MAME

MAME, which stands for Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator, is a free and open-source emulator designed to recreate the hardware of arcade machines in software on modern computers and other platforms. Its primary goal is to preserve arcade game software and the hardware environments in which they operated, allowing authentic gameplay and historical study.

The project was initiated by Nicola Salmoria and first released in 1997. Over time, MAME evolved into a large, community-driven effort coordinated by the MAME Project. It is distributed under the GNU General Public License, and development involves thousands of contributors who maintain and expand its hardware emulation capabilities and documentation.

MAME uses a modular driver-based architecture in which each arcade system is represented by a driver that emulates its CPUs, graphics chips, sound processors, input/output interfaces, and timing. ROM images provide the original game software and graphics data, and complementary CHD files cover disk-based or more complex media. The software aims for high fidelity, often prioritizing accurate timing and behavior to reflect authentic hardware operation.

The emulator runs on multiple platforms, including Windows, Linux, and macOS, and is typically used via a command-line interface with optional graphical front-ends such as MAMEUI. While MAME itself provides the emulation engine, ROMs are not included; users must supply legally obtained ROM images sourced from discarded or owned media, in compliance with applicable copyright law.

MAME plays a significant role in digital preservation by documenting and replicating a wide range of arcade hardware and software. It is widely used by enthusiasts, museums, and researchers to study, curate, and experience arcade game history.