An emulator is a piece of technology that enables one system, like a PC, to mimic the features and functions of another device or platform, such as a gaming console. Emulators have been popular among video game enthusiasts for many years, allowing them to revisit classic games from the 1980s on modern computer systems by recreating the original machine code and data.

Software emulation is widely used in various applications, including software development. It allows developers to test their programs within a simulated environment, saving time and resources compared to testing on actual hardware. Emulators can also be employed for testing different hardware configurations, ensuring that developed hardware will work seamlessly across multiple environments.

In the 1990s, there were hardware emulators available in the form of physical devices. For instance, certain Macintosh computers like the Centris 610 or Performa 630 used a DOS-compatible hardware card to run PC software programs on their systems.