: Downloading game ROMs from third-party sites is widely viewed as copyright infringement and piracy. To stay within legal bounds, users are often advised to "dump" or "rip" the data from a physical cartridge they already own into a digital ROM file.
: Using the emulator software itself is generally considered legal.
: A newer option mentioned specifically for mobile platforms like iOS. Legal and Practical Considerations The world of emulation exists in a "legal gray area":