What is the best MAME to use with Pi 4 4GB? (Largest library, highest compatability)

Jiryn

So, what is the best Mame to use with a Pi 4 4GB.
I'm currently using a Raspberry Pi 4-4GB, with the official Raspberry AC Adapter, and the summer build of RetroPi.

I am curious as to what the best Mame is, I'm looking for the best compatibility, performance and largest library.

I've tried 2003 and 2010, but a handful of games seem to be missing or just not work correctly (Oddly, most are Sega games like Alien Storm, Golden Axe 2 works but there are no back grounds/scaling, Dynamite Dux, along with JJ Squawkers, and Bonk The Arcade Game, which I may just have missed)

I tried advance mame, but it wouldn't recognize my controllers and only wanted to use the keyboard to input commands/modify settings (I usually don't have my keyboard connected when gaming).

I've not booted up my PI since July, so I was going to set it up and update it now that I got a pair of official USB arcade sticks, and wanted to have the best experience possible!
( https://www.amazon.com/8Bitdo-Arcade-Stick-Switch-Windows-nintendo/dp/B08GJC5WSS/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?ie=UTF8&aaxitk=3iO.-nK2N0HuJijvt7BoNQ&hsa_cr_id=2190334830401&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_mcd_asin_0 )

Also, would I see any performance increase upgrading to a PI 4 8GB?
(Specifically in PS1 and Arcade games)

roslof

@jiryn FBNeo is pretty good, but for max compatibility... Use multiple emulators.

Leverage my recommendation list here if interested:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Rq4shU1RUSdcc7cTVWeORMD-mcO6BwXwQ7TGw8f5_zw/edit#gid=0

And no, I don't believe there are any performance gains choosing a >2GB model.

barbudreadmon

@jiryn said in What is the best MAME to use with Pi 4 4GB? (Largest library, highest compatability):

Also, would I see any performance increase upgrading to a PI 4 8GB?

More ram doesn't increase performance, it only prevent performance loss from disk access, for a retro-gaming system using retropie, 2GB is already overkill tbh.

dankcushions

@jiryn it's a bit of an open question because whilst the pi4 offers a significant CPU bump, the post mame2003/2003plus libretro cores are in various states of abandonment and missing a lot of the quality of life features, for a debatably worthwhile increase in library. i would still say the advice for the pi3 applies, at least until we can get standalone MAME working properly (see: https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/28362/enhanced-performance-of-mamedev-mame-in-x11)

Also, would I see any performance increase upgrading to a PI 4 8GB?

https://retropie.org.uk/forum/search?term=8gb ram&in=titlesposts&matchWords=all&sortBy=timestamp&sortDirection=desc&showAs=posts

Darksavior

@jiryn I use fbneo first for most of my games. Then mame2016 for system32 and others. Mame2010 for games like parodius (2 or/and 3, I don't remember) that run too slow on 2016. I would retire 2003plus but I'll keep it for final fight with the sega cd soundtrack.

Overclock to get a speed boost. Extra ram does nothing.

roslof

@darksavior said in What is the best MAME to use with Pi 4 4GB? (Largest library, highest compatability):

@jiryn I use fbneo first for most of my games. Then mame2016 for system32 and others. Mame2010 for games like parodius (2 or/and 3, I don't remember) that run too slow on 2016. I would retire 2003plus but I'll keep it for final fight with the sega cd soundtrack.

Overclock to get a speed boost. Extra ram does nothing.

That lines up about perfectly with the compatibility list, but I also use current MAME (well, 0.222) for most vector games, because they look insanely good) and also, every now and then, there are some games that simply run better with 2003/2003 Plus or AdvMAME (eg. Titan games). FBNeo alone handles a lot. MAME 2016 almost handles the rest, but there are funky issues with 2016 (and lr-MAME) using dual analog sticks that drive me crazy.

barbudreadmon

@roslof said in What is the best MAME to use with Pi 4 4GB? (Largest library, highest compatability):

@jiryn FBNeo is pretty good, but for max compatibility... Use multiple emulators.

Leverage my recommendation list here if interested:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Rq4shU1RUSdcc7cTVWeORMD-mcO6BwXwQ7TGw8f5_zw/edit#gid=0

On a sidenote, support for gladiatr and lsasquad was added to FBNeo recently

roslof

@barbudreadmon said in What is the best MAME to use with Pi 4 4GB? (Largest library, highest compatability):

On a sidenote, support for gladiatr and lsasquad was added to FBNeo recently

Thanks as always, @barbudreadmon
I was able to verify gladiatr works great.
I couldn't verify lsasquad as it requires a newer ROM, but for now, I noted that it is supported in a later build of FBNeo w/matching ROM.

Jiryn

@barbudreadmon
I heard they got System 32 games running on FB Alpha or something recently..

Anyone know what Mame is suggested for Area 51, Area 51: Site 4, and Maximum Force?

Also how well do the System 32games run on Mame 2016 on a Pi 4 4GB stock?

Darksavior

@jiryn System 32 is full speed on mame2016 but I overclock to 2Ghz.

Jiryn

@darksavior As I said, mine is stock.
I'd rather not overclock/stress the system too much.. that's why I asked.
(Always err on the side of caution, I've had too many things screw up)

Darksavior

@jiryn It's a cheap device and I get a 500Mhz boost. It'll just reboot or freeze up if you've overclocked too much. Pretty safe to say that the pi foundation underclocked the cpu.

Jiryn

@darksavior
Any clue or advice on those two light gun games?

Darksavior

@jiryn I haven't tried those games but I'd try mame2003plus first.

YFZdude

@jiryn said in What is the best MAME to use with Pi 4 4GB? (Largest library, highest compatability):

Anyone know what Mame is suggested for Area 51, Area 51: Site 4, and Maximum Force?

I have no idea how they would run on a Pi but I have used MAME2003 to run Area 51 on my old PC and it works great.

barbudreadmon

@jiryn said in What is the best MAME to use with Pi 4 4GB? (Largest library, highest compatability):

I heard they got System 32 games running on FB Alpha or something recently..

I don't think FBAlpha is updated anymore by anyone. If you are talking about FBNeo then no, it doesn't support sega s32 yet.

Jiryn

@darksavior
Do you happen to have Jurassic Park the arcade game working?
I had it work for a bit, but every time the T-rex roars, the sound cuts out and I am wondering what is going on.
Does it need Samples?
Did I put my samples in the wrong folder?

/home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame2016/samples/

Drdave79

@roslof This is a great spreadsheet! However, I tried 2010 for Tekken Tag (I tried all of them actually) and it just goes back to the main menu when I try to launch the game. I can't get Tekken Tag to load at all and I've tried a few different roms.

How did you get it to run in 2010?

barbudreadmon

@drdave79 said in What is the best MAME to use with Pi 4 4GB? (Largest library, highest compatability):

I've tried a few different roms

Clrmamepro is your friend.

IanDaemon

@drdave79 Don't try different random ROMs. Well, you could, but it's ~~like trying to find a needle in a haystack~~ frustrating. Use CLRMAMEPRO to verify/rebuild the ROM if it's at all possible.