Koin is a browser-based, cloud-powered retro gaming hub that lets players upload their own legally owned ROMs, then play them anywhere with cloud saves, manuals, maps, and smart metadata. It is also one of the projects proudly supported under the Abandonware Ring Community Fund, as part of a broader effort to keep game preservation sustainable for the people actually building these tools.
What Koin Actually Does
Koin turns a folder of ROMs into a curated, playable library: drag and drop your games (zip, 7z, iso and common ROM formats) and the platform automatically identifies them, enriches them with proper titles, artwork, and metadata, and stores them in your private cloud. Instead of juggling emulators and config files on each device, your collection lives in one place, with cloud saves, achievements via RetroAchievements, and a consistent interface built specifically for retro play.
A Private Museum For Your ROMs
The app leans heavily into the idea of preservation over piracy: you bring your own legally owned ROMs, Koin brings the infrastructure. That means your dusty backup drives become something closer to a personal museum, where games are searchable, beautifully presented, and ready to boot in seconds instead of being forgotten in a “ROMs” folder.
Manuals, Maps, And The Lost Extras
One of the most quietly brilliant touches is how Koin handles the “stuff around” games. It automatically fetches high‑resolution scans of original manuals and maps for titles in your library, recreating that feeling of flipping through a booklet on the ride home from the store, only now it’s all embedded directly into your cloud library.
Play Anywhere, With Real Controls
Koin is designed to follow you between devices: start a session on macOS and pick it up later on your phone, with your progress synced through the cloud. Input support covers Xbox and PS5 controllers, 8BitDo pads, and keyboard, so you can plug in whatever feels right and just play.
Backed By The Community Fund
Behind the scenes, Koin is not a faceless corporate product; it is part of the same grassroots preservation ecosystem that has been quietly keeping old games alive for decades. Through the Abandonware Ring Community Fund to help member sites cover hosting, domains, and ongoing running costs, and Koin is among the initiatives benefiting from this support. The fund exists because so many webmasters have self‑funded their projects for years, and it is one way of saying that all of this invisible work deserves real backing.
Why This Matters For Preservation
Tools like Koin make it realistic for everyday players to preserve their own collections without needing to be archivists or server admins. Coupled with a community fund that covers some of the unglamorous bills, it helps ensure that preservation doesn’t depend solely on who can afford another year of hosting, but on the shared belief that these games and the culture around them are worth keeping alive.
Special Discount
Koin has partnered with The Abandonware Ring to give something tangible back to the community that’s been keeping these games alive for decades. Members of the Abandonware Ring can use the code "tAR20" for 20% off, a small but meaningful thank-you to the people who care enough about preservation to support projects like this in the first place.
Try Koin today!