ROM Dumping

Danger

An obligatory warning about downloading ROMs:

Emulators are generally legal, as long as they don't include copyrighted software such as a console BIOS. Downloading ROM files that you do not own is piracy which is illegal in most countries.

Info

Dumping.Guide and Emulation General Wiki are some of the best resources for legally creating ROM files from games you own.

Here is a condensed version that isn't guaranteed to be up to date.

Generation 1-5 cartridge-based consoles

Dumpable with special hardware	Open Source Cartridge Reader (Save the Hero Builders)	INLretro Dumper	Retrode		Other hardware
Nintendo - GB, GBC, GBA	✅	✅	✅ (w/ adapter)		Epilogue GB Operator, BennVenn Joey Jr
Nintendo - NES/Famicom	✅ (V3 w/ adapter)	✅	❌
Nintendo - Nintendo 64	✅ including controller pak saves (V3 w/ addon for EEPROM saves)	✅	✅ including controller park saves (w/ adapter)		BennVenn JoeyN64
Nintendo - SNES/SFC	✅ (V3 w/ addon for some)	✅	✅		Epilogue SN Operator
Sega - Game Gear	✅ (w/ Retrode Master System adapter)	❌	✅ (w/ Master System adapter)
Sega - Genesis/MD	✅	✅	✅
Sega - Master System	✅ (V3 w/ adapter)	❌	✅ (w/ adapter)

Generation 6+ and disk-based consoles

Dumpable with software	Software for native hardware	Other hardware
Nintendo - 3DS	GodMode9
Nintendo - DS, DSi	GodMode9 (w/ 3DS), GodMode9i (w/ DSi), wooddumper (w/ DS)
Nintendo - Famicom Disk		FDSStick
Sony - PSP	UMD Image Creator, PSP Filer
Sony - PlayStation Vita	psvgamesd

Optical-based consoles

Optical-based consoles	Media Preservation Frontend (MPF) (w/ PC)	Software for native hardware
Microsoft - Xbox, 360, One	✅
Nintendo - Gamecube	⚠️ with specific drives and workarounds	CleanRip (w/ Wii)
Nintendo - Wii	⚠️ with specific drives and workarounds	CleanRip
Nintendo - Wii U	❌	wudump
Sega - Dreamcast	⚠️ with specific drives and workarounds	SD Rip
Sega - Saturn	✅
Sony - PlayStation 1, 2	✅
Sony - PlayStation 3	❌	ManaGunZ, multiMAN