MAME is an acronym for Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator, which is an emulator for various types of arcade machines with which you can play an endless number of games on your PC, regardless of the board or technology used; best of all, it adds new titles to its compatibility list with each new version.
The MAME project is focused on the preservation of arcade games after the machines on which they were originally played are no longer available. Given the impossibility of running many classic games on native hardware, emulation is the only way to preserve a gaming legacy that's still alive and well thanks to the nostalgia of those who loved going to arcades when they were younger.
Although the original versions of MAME didn't include a user interface, everything changed with the arrival of MAME64 and its frontend; now, you can easily browse your collection and filter games by name, year, or board, without searching for external programs. This, together with the legacy built by
MAME, makes it possible to emulate an inordinate amount of boards thanks to the work of a community that has selflessly contributed to the project for decades. From Neo Geo's MVS to Capcom's CPS, and SEGA's System line or Irem's plcas, thousands of games can be played with flawless emulation.
This emulator allows you to configure the controls, save games, modify the graphic options to add post-processing filters, and more. For this reason, MAME is the best way to play classic video games, whether on your PC or by connecting it to a real arcade machine.
Frequent questions
Is MAME safe?
Yes, MAME is totally safe. The emulator shows zero positives in its VirusTotal report and has never been involved in controversies related to malware or security breaches.
Where can I download MAME ROMs?
You can download ROMs for MAME legally from many different websites. On Internet Archive, for example, you'll find hundreds of free ROMs that are ready to play.
Is MAME free?
Yes, MAME is 100% free. The source code of MAME is free, and the project is distributed under the GNU GPL license, although the license for some parts of the code is subject to the BSD-3 clause.
How many games are there for MAME?
MAME has a potential catalog of several thousand games. On tons of websites, you can find completely legal ROMsets that can include more than a thousand games for different machines.
