After a whirlwind four weeks of development, MAME 0.249 is ready for release! Highlights this month include improved Atari 8-bit family emulation, a newer version of Kyukyoku Tiger with a two-player cooperative mode, another version of The Crystal Maze promoted to working, and lots of prototype cartridge dumps for consoles including the Atari Lynx, Nintendo Game Boy and Super Nintendo Entertainment System. There are also eight e-kara cartridges, including a rare e-kara Web cartridge containing twelve youth-oriented songs.

The modernisation of Apple II and Macintosh emulation is progressing steadily. This month, the last of the legacy floppy devices were phased out; various ADB emulation issues were resolved, making mouse/keyboard input more reliable; and the Apple IIe standard 80-column card now works properly. Brian Johnson has added some hard disk and sound cards for the Epson QX-10 and improved the keyboard support. Thanks to holub, MAME now emulates the ZX Evolution: BASECONF, another successor to the Sinclair ZX Spectrum. As an added bonus, there’s also better I/O emulation for the ATM-Turbo family.

All the little fixes and newly supported features this month add up to make this a must-have release. There’s better display emulation for the Victor 9000, data cassette support for the Casio RZ-1, proper emulation for the K051316 tile flip configuration flags (allowing an old hack to be removed), better video emulation in Jaleco’s Field Combat, fixes for sample playback on the Yamaha MU-5, and the German UI translation has been brought up to date.

Of course, there’s far more than we have time to mention here, but you can read all about it in the whatsnew.txt file. As always, you can download the source and 64-bit Windows binary packages from the download page.

MAME Testers bugs fixed

• 05081: [Graphics] (atari/bartop52.cpp) barbball: Screen flashes during speech playback. (Angelo Salese)
• 05698: [Gameplay] (atari/atari400.cpp) a5200 [pitalll, pitfall2]: Incorrect graphics near top of screen. (Angelo Salese)
• 06970: [Graphics] (irem/m72.cpp) dbreed: Sprites appear behind status display at the bottom of the screen. (Mamesick)
• 08426: [Misc.] (misc/highvdeo.cpp) bingopd: Manufacturer name is misspelled. (ArcadeShadow)
• 08435: [Core] (trs/trs80.cpp) trs80l2: WD1771 does not support a1 DAM status bit. (O. Galibert)
• 08441: [Crash/Freeze] (nintendo/nes.cpp) famicom [wallybngp]: Emulator crashes with access violation on start. (kmg)
• 08446: [Misc.] (nintendo/nes.cpp) famicom [famijmp2]: Game fails to boot on first start. (kmg)
• 08458: [Core] (trs/trs80.cpp) trs80l2, trs80m4: Sync byte value is not correctly read from WD FDC in two places. (pnp2084)
• 08460: [Original Reference] (konami/wecleman.cpp) hotchase and clones: DIP switch labels are incorrect. (Cow)

New working machines

• Casio CTK-530 [Devin Acker]
• Chromatronics Chroma-Chime [hap, Sean Riddle, John Parker, Altharic, wolf676]
• Jackpot Joker Poker (Version 88V 01) [Siftware]
• Muscle Master [Phil Bennett]

New working clones

• beatmania 3rd MIX (ver EA-A) [DeepSea Squeeze]
• Big Bang (9th Nov. 1993, set 2) [Sergio Galiano, Recreativos Piscis]
• Bosconian - Star Destroyer (version 5) [Virtvic, Porchy, The Dumping Union]
• Dynablaster / Bomber Man (bootleg, set 4) [Jorge Silva]
• Fidelity Electronics Designer 2100 Display (set 2) [Berger]
• The Gladiator / Shen Jian Fu Mo Lu / Shen Jian Fengyun (M68k label V100) (ARM label V104, ROM 04/02/03 SHEN JIAN V104) [Misty De Méo]
• Gun Dealer (Yam! Yam!? hardware, set 2) [Trol, hammy]
• Kyukyoku Tiger (Japan, 2 player cooperative) [Mikado Game Center Europe, Victor Fernandez (City Game)]
• Mad Shark (bootleg) [hammy]
• MicroART ATM-Turbo 2+ [holub]
• NedoPC ZX Evolution: BASECONF [holub]
• Penguin-Kun Wars (Japan, set 2) [Dwayne Kirkwood]
• Pit Boss Megastar (9244-00-01 R0B) [ArcadeFever, Brian Troha, The Dumping Union]
• Street Fighter II': Champion Edition (Red Wave, bootleg, set 2) [Genaro Rodarte]

Machines promoted to working

• Apple Computer Macintosh Color Classic [R. Belmont]
• Apple Computer Macintosh LC 520 [R. Belmont]
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Mutant Warriors (SNES bootleg) [iq_132, Tomasz Slanina]
• TimeTop GameKing 3 [AJR, David Haywood]
• TimeTop GameKing GM-218 [AJR, David Haywood]

Clones promoted to working

• The Crystal Maze (v1.3 alt) (MPU4 Video) [James Wallace]

New machines marked as NOT_WORKING

• Arm Champs (Japan) [Phil Bennett]
• AtGames Colecovision Flashback [Guru]
• DigiTech GSP 5 Guitar Effects Processor/Preamp [DBWBP]
• Epson PC-286VS [cuba200611]
• NEC Bungo mini 5SX [Mike Stedman]
• NEC PC-9801 [Andrew Terwilliger]
• NEC PC-9801DX [flyingharuka]
• NEC PC-9801FS [flyingharuka]
• Slotters Club: Umi Monogatari [hammy]
• Winner's Wheel - Magical Spot [Darksoft, TeamEurope]
• Yamaha PSS-480 / PSS-580 [DBWBP]

New clones marked as NOT_WORKING

• Club Kart Prize Version B (prototype) [MetalliC, rtw, zozo]
• Magic Bomb (Ver. NB6.1, 26/04/04) [Ioannis Bampoulas]
• Primal Rage (version 2.3, newer build) [Guru]
• Pro Bowl 2 [hammy]
• Star Wars Trilogy (CPU 3.00, display A3.00) [IPDB, PinMAME]
• X-Men (4 Players ver AEA, bootleg) [aussiekanga]

New working software list additions

• a5200: Battlezone (prototype, alt), Behind Jaggi Lines (prototype), Pole Position (prototype 133-05) [swlovinist]
• a7800: Astro Blaster (NTSC), Astro Fighter (NTSC), FailSafe (NTSC), FailSafe (PAL), Meteor Shower (NTSC), Meteor Shower (PAL), Moon Cresta (NTSC), Moon Cresta (PAL), Super Pac-Man (NTSC), Super Pac-Man (PAL) [Robert Tuccitto]
• advision: Code Red [hap]
• apple2_flop_clcracked: Living Chess Library: Jeremy Silman's Complete Guide to Chess Openings (cleanly cracked) [4am, Firehawke]
• apple2_flop_orig: Autoduel, The Balance of Nature (800K 3.5"), Bismarck: The North Sea Chase, Canyon Climber, Championship Wrestling, Copy II Plus (Version 6.0 Beta 1), Copy II Plus (Version 6.0 Beta 2), The Factory (800K 3.5"), Famous Scientists (800K 3.5"), Fay: The Word Hunter (800K 3.5"), The Games: Winter Edition, GBA Championship Basketball, Gettysburg: The Turning Point (Version 1.2), The Insect World (800K 3.5"), Jumblezzz (800K 3.5"), Microzine 31, Microzine 33, Microzine 34, Microzine 35, Microzine 36, Microzine 37, Microzine 38, Microzine 39, Moebius, Reading General Interest: TEAM Series (800K 3.5"), The Road to Gettysburg, Robot Rascals, Sierra Championship Boxing, Six-Gun Shootout, Space Rescue, Thexder (Version 1.5), Vocabulary Science and Health: TEAM Series (800K 3.5"), Where in the USA is Carmen Sandiego? (800K 3.5"), Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego? (800K 3.5") [4am, Firehawke]
• apple2gs_flop_orig: First Letters and Words (Version 1.0), First Shapes (Version 1.0), Math Blaster Plus! (Version 1.1) [4am, Firehawke]
• apricot_flop:
  AP001 (Utilities No. 1), AP002 (Utilities No. 2), AP003 (Apricot Disk No. 3), AP004 (MS-BASIC Games No. 1), AP005 (GSX Users Disk), AP005 (GSX Users Disk, later?), AP006 (Games No. 2), AP007 (Utilities No. 4), AP008 (Games No. 3), AP009 (Utilities No. 5), AP010 (GW-BASIC Games No. 1), AP012 (Programmers Disk No. 2), AP016 (Chess) [ACT/Apricot]
  AP042 (Printer Utilities), AP045 (Utilities No. 13), Finance Manager, MS-DOS 3.2, MS-DOS Pack, Public Domain Disk 4, WordStar 2000 (Rel. 1.01 American) [Bitsavers]
• coleco: Dr. Seuss's Fix-Up the Mix-Up Puzzle (prototype, rev r), Dr. Seuss's Fix-Up the Mix-Up Puzzle Graphics Demo [phattyboombatty]
• einstein_rom: FlexiDOS V2.2 [Pete Golding]
• ekara_japan_en: Enka-shū Dai Yon-hen (Japan) (EN-4) [TeamEurope]
• ekara_japan_g: TV Pop Junior Volume 1 (Japan) (GC0005-TPJ) [TeamEurope]
• ekara_japan_m: Artist Mini Volume 3 (Morning Musume) (Japan) (MC0003-ATM), Artist Mini Volume 6 (Utada Hikaru) (Japan) (MC0010-ATM), TV Pop Mini Vol.1 (Japan) (MC0015-TPM) [TeamEurope]
• ekara_japan_s: Saiten Cartridge: Challenge Idol vol.1 (Japan) (SC0002-SAI), Saiten Cartridge: Challenge Idol vol.2 (Japan) (SC0008-SAI) [TeamEurope]
• ekara_japan_web: e-kara Web cartridge 12M (used, with 12 songs) (Japan) [TeamEurope]
• electron_flop:
  Electrobots, Electrobots Going Underground, Elementum, Lode Runner 2021, Manic Miner 2021, Python, Tapper [0xC0DE]
  You're Alan Partridge [Everygamegoing]
• gameboy:
  Jeep Jamboree (USA, prototype) [square_wave, Forest of Illusion]
  Super Scrabble (USA, prototype) [Zach Lambert, Forest of Illusion]
• gamepock: 1st Pokekon Demo [hap]
• gbcolor:
  Juéduì Wǔlì (China), Wàixīng Tànxiǎn zhī Xīngqiú Dàzhàn (China) [Robyn A1200, taizou]
  Alone in the Dark - The New Nightmare (Europe, prototype) [VGHF, Hidden Palace]
• ibm5170:
  I Dream of Jeannie [MAZterXP, archive.org]
  Operation Crusader, Operation Harrier (Kixx release) [The Good Old Days]
  Personal Computer World (1994-06 - June 1994) [arranarchipelago, archive.org]
  Personal Computer World (1994-11 - November 1994), Personal Computer World (1997-05 - May 1997) [SmartCoda, archive.org]
• lynx: Cabal (prototype), Daemonsgate (USA, prototype, alt), Eye of the Beholder (USA, prototype, early), Friendly (prototype), Full Court Press (prototype), Geoduel (prototype), Guardians Storm Over Doria (prototype), Guardians Storm Over Doria (prototype, alt), Loopz (USA, prototype, 19920916), Marlboro Go! (Germany, prototype), Ninja Nerd (prototype), Poker (France, prototype), Pounce! (prototype), Ram Cart (prototype), Road Riot 4WD (USA, prototype, alt), Rolling Thunder (prototype), Spacewar (prototype), Vindicators (prototype), Wolfman Slideshow (prototype, 19920319) [MacRorie, The Brewing Academy, Atari Gamer]
• mtu130_flop: BASIC 1.0 and extra libs, BASIC 1.5, CODOS 2.0, Datamover support disk, Demonstration disk, MultI-O support disk [vintagetech]
• nes: Creepy Brawlers, Haunted: Halloween '85, Haunted: Halloween '86 - The Curse of Possum Hollow, Haunted: Halloween '86 - The Curse of Possum Hollow (alt) [No-Intro]
• rz1_cass:
  Casio RZ-1 Sound Collection [ALEKS, Dirk Best]
  80's Drums (Samples), Four Cymbals (Samples), Hard Drums (Samples) [R-Massive]
• snes: Bing Bing! Bingo (Japan, prototype), Densetsu no Ogre Battle - The March of the Black Queen (Japan, prototype), Dual Orb - Seireiju Densetsu (Japan, prototype), Elfaria - The Isle of the Blest (Japan, prototype), Kessen! Dokapon Oukoku IV - Densetsu no Yuusha-tachi (Japan, prototype, Ver 07.315), Kessen! Dokapon Oukoku IV - Densetsu no Yuusha-tachi (Japan, prototype, Ver 07.431), Kunio no Oden (Japan, prototype), The Last Battle (Japan, prototype), Michael Andretti's IndyCar Challenge (USA, prototype), Nosferatu (Japan, prototype), Super Nazo Puyo - Rulue no Roux (Japan, prototype), Tetris Battle Gaiden (Japan, prototype), Ultra Baseball Jitsumei Ban 2 (Japan, prototype) [keiichi-desu]
• spectrum_cass:
  Golden Pack 100 - vol. 2 (compilation, pirate) [Planeta Sinclair]
  Johnny Reb (Zafi Chip), Shackled (Erbe) [spectrumcomputing.co.uk]

Software list items promoted to working

• a800_flop: Elektra Glide, T-34: The Battle, Ulysses and the Golden Fleece, Yoomp! (v.1.1) [Angelo Salese]

New NOT_WORKING software list additions

• a5200: Astro Grover (prototype) [CPUWIZ]
• apricot_flop: System Software VR2.7 (MS-DOS 2.11, American) [Bitsavers]
• bungo_flop: Bungo Utilities (pwp50sx), Tetris (Mini5) [Mike Stedman, Disk Blitz]
• evio: Anime Special - Pocket Monsters, Drama Mix 1, Healing Air 1, Minna no evio, evio Selection 01, evio Selection 04 [TeamEurope]
• gbcolor: Dragon Ball Z - Densetsu no Chou Senshi-tachi (Japan, prototype), Dragon Ball Z - Densetsu no Chou Senshi-tachi (Japan, prototype, cheats enabled), Dragon Ball Z - Guerreros de Leyenda (Spain, prototype), Dragon Ball Z - Guerreros de Leyenda (Spain, prototype, all features unlocked), Dragon Ball Z - I Leggendari Super Guerrieri (Italy, prototype), Dragon Ball Z - Legendary Super Warriors (Europe, prototype), Dragon Ball Z - Legendäre Superkämpfer (Germany, prototype), Dragon Ball Z - Legendäre Superkämpfer (Germany, prototype, 20020320), Dragon Ball Z - Legendäre Superkämpfer (Germany, prototype, 20020411), Dragon Ball Z - Legendäre Superkämpfer (Germany, prototype, all features unlocked), Dragon Ball Z - Les Guerriers Légendaires (France, prototype) [VGHF, Hidden Palace]
• snes: Illvanian no Shiro (Japan, prototype, 19940823) [keiichi-desu]

Translations added or modified

• German [Raf Tacker]
• Ukrainian [Stanley Kid]

Merged pull requests

• 9590: floptool: Added support for specifying volume attributes in when creating a formatted image. [Nathan Woods]
• 10254: namco/namcos23.cpp: Filled out input ports, and expanded comments. [Hydreigon]
• 10298: pinball/whitestar.cpp: Added display PLD dump, added display versions to descriptions, and reformatted code. [Victor Fernandez (City Game), ClawGrip]
• 10306: igs/pgm.cpp: Added The Gladiator V104. [Misty De Méo]
• 10337: sinclair/pentevo.cpp: Added NedoPC ZX Evolution BASECONF; sinclair/atm.cpp: Refactored shadow I/O handling. [holub]
• 10344: util/corestr.cpp: Refactored core_strwildcmp and core_iswildstr to accept std::string_view arguments. [Nathan Woods]
• 10345: barcrest: Refactored MPU4 machine configuration. [O. Galibert, James Wallace, AJR, Vas Crabb]
• 10356: cpu/m68000, machine/68340.cpp: Changed M68340 and CPU32 core to use a 16-bit data bus (GitHub #10353). [Paul-Arnold]
• 10362: snes.xml: Added fourteen prototypes (thirteen working, one not working). [keiichi-desu, kmg]
• 10367: formats/fs_isis.cpp: Added support for Intel ISIS-II filesystem. [F.Ulivi]
• 10368: ibm5170.xml: Added six working items. [The Good Old Days, SmartCoda, MAZterXP, arranarchipelago, archive.org ArcadeShadow]
• 10370: diagnostics/diagnostics_win32.cpp: Fixed const correctness, fixing clang Windows build. [invertego]
• 10371: bus/vcs_ctrl: Simplified keypad code, and improved member accessibility levels. [kmg]
• 10373: Added Windows clang build to GitHub CI workflows. [invertego]
• 10374: act/victor9k.cpp: Fixed several bugs in display logic. [Paul Devine]
• 10377: toaplan/twincobr.cpp: Dumped a newer version of ktiger. [Mikado Game Center Europe, Victor Fernandez (City Game), ClawGrip]
• 10378: bus/epson_qx: Added hard disk support for the Epson QX-10 (IDE and ComFiler CR-1510 option boards). [Brian Johnson]
• 10381: apple2_flop_clcracked.xml, apple2_flop_orig.xml, apple2gs_flop_orig.xml: Added latest dumps and cracks. [4am, Firehawke]
• 10382: machine/wd1000.cpp: Fixed crash when interrupt request output callback is not connected. [Brian Johnson]
• 10383: spectrum_cass.xml: Added three items, and corrected some parent/clone relationships, publishers and years. [ArcadeShadow]
• 10384: bus/epson_qx/keyboard, epson/qx10.cpp: Reworked QX-10 keyboard implementation, fixing multiple issues. [Brian Johnson]
• 10388: debugger/osx: Avoid error when MAC_OS_X_VERSION_10_15 is not defined when using older SDKs. [Kelvin Shelock]
• 10389: sabotenb: Dumped PROMs for sabotenb (same as bjtwin PROMs). [Sergio Galiano]
• 10390: nmk/ddealer.cpp: Dumped PROMs for ddealer. [Sergio Galiano]
• 10391: ekara_japan_en.xml, ekara_japan_g.xml, ekara_japan_s.xml, ekara_japan_web.xml: Added eight cartridges. [TeamEurope, David Haywood]
• 10393: rbowlorama.cpp: Fixed typo in disc region tag. [ClawGrip]
• 10397: evio.xml: Added six cartridges. [TeamEurope, David Haywood]
• 10398: bus/ekara: Added evio cartridge with 24LC08 I2C EEPROM (allows evio:em18 to run and save data). [David Haywood]
• 10400: bus/epson_qx: Added YM2149-based sound card for the Epson QX-10. [Brian Johnson]
• 10401: video/k051316.cpp: Identified tile flip configuration bits, and removed per-game handling. [furrtek]
• 10402: nes.xml: Added four spooky homebrew cartridges. [No-Intro, kmg]
• 10404: barcrest/mpu4.cpp, machine/ticket.cpp: Added proper coin hopper communications. [James Wallace]
• 10406: pcecd.xml: Fixed typo in dknight2 disc label. [kmg]
• 10408: nmk/nmk16.cpp: Added a newly dumped Big Bang set. [Sergio Galiano, Recreativos Piscis]
• 10409: saturn.xml: Replaced abbreviated country names with full names in descriptions. [ArcadeShadow]
• 10412: bus/a800, a800.xml, a800_flop.xml: Improved cartridge support, and updated notes and supported status. [Angelo Salese]
• 10415: cdtv.xml: Replaced abbreviated country names with full names, and added language info elements. [ArcadeShadow]
• 10416: konami/djmain.cpp: Added beatmania 3rd MIX (ver EA-A). [DeepSea Squeeze]
• 10420: sega/sega16sp.cpp: Simplified sprite drawing logic. [jotego]
• 10421: sms.xml: Replaced abbreviated country names with full names in descriptions. [ArcadeShadow]
• 10422: Updated German UI translation. [Raf Tacker]
• 10424: ekara_japan_s.xml: Marked sc0008 as a bad dump – it crashes on the scoring screen, possibly due to bit rot. [David Haywood]
• 10425: megadriv.xml: Replaced abbreviated country names with full names in descriptions. [ArcadeShadow]
• 10428: whitestar.cpp: Fixed typo in mononew description, and changed order of non-pinball system driver definitions. [ClawGrip]
• 10429: a5200.xml: Added four prototypes (three working, one not working). [swlovinist, CPUWIZ, kmg]
• 10431: sinclair/pentevo.cpp: Changed default BIOS to non-FE ROM 0.59.04. [holub]
• 10432: taito/taito_f3_v.cpp: Added myself to the list of copyright holders. [David Haywood]
• 10433: gameboy.xml: Added Jeep Jamboree (USA, prototype). [square_wave, Forest of Illusion, kmg]
• 10434: gbcolor.xml: Added twelve prototypes (one working, eleven not working). [VGHF, Hidden Palace, kmg]
• 10435: gbcolor.xml: Marked Dragon Ball Z games as unsupported, and changed “Italia” to “Italy” in descriptions. [kmg]
• 10436: coleco.xml: Added two prototypes. [phattyboombatty, kmg]
• 10439: dc.xml: Replaced abbreviated country names with full names in descriptions. [ArcadeShadow]
• 10441: gamegear.xml: Replaced country name abbreviations with full names in descriptions. [ArcadeShadow]
• 10443: lynx.xml: Added nineteen working prototypes. [MacRorie, The Brewing Academy, Atari Gamer, kmg]
• 10444: coleco.xml: Removed invalid character from ROM label. [kmg]
• 10445: casio/ctk551.cpp: Added Casio CTK-530. [Devin Acker]
• 10446: gba.xml: Cleaned up descriptions, and added language info elements. [ArcadeShadow]
• 10447: psx.xml: Replaced country name abbreviations in descriptions with full names. [ArcadeShadow]
• 10448: sinclair/spectrum.cpp: Added DiagROM v1.59 as a BIOS option for spectrum. [holub]
• 10449: nes.xml: Replaced abbreviated country names with full names in descriptions. [ArcadeShadow]
• 10450: nes.xml: Corrected ROM region name for wallybngp, fixing emulator crash on start (MT08441). [kmg]
• 10451: nes.xml: Changed default NVRAM contents for famijmp2, allowing it to boot on the first start (MT08446). [kmg]
• 10452: Changed GitHub CI to include chdman and unidasm in artefacts, and build the tiny subtarget with GCC on Linux. [Vas Crabb]
• 10453: gameboy.xml: Added Super Scrabble (USA, prototype). [Zach Lambert, Forest of Illusion, kmg]
• 10454: machine/wd_fdc.cpp: Fixed data register read after acquiring FM sync (MT08458). [pnp2084]
• 10455: ui: Added support for showing localised system names in Favorites. [Katsuhiko Kagami]
• 10457: a7800.xml: Added ten working homebrew cartridges. [Robert Tuccitto, kmg]
• 10458: lynx.xml: Replaced “Euro” abbreviation with “Europe” in descriptions. [ArcadeShadow]
• 10459: snes.xml: snes.xml: Replaced “Euro” abbreviation in descriptions with “Europe”. [ArcadeShadow]
• 10460: bus/electron/plus1: Use BBC Micro-type slot for analogue joystick inputs. [AJR]
• 10463: machine/mos6530n.cpp: Fixed an offset comparison in io_w. [kmg]
• 10465: luaengine_input.cpp: Fixed input device items upper bound. [Golden Child]