RetroArch MAME Tips (Best Core, ROMs and Versions)


RetroArch is one of the best classic video game emulators, and it is well known for its use of cores. Gamers have to download and load cores on RetroArch to play certain games. Considering the several MAME cores available, you may wonder which is the best for RetroArch.

So, which is the best MAME core for RetroArch? The best MAME core for RetroArch is the MAME 2003-Plus. It has support for many retro arcade video games and does not have any issues with controls. It also has compatibility across different libretro-supported platforms like android smartphones, single-board computers like Raspberry Pi, and consoles.

There are twelve MAME cores that you can download, install, and load on the RetroArch emulator. You need to select the MAME core that supports all the classic arcade video games you want to play and can run without any problems on your gaming system.

After installing RetroArch on your gaming system, the next thing you need to do is install cores that will run the games you want to play. There are hundreds of cores you can use, and some of them belong to the MAME core group. Therefore, which is the best MAME core for RetroArch?

The best MAME core for RetroArch is the MAME 2003-Plus because of its great performance and support for numerous classic arcade video games. It is forked from MAME 2003, hence has numerous improvements like user-friendliness, top gaming performance, and compatibility across different gaming platforms.

MAME 2003-Plus does not have any controller and input issues, which gamers have reported on cores like MAME 2010 and MAME 2016. Since it is among the first MAME cores to be developed, it supports much older arcade video games hence perfect for gamers who love playing 1980’s and 90’s arcade video games. It also has support for different game controllers; therefore, it is suitable for all gamers.

MAME 2003-Plus is also user-friendly with an easy-to-navigate interface and also has frontend integration. This MAME core uses ROMsets, which you can download, or if you have knowledge and experience in making ROMsets, you can build your own MAME 2003-Plus ROMsets.

It also does not need any BIOS to function properly, but if you choose to load the BIOS, you can place them in the same folder as the game ROMset. However, if you choose MAME 2003-Plus and use a modern gamepad controller, you will not use some features such as rumble and sensor because it does not have their support.

Arcade video games used different controllers such as trackballs, keyboards, and gamepads. If you are used to gaming with a particular controller, you can connect it to your gaming system and map it on MAME 2003-Plus. It does not have default input mappings; thus you have to set your controls when you load the core for the first time.

If you prefer using a keyboard and mouse, plug them in in your computer and configure the controls but select the keys you would like to use to control the games. You can also change the controller anytime you want. However, you have to delete all the configurations and map the new controller.

You can also add other features to improve your gaming experience using the MAME 2003-Plus core. Some games might require recorded sounds or music and the MAME 2003-Plus core has the option of adding additional files.

You can download the files, usually, in zip format, unzip them and add them to the sample folder within the core’s main folder. You can also add backdrop artwork files if a game requires them to work properly.

RetroArch does not have support for backdrop artwork, but you can use the MAME 2003-Plus core to add a backdrop to a particular game. You can download the backdrop artwork files from the internet and copy them in the artwork folder within the core’s main folder.

How To Get MAME To Work on RetroArch

There are many emulators that you can use to play various retro video games on your gaming system. The most popular emulator for retro arcade video games is RetroArch, but to use it, you have to install cores. After installing a MAME core on RetroArch, here is how you can make it work.

After downloading and installing the MAME core you want to use on RetroArch, download the correct ROMset and load it on RetroArch. Each emulator can only run games from its associated ROMset; do not download ROMsets without confirming if it will work.

You also need to load the ROMset in the correct location on RetroArch. The MAME ROMs are usually in zip format, but you do not have to unzip them. Place them in the “roms” folder within the “mame” folder. Once you have loaded the correct files, you can set up your controller through RetroArch’s main menu or play using the default controller.

If the MAME core you installed is not working properly with the games you like, download and install a different MAME core that supports the games you prefer to play. Some games require MAME BIOS to work properly on RetroArch, and you can download the MAME BIOS files and place them in the “BIOS” folder within the “System” folder.

There are twelve MAME cores that you can load on RetroArch, and it is important to know the requirements of each core before downloading them. If a certain file is missing or you place the correct file in the wrong location, the core would not work.

Each MAME core has a specific ROMset version, and it will not work if you download a different version. For example, if you have installed the MAME 2003 core, its required ROMset version is MAME 0.78. To confirm you are downloading the correct ROMset, check the MAME emulator chart on RetroPie’s website, including all the cores and corresponding ROMsets.

You can also install several MAME cores on RetroArch to improve your gaming experience and increase the number of retro arcade video games you can play. Each MAME core has certain games that work perfectly, but some have issues like no audio or being unresponsive to controller input.

If a game does not run perfectly on a particular MAME core, you can load it on a different core. You can use the MAME 2003-Plus core for much older games. For newer games, you can use the MAME 2016 core.

If you have downloaded the correct files and placed them in the correct location and cannot play any games on RetroArch using MAME, contact customer support for help or ask other gamers on the official RetroArch forum.

How To Load MAME ROMs on RetroArch?

One of the requirements that make a MAME core work properly on RetroArch is ROMs. After installing a MAME core, you still do not have any games and ROMs containing the games you would like to play on RetroArch. If you are setting up a MAME core and have reached the step to load MAME ROMs, you might ask yourself how you will do it.

The first thing you need to do is download the correct MAME ROMset, and you can easily find them on the internet. Just type “MAME ROMs” on your search engine, and dozens of websites will appear, choose the one you believe has the safest files. Be warned, using MAME ROMs might not be legal as there maybe copyright issues, so you do so at your own risk.

Copy the ROMs file and place it in the “roms” folder within the “mame” folder. RetroArch will scan the “roms” folders and organize all the contents with the folder. Go back to RetroArch, open “Main Menu,” select “Add Content”, and click on “Scan Directory”.

Once it is done scanning, go back to the home screen, and all the contents you have added through the ROMs will appear. You can now start playing games on RetroArch, or you can set up the controllers or add other features before you can start gaming.

For a MAME ROMs file to work on RetroArch, you must load the correct files to the correct location. Depending on your gaming system, the location of the “roms” folder varies, thus always check if you have opened the correct folder before copying the ROMs files.

Most gamers will download ROMsets files in bulk before downloading a particular MAME core on RetroArch. After loading a MAME core, they would copy all the ROMsets files and place them in the ROMs folder of a particular MAME.

The MAME will not work even if one of the ROMset files is the correct file. You must separate the MAME ROMs and ensure they are named correctly before placing them in the “roms” folder.

You can find MAME ROMsets on various websites on the internet, and not all sites are safe. Some of the ROMs might be corrupted and might damage your computer. Therefore, when you want to download the MAME ROMs, first ensure that the website is legitimate.

You should also scan the downloaded ROM files with your antivirus software for malware before copying them to the MAME folder. If you are not sure which websites have the best and secure MAME ROMs, you can ask other gamers on the RetroArch forum to recommend the best websites they use to download MAME ROMs.

How To Play Neo Geo Games on MAME?

The Neo Geo is a cartridge-based arcade video game console developed and released by SNK corporation in 1990. Some of the popular games you can play on the Neo Geo included Art of Fighting, Aero Fighters 2, the Metal Slug series, and Samurai Shodown, among many others. If you want to play Neo Geo games on the MAME emulator, here is how you can do it.

After installing a MAME core on RetroArch, download the Neo Geo games you want to play on your computer. After installing the games, select one Neo Geo game and open its main folder, scroll down and locate the game’s ROMs.

Right-click on the ROMs file select “Copy,” and go to the MAME folder on your desktop. Scroll down to the “roms” folder, open it and paste the Neo Geo ROMs. Load the MAME core, go to “Load content,” launch the Neo Geo game and start playing.

You should note that some Neo Geo games also require BIOS files to work properly. You can find the BIOS files in the game’s folder, or you can download them from the internet. If the Neo Geo game requires a BIOS file, copy it and place it in the “BIOS” folder within the “System” folder.

Playing a Neo Geo game on MAME gives you a better gaming experience because it is easy to use. When you play a Neo Geo game on your computer using a Neo Geo emulator, you have to close the emulator every time you want to change a game.

On MAME, you do not have to close the emulator to switch from one video game to another. When you load a Neo Game on MAME, you get access to a game in a few seconds, but in a Neo Geo emulator, you have to wait close to a minute watching splash screens before you can start playing a game. You can also change the controller keys through the game’s menu instead of closing the game and using the emulator’s main menu.

MAME also has several cores that support numerous retro arcade video games. If the Neo Geo game does not work properly on a particular MAME core, you can always install another one and try it.

Wrap Up

The MAME emulator has several cores that you can use to play different retro arcade video games on your gaming PC. Each MAME core has its advantages and disadvantages, but the best core is the MAME 2003-Plus. It has the best performance, works perfectly with most gaming controllers, and is compatible with other gaming devices.

To make your MAME core work on RetroArch, you must download and copy the corresponding MAME ROMs in the correct folder. The MAME ROMs have to match the MAME core, and they will not load if you copy a ROMs file in the wrong MAME folder.

Finally, you can use the MAME emulator to play Neo Geo games because it has a better gaming experience. The numerous MAME cores enable you to load a game that could not work properly on a Neo Geo emulator.

WARNING: Using MAME and any associated ROMs and BIOS software is done entirely at your own risk, as there maybe legal issues from copyright to trademarks as well as potential malware infections.

Bal Kang

Bal Kang is a technology expert based in the UK, with experience across a number of technology areas from phones, tablets, computers to gaming.

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