Multiplatform
MAME
Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator is a free and open source emulator designed to recreate the hardware of a wide variety of (mostly vintage) computers, video game consoles and calculators.
The aim of MAME is to be a reference to the inner workings of the emulated machines; the ability to actually play the games is considered "a nice side effect". The source code to MAME serves as this documentation. The emulator now supports over seven thousand unique games and ten thousand actual ROM image sets, though not all of the supported games are playable. It worth mentioning that the sister-project MESS was integrated into MAME.
Unofficial recent MAME 32-bit versions are available here..
Last Release:
0.255
Dated:
31-05-2023
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Windows: Vista SP1+
Linux: Nothing reported
MacOS: 10.9+
CPU: Intel Core series CPU or equivalent 2.0 GHz+
GPU: modern card with Direct3D 9.0c+ / OpenGL
RAM: 4GB+
Support files
File maintained by MASH containing all the information from "mametesters.com". It gives information about the status of games in MAME-Arcade (i.e. development, bugs, improvements).
Category, Version and Alltime inifiles - 0.255
Sort by category, release year, version, etc.
History - 0.255 XML / DAT (0.250)
Access all trivia, facts, tips and other information for the games and machines
Used to prevent cheating (.inp) and important for establishing records
Command.dat - 0.254 / DIFF
Provides in game instructions manual to games that supports it. For example, you can view the individual command lists for fighting game characters.
It's a Windows compatible GUI wrapper with the benefit of being light on ressources and doesn't force you to fuss with difficult configurations, while being compatible with all M.A.M.E games.
Provides the initialization procedures of some games emulated by MAME
Pugsy's MAME Cheat Pack File - 0.245
The XML/JSON Cheat Collection archives are packed together and will find a large cheat.7z. It's this cheat.7z that should be placed in the same directory as your MAME execute-able.
Retroarch
RetroArch is a frontend for libretro emulator cores, game engines and even media players. It enables you to run classic games using Libretro on a wide range of computers and consoles through its unified graphical interface. Settings are also unified so configuration can be done once and applied and applied to all. It has advanced features like shaders, netplay, rewinding, next-frame response times, and more.
Consoles covered include but are not limited to PlayStation 1, Super Nintendo, Nintendo Entertainment System, GameBoy/GameBoy Color, GameBoy Advance, Arcade, Neo Geo Pocket Color, Virtual Boy, Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, Sega Master System/Sega Game Gear, Sega CD/Mega CD, PC Engine/PC Engine CD, WonderSwan Color/Crystal, Cave Story, Doom(s) and much more!
It can run on the usual platforms like Windows, Mac OS X and Linux, but it stands alone in that it can support far more platforms beyond just that.
Ludo - A smaller libretro front end by only implementing the core features and by targeting less platforms but definitely shares a lot of the same core values.
Lakka - lightweight Linux distribution for small computers like Raspberry Pi
RArch - It incorporates Kaillera to offer the possibility to play games online.
Last Release:
1.15.0
Dated:
13-03-2023
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Windows: Vista+
Linux: Please follow their instructions
Mac: Apple macOS High Sierra+ with Metal2
Mesen2
Mesen is a multi-system emulator (NES, SNES, Game Boy and PC Engine) for Windows & Linux built in C++ and C#. It focuses on accuracy, though does incorporate graphic mappers and filters (i.e. HD packs in HDNes format as well). It also allows video recording, some form of online gaming or even the use of cheat codes and has a debugger.
Last Release:
2.0.0-preview1
Dated:
30-01-2023
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Windows: .NET 6 is required.
Linux: .NET 6 and SDL2 are required.
