Alternatives to MAME
Documents and recreates thousands of arcade machines, consoles and old computers, with accuracy as the point. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
MAME
Documents and recreates thousands of arcade machines, consoles and old computers, with accuracy as the point.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as MAME.
FinalBurn Neo
Arcade emulator focused on Neo Geo, CPS and fighting games.
FinalBurn Neo focuses on Neo Geo, CPS and fighting games with very low input latency and netplay, but covers less hardware than MAME.
ares
Multi-system emulator that prioritises accuracy and preservation over speed.
ares is a BSD-licensed multi-system emulator focused on accuracy and preservation across a long console list, but it does not list arcade machine coverage.
Mednafen
Command-line multi-system emulator covering Saturn, PlayStation and more.
Mednafen is an accurate multi-system emulator with strong Saturn and PC Engine emulation, but it is command-line driven and does not list arcade hardware.
RetroArch
One front end for dozens of emulators, with unified settings, shaders and a controller setup you only do once.
RetroArch runs many emulator cores in one front end with shaders and Android and iOS support, though standalone emulators are sometimes more accurate than its cores.
Also worth comparing
These listings name MAME as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
Altirra
A cycle-exact emulator for Atari 8-bit computers and the Atari 5200 console.
MAME recreates thousands of arcade machines, consoles and old computers in one GPL-licensed program, trading Altirra's single-family focus for breadth and a strict ROM set requirement.
AppleWin
An Apple II emulator for Windows that supports several Apple II models, clones and peripherals.
MAME covers thousands of arcade, console and computer systems in one program, runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and puts accuracy first, but its ROM sets must match exact versions.
Atari800
A portable, free emulator for Atari 8-bit computers and the Atari 5200 console.
MAME covers thousands of arcade machines, consoles and computers in one accuracy-focused program on Windows, macOS and Linux, but it has no Android build and needs exact ROM sets.
b2
A cross-platform emulator of the BBC Micro, BBC Master 128, Master Compact and Olivetti PC 128 S.
MAME is an open-source GPL-2.0 emulator covering thousands of arcade, console and computer systems, not just the BBC family, and it needs ROM sets that match its exact version.
BeebEm
A Windows emulator for the BBC Micro and Acorn Master Series computers.
MAME is an open-source GPL-2.0 emulator for thousands of arcade, console and computer systems on Windows, macOS and Linux, with monthly releases, but ROM sets must match its exact version.
BigPEmu
An Atari Jaguar emulator that runs the entire retail game library at full speed.
MAME is an open-source GPL-2.0 emulator of thousands of arcade, console and computer systems on Windows, macOS and Linux, focused on accuracy, but later hardware needs a genuinely fast machine.
BizHawk
A multi-system emulator built for tool-assisted speedrunning, with rewinding, frame stepping, memory search and input recording.
MAME covers thousands of arcade, console and computer systems with accuracy as its priority, but it needs ROM sets matching its exact version and has no TAS focus listed.
BlastEm
Cycle-accurate Sega Genesis and Mega Drive emulator.
MAME recreates thousands of arcade machines and consoles in one program with accuracy as its priority, but its ROM sets must match the exact version it expects.
bsnes
Accurate SNES emulator with HD Mode 7 and enhancement chip support.
MAME recreates thousands of consoles, computers and arcade machines with accuracy as its priority, but lacks bsnes features such as HD Mode 7 and needs exact ROM sets.
Caprice32
An emulator of the Amstrad CPC range of 8-bit home computers for Linux and Windows.
MAME covers thousands of arcade, console and computer systems in one GPL-2.0 program and adds a macOS build, but its ROM sets must match the exact version it expects.
Clock Signal
A latency-focused emulator covering dozens of 8- and 16-bit home computers and game consoles.
MAME covers thousands of arcade machines, consoles and old computers with accuracy as its goal, adds Windows binaries, but has no particular focus on input and display latency.
FCEUX
Full-featured NES and Famicom emulator with TAS and debugging tools.
MAME covers thousands of consoles, computers and arcade machines with accuracy as its priority and monthly releases, but needs exact ROM sets and has no TAS focus.
Genesis Plus GX
Accurate Sega 8-bit and 16-bit emulator, widely used as a libretro core.
MAME is a standalone program covering thousands of arcade machines and consoles with accuracy as its priority, but it needs ROM sets matching its exact version.
GroovyMAME
A fork of MAME tuned for CRT monitors and low-latency arcade emulation.
MAME is the upstream project GroovyMAME follows, adding macOS and ARM64 Windows binaries, but it lacks the native resolution and refresh output tuned for CRT monitors.
Javatari
An Atari 2600 emulator that runs in the web browser, with netplay and save states.
MAME is an installed, open-source emulator of thousands of arcade, console and computer systems on Windows, macOS and Linux, and has no browser version or netplay sessions.
Mesen
Cycle-accurate multi-system emulator with a serious debugger.
MAME covers thousands of arcade, console and computer systems with accuracy as the priority and monthly releases, though ROM sets must match the exact version it expects.
OpenEmu
macOS emulator front end with a polished library interface.
MAME emulates thousands of arcade, console and computer systems with accuracy as its goal and monthly releases, but its interface is basic and ROM sets must match exactly.
Stella
The reference Atari 2600 emulator, developed since the 1990s.
MAME covers thousands of arcade, console and computer systems with accuracy as its priority, but ROM sets must match exact versions and its interface is basic.
VICE
A long-running emulator for Commodore 8-bit computers, including the C64, C128, VIC-20, PET and Plus/4.
MAME covers thousands of arcade, console and computer systems in one program with accuracy as its priority, but it lacks VICE's focused Commodore 8-bit tooling.
WebMSX
An MSX computer emulator that runs in the web browser with no installation.
MAME is an open-source desktop program covering thousands of arcade, console and computer systems, and requires ROM sets that match the exact version it expects.
WinUAE
A detailed Commodore Amiga emulator for Windows that reproduces the Amiga chipsets closely.
MAME covers thousands of arcade, console and computer systems in one program on Windows, macOS and Linux, but ROM sets must match its expected version.
XRoar
An emulator for Dragon 32 and 64, Tandy Colour Computer and Tandy MC-10 8-bit machines.
MAME covers thousands of computer, console and arcade systems in one GPL-2.0 program with monthly releases, but ROM sets must match the exact version it expects.
Ymir
Fast, accurate Sega Saturn emulator with high compatibility.
MAME documents thousands of arcade machines, consoles and computers with accuracy as its priority, but later hardware needs a fast machine and its interface is basic.
ZEsarUX
An emulator for Sinclair machines, including the ZX Spectrum, ZX81, QL and Z88, plus many clones.
MAME covers thousands of arcade, console and computer systems with accuracy as the priority, but ROM sets must match the exact version it expects.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
ScummVM
Replaces the original executable of hundreds of classic adventure games so they run on hardware that did not exist yet.
DOSBox-X
A DOSBox fork that also runs Windows 3.x, 95, 98 and Me, plus Japanese PC-98 software.
Batocera.linux
A free, open-source retro gaming Linux distribution that boots from a USB stick or SD card.
PinMAME
An emulator for the electronics of solid-state pinball machines from the mid 1970s to 2014.
