Editing Saved game (section)

===Save states===
A "save state" is a form of a saved game in [[emulator]]s. A save state is generated when the emulator stores the contents of [[random-access memory]] of an emulated program to disk. Save states enable players to save their games even when the emulated game or system does not support the feature. For instance, save states may be used to circumvent saving restrictions or as a savescumming technique. An associated concept is '''save state hacking''', the practice of which uses a [[hex editor]] to modify the save states to alter gameplay conditions, usually in favor of the player. Save states are comparable to [[Snapshot (computer storage)|snapshots of a computer system's state]] or [[Hibernation (computing)|hibernation]] in computing, with save states being a limited form of snapshots.<ref name=Lowood-Guins/><ref>{{cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GVDpCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA312|chapter=8 Tool-Assisted|title=I Am Error: The Nintendo Family Computer / Entertainment System Platform|last=Altice|first=Nathan|publisher=[[MIT Press]]|date=2015|access-date=2021-11-17|pages=312–313|isbn=978-0-262-32840-1}}</ref>

Save states have started to receive mainstream usage in the early 2010s with Nintendo's Virtual Console. Some [[Wii U]] and [[3DS Virtual Console]] titles allow players to save a "restore point," which is like a quick save but has no restrictions on reloading.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://30plusgamer.com/restore-point-or-no-restore-point/ |title=Restore Point or No Restore Point |last1=Cazares |first1=Sergio |website=30PLUSGAMER |date=2013-12-15 |access-date=2015-05-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528200641/http://30plusgamer.com/restore-point-or-no-restore-point/|archive-date=May 28, 2015}}</ref> Although likely derived from quick saves, restore points are functionally identical to save states, and can be used for many of the same purposes.