Stella: Atari 2600 Emulator for Macs
If you ever owned the Atari 2600 Video Computer System (VCS) and yearn for a trip down memory lane, then Stella is your answer. The Stella Team has developed an Atari 2600 emulator specifically for Mac users. Stella allows you to relive the good old days of gaming on your Mac, bringing back the most popular home video game system of the early 1980s.
Stella is a free emulator that supports joysticks if you have any connected to your Mac. To play a game, you'll need a ROM file, which you can load into Stella. However, it's important to note that no ROMs come preinstalled with Stella, and the developer does not offer any. You will need to find ROMs from external sites, such as Atariage.com, but be aware that it is illegal to use ROM images of games that you do not actually own.
Loading a ROM into Stella can be a bit intimidating if you've never used an emulator before. The ROM launcher can be found in the "Options" menu, under "Config Files". The user guide provided by Stella is extensive and explains clearly what you need to do to launch a game, making the process easier to understand.
Stella is a great choice for Mac owners who want to relive the Atari 2600 gaming experience. Just make sure you have plenty of ROMs to load, as you'll soon get bored without them!
