is a
Personal Computer application developed by
Australian based company
Jacal Consulting that allows users to play PC game titles without the need for a CD or DVD to be in the
CD-ROM or
DVD-ROM drive. The program functions similar to a
Virtual Drive , however instead of making use of large disc images, Game Jackal uses a proprietary format which takes up considerable less storage space.
Game Jackal is advertised to work with around 90% of games on the market, including some of today's newest titles such as .
Game Jackal works by establishing a game profile which is used to store all of the game's relevant data. At first, you are required to have an original copy of the game in order to perform an initial boot so Game Jackal can successfully 'capture' the game for use later. If a first attempt at capturing a profile does not succeed, it may be performed any time after and anything else Game Jackal picks up will simply be added to the profile.
The legality of the usage of Game Jackal is still constantly being discussed. It's authors claim that the program is completely within legal boundaries due to the fact that:
- The profiles are designed to be created from original copies of game CDs.
- The profiles can not be publicly distributed.
- The program does not modify any of the game's contents or data.
