RomsFun is one of the most popular and extensive online gaming websites providing ROMs for a range of older and newer gaming consoles. Whether you are a fan of Nintendo’s NES, the Game Boy, PlayStation, or consoles produced more recently such as the Nintendo 3DS and the PlayStation 3, RomsFun claims to have more than 50,000 games that you can download.
Beyond the nostalgia of playing classic games you enjoyed as a child, most of us have questions about the safety and legality of using a site that offers to download games onto our computers.
In this article, we explore if RomsFun is safe, the legality of using ROMs, and the user’s experience with the website.
What Does RomsFun Offer?
RomsFun specializes in providing ROMs and ISOs for dozens of video game consoles, ranging from classics (the Atari 2600 and Commodore Amiga) to contemporary machines (the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360). The site additionally offers emulators that allow players to run ROMs and ISOs on PCs, smartphones, or tablets.
Besides the basic ROMs, RomsFun has Redump and No-Intro validated ROMs and some mods made by fans. With the addition of some Pokemon hacking games, RomsFun is a haven for retro gamers.
Is RomsFun Safe to Use?
To figure out if RomsFun is safe, we need to look at a few important things.
User Interface and Navigation
As you can see above RomsFun.com has a simple interface that is easy to navigate. You can see how it is structured and how you can quickly find ROMs by console type. Additionally, the site has a section with the most popular and recently added ROMs to make things a little easier for new visitors and those who want to return.
Having ads, though, is a given – and remember, RomsFun isn’t nearly as riddled with them as a lot of free ROM sites. RomsFun users should steer clear of links to any sites that don’t look like the header pictures you already saw – especially if you get redirected to a site that has a download button that looks like a ROM download button. It might not be what you think – you might be about to infect your computer with a virus.
Malware Risks
As far as I could find, there are no stories about RomsFun distributing malware, but this is a risk associated with any download of ROMs. ROMs can occasionally be ‘patched’ – that is, their code altered in the hope that once installed on a games console, they will coax a bit more speed out of the machine’s hardware. Sometimes these patches can include malicious code, but even if the site does not distribute malware itself, a user who is not careful could download a compromised file.
It’s always wise to:
- Scan each file with reliable antivirus software before running it on your system.
- Use a download manager that helps filter legitimate files from potentially harmful downloads.
To sum up, RomsFun is a safe website for downloading ROMs and emulators, but take general precautions and install an antivirus on your machine.
Legal Considerations
Is Downloading ROMs from RomsFun Legal?
The legality of downloading ROMs is where things get a little grey: all ROMs are effectively ripped copies of original games, and most of the games carried on RomsFun are still copyrighted. Downloading them without the rights holder’s approval is illegal, even if the game isn’t available anymore, or if the console it was intended to run on no longer exists.
Some users contend that downloading ROMs of games that they already own is legal because it is a form of preservation, but today’s legal structures generally do not allow this kind of thing without the permission of the copyright owner.
Copyright Infringement Risks
Because RomsFun does not have exclusive rights to these games, users downloading ROMs from the site are technically committing copyright infringement. Although many publishers have a live-and-let-live attitude toward those who download ROMs to play on their own gaming systems, this attitude does not mean that legal risks are absent. Some publishers, like Nintendo, take a rather aggressive stance toward ROM sites, shutting them down and making legal threats to users as well as to the sites.
How to Stay Safe on RomsFun
There are many steps you can take to reduce the risks associated with security and legality if you decide to use RomsFun anyway.
Security Tips
Make sure your antivirus software is robust enough to scan files in real time as you download them so that malware hidden in ROM or emulator files is flagged.
- Try a VPN: A Virtual Private Network keeps your information private and hides your IP address when you browse and download on ROM sites.
- Beware of ads: remember, some ads can look like download buttons. Many ads can be hidden using ad-blocking extensions so that you can move around a bit before tripping on a deadly mine.
Conclusion
RomsFun has an incredibly huge collection of ROMs that will be great for almost every kind of retro gamer, while the ease of use makes it more enticing for those who perhaps prefer to avoid the hassle of actually running all the emulators and sorting through the online platforms.
RomsFun looks pretty safe to use, but downloading from any ROM site can still have risks, like viruses or getting into trouble with the law. If you use RomsFun, make sure you’re careful by using antivirus programs and a VPN to stay safe.
If you are curious about safe ROMs make sure you check out the best safe ROM sites.
Hopefully, we have answered your question if Is RomsFun safe, and if you have make sure you check out some of our other posts.
