Lately, I’ve been feeling a wave of nostalgia for the classic games I grew up with—titles from consoles like the Sega Genesis, PlayStation 1 (PS1), Sega Saturn, and the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). As someone who enjoys tinkering with technology and bringing ideas to life, I decided to combine my love of retro gaming with a new web project. The result? play.habsi.net—a retro gaming website where anyone can relive these classics right in their browser.
The Spark of Inspiration
The idea came to me while exploring different emulation solutions for personal use. I wanted something straightforward, reliable, and easy to share with others. That’s when I discovered EmulatorJS, a JavaScript-based emulator that works directly in the browser. What excited me most was the potential to provide a seamless experience for users without needing to download any software.
Choosing the Right Tools
I stumbled upon linuxserver/emulatorjs, a Dockerized version of EmulatorJS maintained by the LinuxServer.io community. This made everything much easier to set up and manage. Instead of dealing with complex configurations, I could focus on the fun part: curating a selection of classic games and ensuring they worked smoothly on the platform.
Bringing the Classics to Life
Once I got EmulatorJS up and running, I started integrating a variety of consoles. Each one felt like unlocking a piece of gaming history:
- Nintendo Entertainment System (NES): The NES was the start of it all for many gamers, with timeless titles like Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda.
- Sega Genesis: Titles like Sonic the Hedgehog took me right back to childhood.
- PlayStation 1 (PS1): Revisiting games like Need for Speed brought back memories of early 3D gaming.
- Sega Saturn: A console I always found underrated, with gems that deserve more attention.
It wasn’t just about adding these consoles; it was about making sure they worked seamlessly in the browser. Testing each game, fine-tuning performance, and ensuring controls felt responsive were all part of the process. Every success was a satisfying step closer to reliving these classics the way they were meant to be played.
Exposing It to the World
After everything was set up and tested, I wanted to make it available to the public. That’s when play.habsi.net was born. By exposing the project to the web, I opened the door for others to experience these timeless games, no matter where they are or what device they use.
The Joy of Sharing
There’s something incredibly rewarding about sharing these nostalgic experiences with others. Whether you’re a fellow retro gaming enthusiast or someone curious about the classics, play.habsi.net is a place to dive in and explore the games that defined an era.
This project was more than just a technical exercise; it was a journey through my own gaming memories. And the best part? The journey continues. I plan to add more consoles and games over time, keeping the spirit of retro gaming alive.
If you’re feeling nostalgic or want to see what classic gaming was all about, check out play.habsi.net. Enjoy the games, and happy retro gaming!