# Arcade Guide

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/fabricecaruso/es-theme-carbon/52ff37c9e265587d006945a2ba695b5a962b3a3d/art/logos/arcade.svg" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

## Introduction

Arcade emulators can be split in 2 categories:

* Multi-Arcade-Machine Emulators
* Single-Arcade-Board Emulators

There are a huge variety of Arcade Machines, this is why Arcade Emulation is complex.

In this guide, we will focus on 2 families of emulators, and give you the main keys to understand Arcade Emulation, we will group the Emulators in the 2 families described above.

## Multi Machine Emulators

There are two families of multi-system arcade emulators available: FinalBurn and MAME.&#x20;

These emulators are available in multiple versions to allow users to best match a core/emulator with their games.&#x20;

### Available Multi-Machine Arcade emulators in Retrobat

<table><thead><tr><th width="259">Emulator/core</th><th width="160">ROMs folder</th><th>ROM set version</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>libretro: mame (current)</td><td><code>\roms\mame</code></td><td>0.286</td></tr><tr><td>libretro: mame2016</td><td><code>\roms\mame</code></td><td>0.174</td></tr><tr><td>libretro: mame2014</td><td><code>\roms\mame</code></td><td>0.159</td></tr><tr><td>libretro: mame2010</td><td><code>\roms\mame</code></td><td>0.139</td></tr><tr><td>Libretro: mame2003_plus</td><td><code>\roms\mame</code></td><td>0.78plus</td></tr><tr><td>Libretro: mame2003</td><td><code>\roms\mame</code></td><td>0.78</td></tr><tr><td>Libretro: mame2000</td><td><code>\roms\mame</code></td><td>0.37b5</td></tr><tr><td>mame (standalone)</td><td><code>\roms\mame</code></td><td>0.286</td></tr><tr><td>Libretro: fbneo</td><td><code>\roms\fbneo</code></td><td>latest FBNEO romset is usually safe</td></tr><tr><td>Libretro: fbalpha</td><td><code>\roms\fbneo</code></td><td>0.2.97.44</td></tr><tr><td>Libretro: fbalpha2012</td><td><code>\roms\fbneo</code></td><td>0.2.97.29</td></tr><tr><td>FBNEO</td><td><code>\roms\fbneo</code></td><td>latest FBNEO romset is usually safe</td></tr></tbody></table>

MAME is the usual emulator used for common Arcade games (the likes of Pac-Man, Asteroids, etc.)

FBNeo is specialized in Fighting Games and Beat-them-up.

## Single Board Emulators

<table><thead><tr><th width="278.25">Arcade Machine(s)</th><th width="200.5">ROMs folder</th><th>Emulator</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>FMV LaserDisc Arcade Games</td><td><code>\roms\daphne</code><br><code>\roms\singe</code></td><td>Hypseus<br>Daphne</td></tr><tr><td>ATOMISWAVE</td><td><code>\roms\atomiswave</code></td><td>Flycast<br>Libretro-Flycast<br>Demul</td></tr><tr><td>CPS-1</td><td><code>\roms\cps1</code></td><td>FBNeo<br>Libretro-FBNeo<br>fbalpha2012_cps1</td></tr><tr><td>CPS-2</td><td><code>\roms\cps2</code></td><td>FBNeo<br>Libretro-FBNeo<br>fbalpha2012_cps2</td></tr><tr><td>CPS-3</td><td><code>\roms\cps3</code></td><td>FBNeo<br>Libretro-FBNeo<br>fbalpha2012_cps3</td></tr><tr><td>DICE</td><td><code>\roms\dice</code></td><td>libretro-dice</td></tr><tr><td>GAELCO</td><td><code>\roms\gaelco</code></td><td>Demul</td></tr><tr><td>NAMCO 246/256</td><td><code>\roms\namco2x6</code></td><td>Play!<br>Teknoparrot</td></tr><tr><td>NAMCO 357/369</td><td><code>\roms\namco3xx</code></td><td>Teknoparrot</td></tr><tr><td>SEGA MODEL 2</td><td><code>\roms\model2</code></td><td>m2emulator<br>MAME</td></tr><tr><td>SEGA MODEL 3</td><td><code>\roms\model3</code></td><td>Supermodel<br>Libretro-Supermodel</td></tr><tr><td>SEGA NAOMI</td><td><code>\roms\naomi</code></td><td>Flycast<br>Libretro-Flycast<br>Demul</td></tr><tr><td>SEGA NAOMI 2</td><td><code>\roms\naomi2</code></td><td>Flycast<br>Libretro-Flycast<br>Demul</td></tr><tr><td>HIKARU</td><td><code>\roms\hikaru</code></td><td>Demul</td></tr><tr><td>TRIFORCE</td><td><code>\roms\triforce</code></td><td>Dolphin-Triforce (Crediar)<br>Dolphin<br>Libretro-Dolphin<br>Teknoparrot</td></tr><tr><td>CHIHIRO</td><td><code>\roms\chihiro</code></td><td>CXBX-Reloaded</td></tr><tr><td>PC-BASED ARCADE</td><td><code>\roms\teknoparrot</code></td><td>Teknoparrot</td></tr><tr><td>ZINC</td><td><code>\roms\zinc</code></td><td>PSXMame<br>Zinc</td></tr></tbody></table>

## ROMs

### Terminology

* **ROM, ROM set, and romset**: Arcade games are packaged as zip files, most of which are composed of more than one individual 'ROM' file. \
  That is why some resources refer to an individual arcade game as a ROM while other resources refer to an individual game as a ROM set or romset.<br>
* **ROM version or romset version**: Each version of an arcade emulator must be used with ROMs that have the same exact version number. \
  For example, MAME 0.37b5 ROMs are required by the MAME 2000 emulator, but will not work correctly with the MAME 2010 emulator, which requires MAME 0.139 ROMs.<br>

### ROM set types

Arcade ROMs can be formatted four ways:

* **Full Non-merged**: All romsets can be used standalone because each zip contains all the files needed to run that game, including any ROMs from 'parent' ROM sets and BIOS sets.<br>
* **Non-merged ROM**: All romsets can be used standalone because each zip contains all the files needed to run that game, including any files from 'parent romsets'. \
  The only exceptions are games which use BIOS ROMs, which are formatted as 'Split' and must be kept in the same folder as the game romset which uses it.<br>
* **Split**: Some romsets that are considered clones, translations, or bootlegs also require a "parent" romset to run. In some cases the parent is not the most popular or best working version of the game, however. \
  For example, in a Split set `pacman.zip` (a clone), will not work without `puckman.zip` (its parent).<br>
* **Merged**: Clones are merged into the parent romset zip, meaning that more than one game is stored per file. <br>

{% hint style="warning" %}
Merged rom sets are not supported, as only the main game will be seen in RetroBat and launched by Mame core.&#x20;

We recommend the use of Non-merged rom sets.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}
Do not rename the zipped ROM files. Scrapers will recognize the games with the .zip filename and match them with the right game.
{% endhint %}

## Additional files

### Samples

Some games need extra samples files to work, they should be placed in the following folders:

* For fbneo: `\bios\fbneo\samples`
* For mame2003: `\bios\mame2003\samples`
* For mame2003plus: `\bios\mame2003-plus\samples`
* For mame2010: `\bios\mame2010\samples`
* For the current mame and standalone mame: `\bios\mame\samples`

### CHD or IMG files

Some arcade games can use extra files (originally these were physically stored on a disc) called CHD (sometimes IMG).&#x20;

The CHD folder must be placed in the rom folder and must have the same name as the game's ZIP file.&#x20;

For example, for `kinst.zip` the game will be looking for `kinst\kinst.chd`.

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://i.imgur.com/xl9iImN.png" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

## Links and references

{% hint style="info" %}
**Credits**

A big chunk of information from this page has been sourced from libretro documentation:

<https://docs.libretro.com/guides/arcade-getting-started/>
{% endhint %}