How to Play 90s Games Today: A Platform-by-Platform Guide
There are three broad ways to play a 90s game legally today: buy an official modern re-release, access one through a subscription library, or run the original on period-correct or emulated hardware. Which one makes sense depends entirely on the specific game.
Official collections and stores
Publishers regularly bundle their own back catalogs into paid collections, Capcom Fighting Collection and Rare Replay among them, sold outright on current storefronts like Steam, the Switch eShop, and Xbox and PlayStation stores.
Subscription access
Nintendo Switch Online bundles a rotating library of NES and SNES games (with Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis, and more on the Expansion Pack tier) into a recurring subscription rather than a one-time purchase, and Nintendo has continued adding titles to it well past the games' original release years.
Original hardware
Playing an original cartridge or disc on period hardware still works, but connecting that hardware to a modern TV usually needs an upscaler or converter, since most current TVs handle these consoles' analog video signals poorly without help. Our platform-specific TV connection guides cover that in detail.
Matching a game to an option
- Want a specific franchise on current hardware? Check our platform guides for Switch, Steam, PS4, and Xbox One.
- Want the original DOS experience on a PC? See our DOS setup guide.
- Have the original console already? See our TV connection guides.
Frequently asked questions
What's the easiest way to legally play a 90s game today?
An official modern re-release or collection, when one exists, is usually the simplest option since it's pre-configured to run on current hardware without any setup beyond a normal install.
Do I need original hardware to play 90s games?
No, not for most games. Many have official modern re-releases or are included in subscription libraries like Nintendo Switch Online. Original hardware is really only necessary for games without any modern release.
Why do old consoles look bad on modern TVs?
Most modern TVs don't handle these consoles' analog video signals natively the way older CRT TVs did, so the image often needs an upscaler or converter to look right on current hardware.
Sourcing and corrections
General availability details (Nintendo Switch Online's tiers, the existence of collections like Capcom Fighting Collection and Rare Replay) were checked via web search against sources including Wikipedia and Nintendo Life in September 2026. Availability changes over time; reconfirm current details before relying on this for a purchase decision.