The Open Source Cartridge Reader (OSCR) is a versatile tool designed to help preserve video game cartridges and save data. Developed by Sanni and the community, this device allows users to back up ROM files and save games from a wide range of vintage consoles.
Better make a full copy of this project before Nintendo comes after it too.
Someone should buy this and then charge like $5 to backup someone’s cartridge for them.
Too expensive for everyone to own
At this point are there any cartridges on earth I couldn’t find a torrent of in about 2 mins on Google? They’d have to be deliberately being kept for rarity.
Yeah honestly, what is the point of these devices when literally every retro game ever already has a perfect 1:1 dump available for instant download all over the internet? Why are new cartridge dumping devices still being produced? Even the rarest of rare games have easily-obtainable ROMs available. Who are these meant for?
Honestly, as cool as this is, I just keep collections of downloaded entire game libraries like PS1, PS2, PSP, 3DS, NDS, GB, GBC, GBA, NES, SNES, etc.
I’m more interested in preserving my save games, which I can dump myself on my modded 3DS for 3DS and NDS games, plus my PSP I can just copy paste those save games from the memory card. Those are more what is really irreplacable. Everyone has my games, not everyone has my save games.
In a just world, you could just download ROMs for free.
That’s very cool but the backup law really is only effective with drm free games on PC, your console can’t play your backups and if Nintendo had their way even modifying your console to run backups would be illegal, but thankfully only Japan is a dystopia in that sense, for now.