What Is Retro Catalog's Stance on Piracy and Legal Game Usage?

Retro Catalog states plainly that it does not endorse piracy or the distribution and usage of illegal software and hardware, and it asks users to only play games and systems they own legally. That statement appears in the site footer, so it applies to the whole catalog rather than to a single page. If you use the site to browse handhelds or look up retro games, the practical takeaway is that the listings are reference material, not a license or a download source.

What the site actually says

The footer text on Retro Catalog reads:

"Retro Catalog does not endorse piracy or the distribution and usage of illegal software and hardware. Only play games and systems that you own legally."

Two distinct points are packed into that sentence:

• No endorsement of piracy. The site distances itself from illegal distribution and use of software and hardware.
• A condition on use. It directs users to play only games and systems they legally own.

The wording covers both software (games, ROMs, BIOS files) and hardware (modified or otherwise illegal devices), so the position is not limited to game files alone.

Why the placement matters

The statement sits in the footer, alongside About, Policies, and contact links. Footers typically carry site-wide terms rather than page-specific notes, which means the stance is meant to govern how visitors use everything on the site — the handheld comparison tools, the game database, and the guides.

Retro Catalog's own description frames it as a browsing and comparison resource: it lets you browse and compare gaming handheld features, performance, and specifications, filter to find a handheld, and follow upcoming and newly released devices. Nothing in that description presents the site as a source of games or system files. The legal notice is consistent with that role.

What this means if you use the site

The site's guidance is a use condition, not a technical restriction. In practice:

• Treat the handheld specs, comparisons, and game listings as reference information for deciding what to buy or play.
• Source games and systems through legal channels — your own cartridges, discs, and consoles, or legitimate re-releases and storefronts.
• Do not read the catalog's game entries as an invitation to obtain ROMs or other files. The site lists games (its featured section shows titles across NES, PS1, PS2, GBA, GBC, GC, 3DS, and ARC) as catalog data, not as downloads.

The footer also carries a copyright line for Retro Catalog, which reinforces that the site treats its own content as protected material.

Common points of confusion

"The site lists retro games, so it must host them." Listing a game's title, platform, and category is cataloging, not distribution. The piracy statement in the same footer makes the intended boundary explicit.

"The disclaimer is just boilerplate." It may be standard wording, but it still defines the site's stated position and the behavior it asks of users. If you are deciding whether to rely on the site, the footer is the place its own terms live.

"It only covers games." The sentence names "illegal software and hardware," so it extends to devices as well as files.

The bottom line

Retro Catalog's position is simple and stated on its own pages: no endorsement of piracy or illegal software and hardware, and play only what you legally own. Use the site for what it presents itself as — a place to browse, compare, and research gaming handhelds and retro game listings — and handle the actual games and systems through legal means.