing some essential title. This is often the result of messy licensing issues that continue to plague consoles today, as many games are a nightmare to relicense due to some external factor. It doesn't help that first-party boxes often lack the ability to load games externally. This is done to prevent the manufacturer from having to admit support for cartridge and disc formats that the emulation community uses, as it would by extension imply support for unofficial emulation. These limitations have caused many to [[Modding Consoles/Flashcarts#NES.2FSNES.2FPSX.2FMD_.28GEN.29_Classic|modify]] their systems just to be able to get more use out of it. Some redistributors of third party boxes that pre-load them with games (which in itself is illegal to redistribute with the game images preinstalled) may contain game images that aren't 1:1 identical to the originals either due to possibly cobbling them from various sources. Use the guides on the website where possible for obtaining game images. ===Licensing===Some of the products have attracted the ire of parts of the emulation community over issues not necessarily related to the product's quality, but ones related to open source emulators. In some cases, it's because negotiations with open source emulator and/or frontend developers fell through and the company used a "lesser" option as a replacement. In others, an arrangement was reached, contracts and money were exchanged only for the project maintainers to turn out not to have gathered the complete consent of all contributors, some parts are licensed as a strictly non-commercial license, and similar issues. Sometimes, it might have to do with an incomplete source code release from companies that have to abide by GPLv3 obligations. And of course, the company might be acting malicious towards emulator developers. Since the problem with these is primarily meta, and is controversial within emulator developer circles, they may not affect the experience that the box itself provides. Some examples where this has happened: * Retron5: Its problems are explained at [[Retron5#Controversy|its page]].* Capcom Home Arcade: Koch Media (under license from Capcom) announced that they would use [[FinalBurn Alpha]] as the backend for games on the Capcom Home Arcade. This is despite the fact that FinalBurn Alpha was developed and released under a license that forbids commercial use (which was taken from versions of [[MAME]] before they had relicensed in 2015). When other FBA developers were questioned on the issue, they were completely unaware that this happened, resulting in the the project maintainer revealing that he had greenlit its use. The resulting fallout led to the creation of [[FinalBurn Neo]]. ==DIY Solutionssolutions==*{{WIP|section}}If you don't want to be limited by any consumer product, but still have something you can technically call an "emulation box," you can make one yourself! These single-board computers tend to be cheaper and offer more than a first party box will: ;Nvidia Shield TV (:An Android TV box fast enough for 2D & and 3D emulation of many consoles).;LattePanda*LattaPanda (:A Windows 10 computer with integrated Arduino. Fast enough for Saturn emulation.)*Odroid (Decent ;ODROID:Has decent speeds for Saturn emulation).;Raspberry Pi*:A very popular single-board computer that can run projects like Lakka off an SD card. You'll want to use a Raspberry Pi (Eg3 or newer for decent performance. For more convenience, a [[Frontends|frontend]] is recommended with these devices. Lakka ===Distributions===These Linux distributions offer complete emulation packages for single board computers and other systems.):[[Recommended_linux_distros#Emulation_focused|Emulation focused Linux distros]]

==References==<references /> ==External Linkslinks==