Retro gaming has made a comeback with systems like the NES Classic, but none of them will do you any good if you have a stockpile of game CDs from yesteryear that you want to play. What might, however, is a new system seeking funding on Indiegogo that promises to play all of your old CDs from virtually any platform.
It's called the Seedi Retro Gaming System and it supposedly works with original discs for DOS and a several old game consoles, including the original PlayStation, Neo-Geo, TurboGrafx, and lots more.
"With modern day TVs and aging consoles, you often need to re-buy digital versions of the classics, download backups, fix broken systems, or upscale the video signal... Seedi takes care of the annoying stuff and let's you get back to collecting, trading, and enjoying the original games," Seedi states on its Indiegogo page.
At the heart of Seedi is an open-source software that uses emulation to bring old CD games back to life in the modern era. Seedi isn't crystal clear in this regard, though it does mention tapping into various emulators such as DOSBox and ScummVM to play old computer games, such as The Secret of Monkey Island, Doom, Quake, and others.
Seedi also serves as a backup for these old games, which suggests that you don't need to keep a game CD inserted to play what's on it.
Given how many systems Seedi's developers claim to support, this truly would be the "ultimate emulator," as is advertised. And beyond playing games, it also supposedly plays movies and music, and can function as a CD/DVD burner too.
A video showcasing Seedi shows a slick interface that allows you to browse your collection of games and media. You can then play any of them with an optional Bluetooth controller that Seedi sells and is similar to a PS3 gamepad, or use your own controller. There is also an app to use your smartphone as a controller.
Emulation can be tricky. Even so, Seedi says you can expect games to play "fantastic" from most platforms. It's a big promise and we're eager to see if it lives up to the claim.
The other thing we worry about is the legality of it all, and specifically whether companies like Nintendo will try to shut the project down. We will have to wait and see.
You can check out the Indiegogo page here. If interested, you can back the project and preorder a Seedi system for the early bird price of $99.
