retro arcade
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All zipfiles in the sets are TorrentZipped.
If you already have a previous set, simply join the new set by pointing at the content of your previous set.
In order to reproduce the full sets with any Rom Manager, it’s highly recommended to use the published datfiles.
MAME Update sets:
MAME - Update ROMs
Set: MAME - Update ROMs (v0.263 to v0.264)
Datfile: MAME - Update ROMs (v0.263 to v0.264)
MAME - Update CHDs
Set: MAME - Update CHDs (v0.263 to v0.264)
Datfile: MAME - Update CHDs (v0.263 to v0.264)
Datfile (dir2dat): MAME - Update CHDs (v0.263 to v0.264) (dir2dat)
MAME - Update Software List ROMs
Set: MAME - Update Software List ROMs (v0.263 to v0.264)
Datfiles: MAME - Update Software List ROMs (v0.263 to v0.264)
MAME - Update Software List CHDs
Set: MAME - Update Software List CHDs (v0.262 to v0.264)
Datfiles: MAME - Update Software List CHDs (v0.262 to v0.264)
Datfile (dir2dat): MAME - Update Software List CHDs (v0.262 to v0.264) (dir2dat)
MAME - Update EXTRAs
Set: MAME - Update EXTRAs (v0.261 to v0.262)
MAME BIOS and Devices sets:
MAME ROMs (bios-devices)
Set: MAME 0.264 ROMs (bios-devices)
Datfile: MAME 0.264 ROMs (bios-devices)
First, the BIOS set: Some arcade machines shared a common hardware platform, such as the Neo-Geo arcade hardware. As the main board had data necessary to start up and self-test the hardware before passing it off to the game cartridge, it’s not really appropriate to store that data as part of the game ROM sets.
Instead, it is stored as a BIOS image for the system itself (e.g. NEOGEO.ZIP for Neo-Geo games)
Secondly, the device set. Frequently the arcade manufacturers would reuse pieces of their designs multiple times in order to save on costs and time.
Some of these smaller circuits would reappear in later boards that had minimal common ground with the previous boards that used the circuit, so you couldn’t just have them share the circuit/ROM data through a normal parent/clone relationship. Instead, these re-used designs and ROM data are categorized as a Device, with the data stored as a Device set. For instance, Namco used the Namco 51xx custom I/O chip to handle the joystick and DIP switches for Galaga and other games, and as such you’ll also need the NAMCO51.ZIP device set as well as any needed for the game.
These sets come in handy specifically when you collect PARTIAL sets of the merged or split kind - OR if you collect JUST the SL ROMs set, and NOT the MAME ROMs set at all.
MAME full sets:
MAME ROMs
Set: MAME 0.264 ROMs (merged)
Datfile: MAME 0.264 ROMs (merged)
Set: MAME 0.264 ROMs (non-merged)
Datfile: MAME 0.264 ROMs (non-merged)
Set: MAME 0.264 ROMs (split)
Datfile: MAME 0.264 ROMs (split)
MAME CHDs
Set: MAME 0.264 CHDs (merged)
Datfile: MAME 0.264 CHDs (merged)
Datfile (dir2dat): MAME 0.264 CHDs (merged) (dir2dat)
MAME Software List full sets:
MAME Software List ROMs
Set: MAME 0.264 Software List ROMs (merged)
Datfiles: MAME 0.264 Software List ROMs (merged)
Set: MAME 0.264 Software List ROMs (split)
Datfiles: MAME 0.264 Software List ROMs (split)
MAME Software List CHDs
Set: MAME 0.264 Software List CHDs (merged)
Datfiles: MAME 0.264 Software List CHDs (merged)
Datfile (dir2dat): MAME 0.264 Software List CHDs (merged) (dir2dat)
MAME EXTRAs full sets:
Set: MAME 0.262 EXTRAs
Datfiles: MAME 0.262 EXTRAs
MAME Multimedia
Set: MAME 0.262 Multimedia
Datfile: MAME 0.262 Multimedia
MAME Rollback full sets:
MAME Rollback ROMs
Set: MAME 0.264 Rollback ROMs
Datfile: MAME 0.264 Rollback ROMs
Note: 6/13 sets/ROMs missing
MAME Rollback CHDs unchanged
Set: MAME 0.263 Rollback CHDs
Datfile: MAME 0.264 Rollback CHDs
Datfile (dir2dat): MAME 0.264 Rollback CHDs (dir2dat)
Note: 8 CHDs missing
MAME Reference sets:
Guides:
MAME ROMs Set Creation using a dir2dat
MAME Software List ROMs Set Creation
MAME Software List ROMs Set Creation using dir2dats
Merging explained:
split:
A split set is one where the parent set contains all of the normal data it should, and the clone sets contain only what has changed as compared to the parent set.
This saves some space, but isn’t quite as efficient as a merged set.
The clone sets can’t operate without their parent set.
Remark: The parent and clones in split sets DO NOT include BIOS or DEVICE files - they are separate files within the set (An example would be 100lions (No BIOS in the parent) and Galaga (No device file in the parent) - This is per MAME design
merged:
A merged set takes the parent set and one or more clone sets and puts them all inside the parent set’s storage.
To use the existing Pac-Man example, combining the Puckman, Midway Pac-Man (USA) sets, along with various bootleg versions– and combining it all into PUCKMAN.ZIP, would be making a merged set.
Remark: The parent games in a merged set DO NOT include BIOS or DEVICE files - they are separate files within the set (An example would be 100lions (No BIOS in the parent) and Galaga (No device file in the parent) - This is per MAME design
non-merged:
A non-merged set is one that contains absolutely everything necessary for a given game to run in one ZIP file.
Remark: Even though Non-Merged games -normally- DO NOT include BIOS or DEVICE files within the game, in the case of the PD non-merged set we DO include these within the game, which ensures that every single game can be copied and ran as individual game without the need of any extra files.
This makes a set like this ideal for splitting up on a per-game-basis.
The non-merged set is ideal for those people that work on Arcade PCBs as ALL roms/devices/bios files are contained within the game. This set is also great for those that for instance create their own arcade cabinets and want to copy only very specific games to their PC/Rapsberry/Other, the game.zip file contain all the files needed, no more searching for the dependent parent files, BIOS files, device files - just copy galaga.zip and you are set.
Pick individual games from this set if you are not intending to download a complete ROM set.