Ok. So if you don't know (how? HOW?) an emulator allows you to run software written for one kind of machine on another. So for example BeebEm lets you run BBC Micro programs on your PC. In fact when an emulator is running generally it emulates the actual machine - in other words its running the machines ROMS, OS etc. and so looks and feels just like the real thing.

To run the original machines programs you usually use a disc or ROM image. Which is a file in the format of your own machine that contains the info from the original media.

Which is all great. Though why I keep saying programs when I quite clearly mean games I'm not sure. Whats not so great is that some publishers and manufacturers really aren't at all keen on this type of thing. They insist you own the original. And even if you own the original it can be a grey legal area. Which is all a bit absurd when your talking about a 20 year old game. All that said when your talking about the 8-bit machines you'll find ROMs all over the net in huge archives which aren't disguised in anyway at all. Its the newer stuff thats a bit contentious.

So I'm not going to show you where to find the ROMs. If you want them use Google. Really. Its that easy. For more information on specific emulators for each machine check out the machine specifc sections of the site.