NostalgiaDB

What NostalgiaDB is

NostalgiaDB is a free metadata database for retro game releases spanning 1977–2005. Its archive includes titles, platforms, release dates, ratings, cover art, and descriptions for 45 gaming platforms, including Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, NES, Atari 2600, 3DO, MAME, Atari 5200, and Atari 7800. A natural-language search helps locate games across the archive. Developers can query releases, ROMs, systems, reviews, and media through a GraphQL API; queries require an API key and are limited to six levels of depth. Free SQLite database archives are available for download with a free registered account, and their download URLs last 15 minutes. Registered members can use the browser-based Play portal to run their locally stored ROM files in a client-side emulator sandbox. Play requires a Chromium-based browser and reads game files from a folder on the user's device rather than uploading them to Nostalgia Lab servers. The platform supports Google, Microsoft, and Discord sign-in. Nostalgia Lab describes the project as a non-profit preservation platform funded by voluntary donations, serving researchers, historians, developers, and enthusiasts.