Looking for the best safe ROM sites? Here is where you can find all the ROMs you need safely.
If you’re a 90’s kid, or simply love older video games, then ROMs are perfect for you. With them, you can play cassette games that you used to play with consoles attached to the TV.
ROMs are copied software that allows gamers to play older video games for free. To run ROMs, you need console emulators. However, recently Nintendo launched lawsuits attacking ROM sites for copyright violations. This attack by one of the big players in the gaming industry had caused some sites to take down their ROMs and even shut down.
The good news is, not even Nintendo could stop people from creating and sharing ROMs. Many gamers even spoke out against Nintendo’s move. So, ROMs are definitely not going anywhere. We can even expect to see more of them in the future.
18 Best Safe ROM Sites to Download Retro Games
Here is our list of 18 best ROM sites. You can access these sites to download ROM games as well as console emulators, all safely without malware. And of course, all of them are free. Read our review and decide which ROM site you want to use.
1. Romspedia
- Safe with direct game downloads
- Huge list of games
- Easy to use
- Fast download speed
2. Romsplanet
Romsplanet is a ROM and emulator website that provides thousands of game ROMs from various retro game consoles, which you can download for free. However, you can still find a large number of ROM downloads from this site, whether you are searching for ROMs for Nintendo, PS, SEGA, or other retro game consoles.
3. Romsopedia
Romsopedia is one of the best and safest ROM websites on the Internet. You can easily download classic ROMs, emulators, and they also provide some of the best known game consoles. ROM installation is quick and easy, and it is much more convenient than the original game system. You can find any game that you want to try.
4. Retrostic
Retrostic is easily one of the best safe ROM sites, with its 51 consoles, 383 emulators, and more than 83,000 ROMs. The ROMs are arranged by consoles. Retrostic offers safe download links and you can play without any emulator. But if it’s not working, Retrostic also has emulators that you can use to run them.
Our Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Pros:
- Large ROM and emulator collection
- Direct download links, no .exe files, phishing, or malware
- You can play backups and ROMs without emulators
- You can request Retrostic team to add games to their catalog
Cons:
- No game description
5. Rom Hustler
One of the first safe ROM sites, ROM Hustler has been trusted by gamers for a long time. It provides a screenshot and the description of every ROM. The ROM collection is large and they also have many emulators for various consoles.
Our Rating: 4/5 stars
Pros:
- A large collection of ROMs and emulators across many consoles
- Screenshot and description of each ROM is provided
- Safe website
- Visitors’ votes and rating can help you choose a ROM
- Available on mobile
Cons:
- It has many ads, so it is safer to browse it using an adblocker on for extra caution
6. CoolRom
CoolROM doesn’t have the best interface out of all safe ROM sites. But it’s available in 11 languages including English, Japanese, and Spanish. Each game also has a description, screenshots, and reviews to help you choose.
For first-time ROM players, CoolROM is the best site because it has detailed instructions about how you can install an emulator and run ROMs. They also give recommendations for the best services.
Our Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Pros:
- Gives detailed description, screenshots, and reviews for each game
- Available in 11 languages
- Detailed instructions for the installation of emulators
- Safe to use
Cons:
- Outdated interface
7. Gamulator
One of the newer safe ROM sites, Gamulator’s game catalog increases every day. You can find many ROMs from all the consoles ever released. Their collection is impressive that the game that you can’t find on other sites may be available here. You can easily find games to play on your computer, smartphone, or tablet here.
Our Rating: 4/5 stars
Pros:
- Available in 4 languages (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese)
- Extensive collection of ROMs
- Manager-based and direct downloads available for extra safety and security
- It also has blogs and articles related to the gaming industry
Cons:
- The interface is outdated
8. Killerroms
Killerroms is another veteran of safe ROM sites. This website contains many ROMs, emulators, and also BIOS downloads. At Killerroms you are also able to play directly on your web browser without downloading or using any emulator. So, the chance to get infected by viruses or malware is lower. But, not all ROMs could be played directly. Some still need to be played on an emulator.
Our Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Pros:
- ROMs, emulators, and BIOS download available
- Can play ROMs directly on the websites, so it’s safer
- Easy to use interface
Cons:
- Not all ROMs can be played directly
9. ROMs Universe
Another one of safe ROM sites where you can play games online, directly on your web browser. So, it is safer. At ROMs Universe you can find many ROMs and emulators. The site also provides game description, screenshot, and rating to help you find the best game.
Our Rating: 4/5 stars
Pros:
- ROMs and emulator download available
- Game description and rating provided so you can choose more easily
- You can play ROMs directly on the websites, which makes it safer
- Easy to use interface
Cons:
- There are many ads, so it is safer to browse it using an adblocker
10. Romsmania
Romsmania is one of the safe ROM sites with the largest collection of ROMs. There have been security issues about the .exe files from Romsmania. However, you can download the game zip which is safer.
Our Rating: 3/5 stars
Pros:
- Large varieties of ROMs, emulators, and BIOS download available
- You can also play ROMs directly on the websites, so it’s safer
- It has an easy to use interface and game screenshots and description
Cons:
- Potential issues with malware, adware, and virus in .exe files. It’s better to download the zip file or play directly for more security and safety.
11. The Eye
The Eye is one of the most recommended safe ROM sites. In fact, it’s probably one of the safest because it does not contain any ads. The Eye does not only have games but also other files such as audiobooks and e-books. A downside is the user interface is a bit difficult to navigate.
Our Rating: 5/5 stars
Pros:
- You can download ROMs in bulk
- There is a Discord community for you to share interests with other gamers
- One of the safest sites to download ROMs
- Has many other file types
Cons:
- Its interface is rather difficult to navigate
12. RomUlation
RomUlation is definitely one of the best safe ROM sites. You can find many emulators and ROMs here. This website uses a system that can prevent abuse and ensure more security. That is, you have to sign up for this site to be able to access it. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll get 10,000 points. Regular members receive 500 points daily. You need the points to be able to download ROMs.
Our Rating: 4/5 stars
Pros:
- Interesting point system to prevent download abuse
Cons:
- You have to register to use the site
- You need points to download files
13. WoWroms
Another one of the safe ROM sites, WoWroms has ROMs available for more than 30 emulators. It also has computer games designed for older operating systems such as Apple I, DOS, Acron, and many more. You can also play some ROMs directly online for a safer experience.
Our Rating: 3/5 stars
Pros:
- It has an extensive game collection for more than 30 emulators
- Bios file downloads available
- It also has game music, magazines, and manuals
- It provides screenshots of the games
Cons:
- It is safer to browse the site using ad blockers because there are many ads and pop-ups
14. CDRomance
The next in this list of safe ROM sites is CDRomance. On this site you can download ROMs for many consoles. Some ROMs are available in different languages. Each game has screenshots, descriptions, and user reviews which can help you choose if you want to download it. The site will also show related games that you can check out.
Our Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Pros:
- Many games available for various consoles
- Many ROMs available in different languages
- Game screenshots, descriptions, and user reviews are provided
- Related game recommendations at the end of each page
Cons:
- It has many ads
15. FreeROMS
FreeROMS is one of the safe ROM sites that we recommend. The games are available by alphabets or by console types. One downside to FreeROMS is that it does not have an emulator download provided, although you need emulators to play the ROMs on the site. However, it provides links to WinZip and 7-zip which you will use to open the game files. This site uses .7z zip files which are safer.
Our Rating: 3/5 stars
Pros:
- Large ROM collection for many platforms
- Links to WinZip and 7-zip downloaders for easier unpacking of game files
Cons:
- No emulator downloads
16. ClassicGameRoms
Classic Game Roms is one of the safe ROM sites that are based on Google Sites. The site has downloads for 11 emulator types and ROM files for more than 20 consoles. Unfortunately, the site interface is a bit difficult to navigate and also rather outdated.
Our Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Pros:
- It is safe to use
- Classic Game Roms has downloads for 11 emulator types
- The site has no ads
- It has a large ROM collection for more than 20 consoles
Cons:
- The site interface is a bit outdated
- The user interface is not very easy to use
17. Emulator.Games
Emulator Games is another one of the safe ROM sites that you can use to download ROMs to play on your PC, mobile devices, or tablet. You can play some ROMs online directly on your web browser. However, some still require emulators to run them. Emulator Games provide safe download links.
Our Rating: 4/5 stars
Pros:
- A large collection of games for many game consoles
- There are user ratings that you can refer to
- It has emulator downloads
- There are no ads
- You can play some games online directly, which is safer
Cons:
- There are no game screenshots provided
18. Edgeeemu
The last in this list of safe ROM sites is Edgeemu. This website provides ROMs for many consoles, the collection is quite large and it is still regularly updated. It provides direct download links to a 7zip file, so it is safer. However this site only has ROM downloads and not emulator downloads.
Our Rating: 4/5 stars
Pros:
- The site has no ads
- It provides direct download links
- It uses 7zip files which is safer
- An extensive and continuously updated game collection
Cons:
- There are no game screenshots, description, or user reviews
- There is no emulator download
Conclusion
So, what do you think about those ROM download sites? It is quite a long and comprehensive list. We have provided the pros and cons of each website so that you can choose the most suitable one for you. Use the review in choosing which website is the best for your needs.
Now that you know where to download ROMs, you can go and play your favorite classic games and enjoy the nostalgia of your childhood. Old school games have a unique appeal, which is the reason ROMs are so popular. Have fun downloading ROMs from those safe ROM sites!
I’m is an owner of Venostech.com, blogger, Android and technology enthusiast. Individual who are educated in the IT and like to write according my scope.
