A new emulator app is now available in the App Store that allows you to play MAME ROMs on your iPhone and iPad. While we’ve seen previous attempts to offer an arcade game emulator in the App Store, Apple has always removed them from the store for one reason or another.
ArcadeMania is now available on the App Store and is a free emulator using a version 0.269 of MAME for its emulation core, allowing you to play 5,000+ MAME-compatible arcade game ROMS on your iPhone and iPad. The iPad version can be installed on your Mac, but it hasn’t been verified for use on the macOS platform.
The app offers virtual on-screen game controls (including keyboard), as well as support for game controllers, including those compatible with the Xbox One, PS5, and Switch. I strongly advise using a physical controller, as using the on-screen controls is an excellent way to quickly lose all of your lives in your favorite games. Light gun games are also compatible with the app, as the player will need to tap the screen in place of pointing a toy gun.
Many classic MAME features are supported, including save states and cheats, and HDR content support is available, thanks to the app’s use of custom shaders and a native Metal graphics renderer.
A Warning About Arcade ROMs
The use of classic arcade machine ROMs sits in a bit of a legal gray area, as using the ROMs without a license or owning the physical arcade machine is considered a copyright violation.
This means ArcadeMania doesn’t ship with any of the 5,000+ arcade ROMS it can play, although the developers have included a legal custom ROM to allow users to test it. Sharing copyrighted materials could cause legal issues for the developer (and Apple for allowing the ROMs in the App Store).
The app does not allow users to directly download the arcade ROMs from the internet. This means you’ll need to track them down. Luckily, there are several “archive” sites that have them available for download. That’s all I’m going to say, but a search engine is you friend. I do advice sticking to well-known sites, as some of the sites out there contain malware and spyware.
There are legally available arcade ROMs on the MAME website, although you won’t find Pac-Man or Donkey Kong on the list. I recommend trying some of the Exidy games, like Star Fire, Circus, or Fax (trivia fans will enjoy this one).
Emulating Arcade Games in ArcadeMania on Your iPhone or iPad
Once you’ve installed ArcadeMania from the App Store, open the app on your iPhone or iPad and tap on the “Menu” button, then “Settings.”
Tap the “Import” button, then navigate to where you have your ROMs stored (you can use iCloud if you have the storage space). Select the ROMs you want to import into the app (you can select multiple ROMs), then tap “Open.”
Tap the game you want to play in the list that appears, then start enjoying the classic arcade gaming experience. For a more realistic experience, drink some Jolt Cola and chew some Big League Chew bubble gum if you can get your hands on it.
The on-screen controls will be available in the bottom half of the screen, or you can add a real controller in the Settings menu.
Now, tap the “Coin” button to insert a virtual coin then tap the “Start” button to begin playing. The Exit button takes you out of the current game.
ArcadeMania is available for free on the App Store.
