MAME ROM
From GamerWiki
NOTE: This page does NOT contain links to any MAME ROMs, nor information on where to obtain them.
This page DOES contain information about ROMs, the listed games, such as gameplay descriptions, technical information, and trivia.
Some ROM FAQs
What are "MAME ROMs"?
A. The two words are seperate descriptions which have, over time, merged by their association. MAME refers to the emulation engine - the program which recreates the arcade games. ROM refers to the portion of memory which typically resides on the chips of the printed circuit boards inside the arcade machine. Such is the extent of the mis-use of the phrase MAME ROM and term ROM with regards to emulation that you may frequantly find them being used to represent floppy disc images, hard drive images, audio tape images and various forms of RAM also. For a strict guide on the true meaning, see ROM.
For a more in-depth look at the relationship between MAME and ROMs used for MAME, see the MAME Controversy section.
Is MAME/emulation legal?
A. Yes. There are no laws specifically against the creation of a product which attempts to replicate or mimic the actions of another product. There may be grey areas where a particular product utilises knowledge which can only have been ascertained by illegal means but these cases are few and far between, typically centring on the use of complex algorithms (such as encryption).
Are ROMs legal?
A. No. Well, the ROMs themselves are neither legal nor illegal, however your use of the ROMs is likely to be illegal, so in the main, no, they are not legal. Some have been released by their owners for free use under restrictive licences. For further information on which ROM sets can be legally used (note the lack of "ownership" in the phrase), see the MAME developer's page. Note that there are some sites which have permission from the owners to sell copies of the original ROMs. If you are at all unsure whether you have the permission to use the ROMs, you probably don't.
I can use the ROMs for 24 hours can't I?
A. No, never. This is an urban myth created, primarily, by sites illegally publishing the ROMs.
Selected Games
| Contents: | Top - 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
|---|
0-9
1942 - THE vertical shooter, in a P38 Lightning (1942.zip) - Capcom produced a series of titles from this classic: Capcom 194x
20/20 Baseball - A nice futuristic neo geo baseball game that gives the genre a good shunt up the arse. (2020bb.zip)
A
Air Buster - Fabulous 2-player horizontal shooter. Great set-pieces and bosses. (airbustr.zip)
Air Gallet - Really nice vertical shooter with smooth visuals and great music. (agallet.zip)
Alien Syndrome - 2-player Gauntlet-style shooter with a great atmosphere. "The Time Bomb is Set"... (aliensyn.zip)
Alien vs Predator - Capcom scrolling beat/shoot-em-up, supporting two players with a choice of 4 characters, human and Predator. (avsp.zip)
APB - Top down cop simulator, like original GTA games. Lots of fun (apb.zip)
Arch Rivals - A superb (and addictive) basketball game with great teamplay elements. (archrivl.zip)
Armed Formation - A v-scrolling shoot 'em up with a novel option to flip your guns to and from behind your craft. (armedf.zip)
Asteroids - Blow them up. (asteroi1.zip)
Akkenvader- Comical version of Space invaders, and V. Good to boot. (akkanvdr.zip)+(spcinvd95.zip)
B
Bal Cube - Pong style game, only you control the ball. Blocks move down screen after each bounce, very addictive. (balcube.zip)
Bank Panic - Simple but addictive reaction-based point-and-shoot game. (bankp.zip)
Battlantis - Ace, if obscure, Space Invaders style shooter. Defend your castle walls from marauding little fellas. Power ups, bosses etc. (battlnts.zip)
Battle Bakraid - A fantastic hori shooter, converted to Dreamcast. (bbakraid.zip)
Biomechanical Toy - Vibrant and satisfying Run & Gun action in a fantasy cartoon setting. Like Metal Slug on acid. With killer clowns. (biomtoy.zip)
Bionic Commando - platforming shooter with no jump button, mad but it works (bionicc.zip)
Blazing Star - great horizontal scrolling shoot-em-up, very japanesy and reminds me of Thunderforce in some ways (blazstar.zip)
Bomberman - The best multiplayer game in existence. Essential. (bombrman.zip)
Bomb Jack - Bomb-collecting-single-screen-platforming-excellence. Yes. (bombjack.zip)
Bonanza Bros. - A typically stylish Sega romp with stealthy platform action. (bnzabros.zip)
Boxy Boy - One of the most simple, yet addictive, puzzle games Mame has to offer. (boxyboy.zip)
Bubble Bobble - Cute but deep platformer with simultaneous 2 player action. (bublbobl.zip)
Butasan - Came to 8 Bit computers as "Psycho Pigs UXB", Play a bomb chucking pig, trying to kill other bomb chucking pigs. (butasan.zip)
C
Cameltry - A curious mix of Super Monkeyball and those spinning bonus stages from the first Sonic on the Sega Mega Drive. (cameltry.zip)
Capcom Sports Club - Cartoon basketball, "soccer" and tennis all in one package. (csclub.zip)
Championship Sprint - Classic overhead racing from Atari. 1986. (csprint.zip)
Change Air Blade - A vertical shooter with a twist, mainly one-on-one action. (cairblad.zip)
Chase HQ - LETS GO MR DRIVER!!! (chasehq.zip)
Chelnov - Ludicrously difficult scrolling platform shooter. If you think you're 1337, try this. (chelnov.zip)
Congo Bongo - Sega's hilarious 3D isometric jungle romp (congo.zip)
Contra - Wonderfully crafted platform shooter. (contra.zip)
Cosmo Gang the Video - Namco's take on Arrkenvader (cosmogng.zip)
Cyvern - Vertical shmup with pin-sharp graphics, superbly structured. (cyvern.zip)
D
Dangun Feveron - Disco crazy vertical shooter, very fast and frantic with funky tunes. (dfeveron.zip)
Dead Connection - Take on the mob in this single screen shooter. (deadconx.zip)
Desert War - A good Update of Jackal, but with Helicopters, shame the sound doesn`t work yet (desertwr.zip)
D&D: Shadow over Mystera - Excellent fantasy-themed Final Fight style beat 'em up with RPG elements. (ddsom.zip)
Defender - Defend humans from alien abduction by thrusting, scrolling and shooting. Lovely minimal sound and visuals. (defender.zip)
DoDonPachi - Extremely noisy vertical shooter with nice but not too flashy visuals. Just turn the sound up on this one. (dodonpach.zip)
Double Dragon - Classic 2-player side-scrolling beat 'em up. Great music and bone-crunching sound effects. (ddragon.zip)
Dig Dug - Great namco gameplay, blow the monsters up or drop rocks on them (digdug.zip)
Dragon Blaze - The usual Psikyo stuff, but this one is extraordinarily pretty. (dragonblz.zip)
E
Elevator Action - See below, but this is the first and is working on MAMEoX (elevator.zip)
Elevator Action Returns - Stupidly fast platform shmup with brilliantly animated tiny characters, and lots of 'em. (elvactr.zip)
Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters - Frantic isometric shoot/save 'em up with lovely cartoon visuals (eprom.zip)
ESP Ra. De. - Probably one of the best vertical shooters available on MAME. (esprade.aip)
F
Flying Shark - Solid vertical shooter in the style of 1942. (fshark.zip)
Final Fight - Kill hordes of people named mainly after people from guns & roses. One of the best of the genre (ffight.zip)
Finalizer - Super Transformation- Charming shoot 'em up with a neat Transfomers-esque morphing gimmick (finalizr.zip)
G
Gals Panic S - Like Qix/Volified but with girlies! (galpanic.zip)
Garou: The Mark Of The Wolves - Beautiful SNK 2D beat 'em up which is complex and strategical without being daunting. (garou.zip)
Gauntlet - 1-4 player, from-above action/adventure game (gauntlet.zip)
Ghosts 'n Goblins - A classic platformer. Kill the demons but don't get hit, unless you like running around in your pants. (gngt.zip)
Ghouls 'n Ghosts - Superior (and tougher) update to the above. (ghouls.zip)
Giga Wing - Superb vertical blaster that plays like a modern shoot 'em up. (gigawing.zip)
Golfing Greats - Fantastic 3D golf game from Konami. (glfgreat.zip)
Great 1000 Miles Rally - Isometric racer with great attention to detail and an unbeatable sense of speed. (gtmr.zip)
Green Beret - Side scrolling army thuggery, simple and fiendishly addictive (gberet.zip)
Great Swordsman - Nes style fencing game. Simple and addictive fun (crying out for a vs. mode). (gsword.zip)
Gunforce 2 - Nutso Metal Slug-esque Action,loads of vehicles-rock hard!(gunforc2.zip)
Gunlock - vertical shmup with real depth. Ho ho.(gunlock.zip)
Guwange - Beautiful vertical shooter from Atlus/cave. Action takes place in feudal japan and for a change you've decided to walk. (guwange.zip)
H
Hat Trick - Two-on-two ice hockey. Simple but oh-so addictive. (hattrick.zip)
Hellfire - The definitive horizontal shooter, although the MD port was an improvement. (hellfire.zip)
Hotdog Storm - Another unknown vert shooter, worth a try! (hotdogst.zip)
Hyper Sports - Seems to be the most immediately playable of the Track and Field type games (hyperspt.zip)
I
In The Hunt - Challenging horizontal shooter with superb visuals and animation. A nice change from spaceships, too. (inthunt.zip)
Ironman Stewart's Super Off-Road - Who the hell is Ivan "Ironman" Stewart anyway? Who cares, this is a great racer. (offroad.zip)
Irritating Maze - 'Operation' on a grand scale. Loads of fun, and only a little bit irritating. (irrmaze.zip)
J
Jackal - A really fun shoot and rescue game from Konami (jackal.zip)
K
King Of Fighters (series) - SNK (2D) Fighting game heroes rough it up with each other. Recommended: KOF '98 (kof98.zip)
Klax - Flip coloured tiles from the conveyer belt for points. A classic puzzle game. (klax.zip)
Knights of The Round - Side scrolling medieaval beatemup. Great graphics and fun gameplay (knights.zip)
Kung-Fu Master - Kill the baddies to rescue the girl. With kung-fu. (kungfum.zip)
L
Last Blade 1 & 2 - SNK fighter with weapons and ultra stylish graphics. (lastblad.zip/lastbld2.zip)
Layer Section - One of Taito's best hori shuemps. Prequel to Raystorm.
Lost Worlds - AKA Forgotten Worlds, this is an ace pseudo-sequel to Side Arms with rotational controls and shiny blue pennies to spend in the shop on upgrades. (lostwrld.zip)
Liquid Kids - A really nice platform game that uses similar themes (aka water) to Bubble Bobble. (liquidk.zip)
Lucky 'n' Wild - Perhaps the greatest lightgun/driving game ever.(luckywld.zip)
M
Magical Drop 3 - Genius neo-geo based puzzler. Possibly best on MVS system. (magdrop3.zip)
Magic Sword - Repetitive but fun hack and slash game from the team that brought you Midnight Wanderers & Ghouls & Ghosts. (msword.zip)
Mars Matrix - Very hard vertical shooter with two distinct ship types. (mmatrix.zip)
Marvel Super Heroes - Some of the most astonishing 2D graphics ever seen in this most excellent Capcom fighter. (msh.zip)
Metal Slug (all) - Classic 2D Side-Scrolling platform shooter. (mslug.zip)
Metal Slug 3 - The best one out of them all tough but fun. (mslug3.zip)
Midnight Resistance - Cracking sideways scrolling shooter similar to Contra Spirits on SNES/SFC (midres.zip)
Money Puzzle Exchanger - Much overlooked frantic 2P puzzler, similar to magical drop, with money, only better. (miexchng.zip)
Moonwalker - Isometric style beat 'em up, but has special moves with Michael Jackson dancing. Worth a go for novelty value.
Moon Patrol - Drive a little buggy along, leaping gaps and taking out aliens as you go. Fantastic fun. (mpatrol.zip)
Mr. Do! - Best described as Dig Dug mixed with Pac Man. but can you get the diamond? (mrdo.zip)
N
Neo Turf Masters - Neo Geo golfing game. Great fun and a throwback to simpler golfing pleasures. (turfmast.zip)
New Zealand Story - Taito platforming Kiwi em up. Hidden warps and excellent design make this a must (tnzs.zip)
O
Omega Fighter - Lovely shoot 'em up where the closer you are to an enemy when killing it, the bigger the bonus. (omegaf.zip)
Ordyne - Cute horizontal shmup. Love the animation on the main character. (ordyne.zip)
Outfoxies - One on one Super Smash Brothers with guns (outfxies.zip)
Outrun - Definitely the best racing game of all time. The music is still stunning! (outrun.zip)
Out Zone - Addictive Commando-alike with lovely graphics. So colourful it almost glows. (outzone.zip)
P
Pang - Superlative, bubble bursting madness for all the family. (pang.zip)
Pacland - Namco's classic platform game with some intresting ideas. (pacland.zip)
Pac-Mania - Pac-Man but in isometric 3D. How good? Very. (pacmania.zip)
Paperboy - Really cool suburban paper deliving game. Real Nostalgic buzz. (paperboy.zip)
Parodius - Wonderfully quirky Gradius spin-off which betters its inspiration in many ways. (parodius.zip)
Phantasm - Platform shooter featuring the ability to possess enemies (phantasm.zip)
Phoenix - Variation on the Space Invaders/Galaxians theme (phoenix.zip)
Pnickies - Charming 2 player 'matching' puzzler with nice manga visuals,great music(pnickies.zip)
Pop and Twinbee - Really cute hori shooter (aka Bells & Whistles 2) (blswhstl.zip)
Progear - Cave developed, Capcom published CPS2 horizontal shooter. Absoloutley manic with lovely steampunk style graphics.(progear.zip)
Pulstar - Rock hard horizontal shooter from an IREM splinter group. Like R-Type, but harder, prettier but with slightly less atmosphere! (pulstar.zip)
Puyo Puyo - The best puzzle game Sega have ever made. (puyopuyo.zip)
Puzz Loop - Puzzle Bobble but on a spiral with your launcher in the middle. (puzzloop.zip)
Puzzle Bobble - Top class puzzle game, with awesome multiplayer, also known in the west as Bust-A-Move (pbobble.zip)
Puzzle De Bowling - Super-super cute Puzzle Bobble style bowling game. (pzlbowl.zip)
Puzznic - A puzzler that will have you cursing its devious levels for ages (puzznic.zip)
Q
Qix - (Pronounced "Kicks") Use lines to box in some, er, lines. Gain that percentage, baby. (qix.zip)
R
R-Type - Needs no introduction. The original and best. Sequels also good. (rtype.zip)
R-Type II - Harder than the original with improved visuals and audio. (rtype2.zip)
R-Type Leo - A variant on the R-Type theme with different force and weapon structure. (rtypeleo.zip)
Raiden - Beautiful and frantic vertical shooter. Sequel doesn't work though (raiden.zip)
Raiga/Strato Fighter - An unknown but fun shooter (raiga.zip)
Rainbow Islands - One of the best platformers ever (rainbow.zip)
Rampart - Superb multiplayer puzzle/battle game (rampart.zip)
Rip Off - Vector arcade game from 1979. Good fun for short blasts. (ripoff.zip)
Robotron - You're surrounded. Twin-stick moving and shooting will only be a temporary reprieve (robotron.zip)
Rodland - One of the most 'pure' fun games ever, with a genuinely interesting gimmick. Utterly bonkers, too - always a plus. (rodland.zip)
Rolling Thunder - Cool as fcuk platform/shooting game, with hooded baddies, '60s Spy music, a cool machine gun, and nice animation. (rthunder.zip)
Reactor - Cool down the Core! Press 'A' for instructions, you'll need them. (reactor)
Red Baron - Aerial dogfights during WW1, Battlezone in the air! Superb. (redbaron.zip)
S
Samurai Shodown - Classic SNK fighting series with weapons. (samsho.zip)
Scramble - Classic horizontal shooter that makes cunning use of bombs and fuel. (scramble.zip)
Shock Troopers - Lovely 8-way scrolling shooter. (shocktro.zip)
Shocking - A crazy little game that parodies lods of arcade classics. (shocking.zip)
Shinobi - Sublime Ninja scrolling platform/shuriken 'em up. A true classic. (shinobi.zip)
Side Arms - Addictive and difficult side scroller from Capcom. (sidearms.zip)
Smash TV - Insane and comedic multi-directional shooter. Like a gameshow version of Robotron. (smashtv.zip)
Snow Bros. Nick & Tom - Bubble Bobble clone with snowballs instead of bubbles, natch. (snowbros.zip)
Solomon's Key - Fantastic puzzle game in which you have to build and remove platforms to collect the key, then get to the exit. Compulsive and fiendish, with great replayability due to hidden goodies.
Space Bomber - Psikyo shooter with some great wacky bosses.(sbomberb.zip)
Space Harrier - "Welcome to the Fantasy Zone, GET READY!" (sharrier.zip)
Space Invaders - Space Invaders! This will never age. (invaders.zip)
Sparkz - Pipemania-style puzzler which drives you insane but keeps you hooked. (sparkz.zip)
Special Criminal Investigation - Sequel to Chase HQ. Top driving-while-shooting-bazookas action. (sci.zip)
Speed Rumbler - Essential vehicular combat game. Get in your car and wreak havoc, or get out and shoot them. (srumbler.zip)
Star Trek - Battlezone in space, can get quite tense. (startrek.zip)
Star Wars - Still the best movie to game adaptation ever. (starwars.zip)
Street Fighter Alpha 3 - Probably the series pinnacle. (sfa3.zip)
Strider - Fantastic visuals, coupled with excellent level design. Superb! (strider.zip)
Strikers 1945 - Tough vertical shooter. A 90's version of 1943 if you will, but in 1945. Obviously. (s1945.zip)
Sunset Riders - Side scrolling cowboy shooter. (ssriders.zip)
Super Pang - Bubble bursting mayhem. (spang.zip)
Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo - One of the finest and most addictive vs. puzzle games ever made. (spf2t.zip)
Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo (Grand Master Challange) - Available on Mame and Final Burn. The greatest game to ever bare the Street Fighter name. (ssf2t.zip)
Susume! Taisen Puzzle Dama - Nice puzzle game, watch those Animations!(gogomilj.zip)
T
Tapper - The best Budweiser licensed game ever. True. (tapper.zip)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Scrolling beat-em-up, supporting up to 4 players. (tmnt.zip)
Tempest - Skirt around a vector tunnel dishing out laser-death to anything that moves (tempest.zip)
Tengai (Sengoku Blade : Sengoku Ace Episode II) - Horizontal scrolling shoot em up, very JPN! mad as a bucket of spiders and just as much fun! :-) (tengai.zip)
The Punisher - Well animated, slick, entertaining side-scrolling fighter and shooter from Capcom. (punisher.zip)
The Togyu - Surreal japanese bullfighting simulation. Enormous fun once mastered, and great music for high score (thetogyu.zip)
Thief - GTA Pacman with actual police band radio banter as the soundtrack! (thief.zip)
Three Wonders - A platformer, shoot-em-up and puzzle game on one ROM. (3wonders.zip)
Thunder Cross - Excellent 1988 Horizontal shmup from Konami. Different sets have different levels! (thunderx.zip)
Time Pilot - Take your looping / shooting plane through 5 eras. If you die, it's your fault. (timeplt.zip)
Total Carnage -Sequel to Smash TV, set in a war. Even more insane. (totcarn.zip)
Track & Field - The game that ushered in an era of button bashing and joystick waggling sports games. (trackfld.zip)
Truxton II - Completely insane 1992 Toaplan vertical shooter. (truxton2.zip)
Twinkle Star Sprites - Shooter that has you versus another player kinda like bust a move only no balls. (twinspri.zip)
U
Uo Poko - Japanese puzzler, like an underwater version of Puzzle Bobble mixed with Bust A Move, fun stuff. (uopoko.zip)
UN Squadron - Excellent fun cartoon Japanese Shoot them up make by Capcom(unsquad.zip)
V
Vampire Hunter/Savior - Known as Darkstalkers in the west, this is more Capcom fighting genius with outlandish characters. (vsav.zip)
Vasara - Fun vertical shooter from Visco, go on, give it a try! (vasara.zip)
Vendetta - Side scrolling beatemup with some brilliant little touches and great weapons. Up to 4 players. Also look for 'Crime fighters 2' Japanese version with hilarious mincing gay stereotypes and fighting style cut from US and UK versions. (vendetta.zip)
W
Waku Waku 7 - Completely bonkers japanese fighter. (wakuwak7.zip)
Wardner - 1 Player wizard romp, with some tricky levels. (wardner.zip)
Willow - Side-scrolling midget goodness. (willow.zip)
Wizard of Wor - 2 player co-operative or compete at the sametime. (wow.zip)
Wonderboy - The classic caveman skateboard side scroller. (wboy.zip)
Wonderboy III - Monster Lair - Wonderboy becomes a scrolling platformer/shooter hybrid with powerups. (wb3.zip)
Wild West Cowboys of Moomesa - Classic Konami platformer a bit like Sunset Riders. (moo.zip)
X
X-Multiply - Like R-type, but with bizarre tentacles attached to your ship instead of the force. Sterling stuff. (xmultipl.zip)
Xybots - Bind some keys to turn left and right in this pseudo-3D maze shooter. (xybots.zip)
Y
Z
This is a copy of the Good MAME ROM List, originally created by the members of rllmukforum. It is a selection of the MAME ROM archive that rllmukforum members recommend playing.
