MAME
Current version: | 0.266 |
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Active: | Yes |
OS: | Multi-platform |
Authors: | Nicola Salmoria, MAME Team |
Official website: | MAMEDev.org |
Source code: | GitHub |
MAME (an acronym of Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) is an emulator for arcade game systems. The aim of MAME is to be a reference to the inner workings of the emulated arcade machines; the ability to actually play the games is considered "a nice side effect".
The emulator supports over seven thousand unique games and ten thousand actual ROM image sets, though not all of the supported games are playable. There are many MAME front-ends available.
MESS is a related, but separate project to create a multi-system emulator for consoles.
Contents
Downloads
Review
MAME is very extensive, with the majority of arcade system boards from the 1970's, 1980's and early 1990's supported. Do not expect support for more recent boards, such as atomiswave. MAME focuses on accuracy and archiving arcade games, which means it does not always focus on usability for the end user. Only the most up to date romdumps will work in the latest MAME.
ROM dumps
Due to the design of MAME it is often confusing how roms work under it and whats needed. A single game may require numerous files inside its zip, samples for missing sounds, CHD (Compressed Hunks of Data), and bios. To help manage all these files it is highly recommended to use a rom management tool such as RomCenter or clrmamepro because without all the required files and file versions the game simply will not work.
A couple of important notes when handling MAME files do not rename the game files or unzip them. MAME requires each file to be named according to its database else it wont know where to look. CHD files need to be in your rom folder in its own directory with the same name of the CHD such as C:/MAME/Roms/gamename/gamename.chd.
List of Arcade systems emulated
- List of arcade games that DON'T work Last updated February 2014. Don't expect most recent games (like Naomi ones) to run at fullspeed, MAME is very resource intensive.
- NonMAME (2013 Mirror) This is a list of arcade systems that currently are not emulated by MAME or are emulated better by other emulators.
Frontends
MAME uses many front ends. Please expand this section.
M+GUI
MAME UI 32
MAME UI
MAME UI No longer maintained.
UNOFFICAL BUILDS MAMEUI x86/x64 unoffical builds
Emu Loader
MEWUI
MEWUI is an extension of the internal interface of the MAME / MESS with additional features.
Features
- Display full list of games
- Display snapshot, cabinets, etc... in game selection menu
- Display history, mameinfo in ingame menu
- Options to filter the list of games
Attract-Mode
QMC2
QMC2 – M.A.M.E./M.E.S.S./U.M.E. Catalog / Launcher II
QMC2 is a multi-platform MAME/MESS frontend.
Versions
GroovyMAME
- Main article: GroovyMAME
It's a fork of MAME made to support arcade CRT monitors
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,128879.0.html?PHPSESSID=domm2c4q77esu0j9uohc5vrqn5
NetPlay
Downloads
Review | |
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PROS |
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CONS |
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How to |
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In order to configure your controllers, you need to press TAB once the game is running. Clear every key for Player 1 using "Esc", and only map the directional buttons, and buttons number 1 through 8, which should cover most standard games. You may also chat in-game by pressing Home twice. Also, you have to restart the emulator EVERY TIME you load a new game, or attempt to restart the current one. Else, you'll get a black screen. |