yep. Old game devs strategically used the CRT scanlines to smooth the graphics out. There's shaders that do similar but I've yet to find anything that comes close. In fact, I have a raspberry pi "retro console" I built hooked up to the same CRT using a camcorder composite cable. I'm gonna be sad when the TV i have dies. I have three SNES. One of the end of the cycle redesigns that works perfect. Mine worked until about 2019...I just need to really take it apart and see what broke. And I bought one off a guy in town that works but has a pin kinda janked or something because if you touch the game while playing and push it back a little it blips out.
Supposedly they've gotten a lot better, but I have yet to try any on flat panels in a long time. I think you'd still want a max ~ 32 inch flat panel even then.
I was such an SNES fanboy. Most of the games I own are my original games. I've had to replace a battery here and there, but no biggie. Debated collecting a Genesis collection but I don't have the time. I'm about to start testing how much of my Atari collection works. I won't part with it because it was my grandmothers.
However, I may part with NES collection soon which has two partially working front loaders if you want to bother putting in new pins and a top loader with the dog bone that works really well plus a decent smattering of games. I just flat out do not enjoy NES games outside the few RPGs and the Zelda games. I'm not a good "twitch" gamer so most platformers make me pissed off and shit like Contra takes a lot of time for me to master.
Ironically, I beat Super Star Wars and Super Empire back in the day and never realized they were considered brutal. I have Super Return but have never touched it.
