There is no question in maybe about 99 % of the cases that console game ROMs
are not Free Software.
But I can say that there are ethical uses for emulator software. For example,
one could develep software for those consoles and test/use it with the
emulator. There is also some roms which have only picture slide shows (at
least for NES). The picture on the ROM does not have to be Free Software or
similarly licenced media else you would render invisible most of the content
in books and Internet and photography exhibitions etc. for your eyes.
Another use is simply research out of curiosity or for even academical
purposes. I personally find it very interesing and amusing what kind of
things in the pre-era of super personal computer power was possible to do.
Further there is a lot to learn for game development in those 8 bit games. I
could continue with stories in especially RPG games, which you could either
read from Internet or experience interactively with the actual game. Because
of that I perceive certain games to be very problematic regarding Free
Software. They are software, yet they are also amazing art much looked down
by "real art" enthusiastics not to speak how they can be interactive stories
more than just simply software. How about music? That's a whole new topic by
itself.
The world should not be black & white. To have an emulator which is Free
Software is for sure better than to have an emulator which is not Free
Software or to not have emulator at all.
One very important special note: You don't have to be in academy in order to
research something because everyone can't be in academy, and it would be
totally ridiculous if only those who are in some sort of academy can research
something. The curiosity and thirst for knowledge is one thing what separates
humans of animals. The one who makes research to satisfy his personal
curiosity is behaving very humanly and is doing the right thing for sure. If
he is interested of 8-bit games or whatever games does not make him a bit
worse person than someone who studies classical music or "real art".
