Want to turn my PowerPC machines into Arcades! Help.

[MrCheeto]

I'm wanting to turn all of my PowerPC macs into video game emulators, though not 100% dedicated to doing such. I come across many PPC macs and can hardly find use for them other than web browsing and enjoying them, as an experience. (Yes, the iMac G3 and PowerMac MDD are an experience in their selves.)

So, I'm wondering what sort of emulators out there can play older games efficiently on the PowerPC architecture. Chances are, I will only be using my PowerMac G4 1.25ghz SP MDD at the moment, but I see iBook Clamshells in my future, so I'd also like some suggestions for machines as slow as the 2xxmhz G3's.

Here are the systems I'm wanting to emulate:
Firstly, arcade games. I'm new to this, so help would be appreciated there.
Macintosh (System 6 and 7)
Apple ][
Atari 2600
Intellivision
Atari 5200
Nintendo
Super Nintendo
Nintendo 64
ColecoVision
Sega Genesis

I really like exciting arcade games with lame graphics and sounds. You don't need 1080p resolutions and high quality surround sound to make for a fun game. Hell, the one game I would be happy with being able to play is B17 Bomber. I beat myself up for selling my Intellivision mostly because of that single game, but it was just....THAT fun!

Let me know what you have, and fill me in on the arcade-cabinets, I have no idea what differentiates dedicated cabinets or how I would go about emulating their games.

Thanks in advance!

 

[MrCheeto]

I've figured out that if you want to emulate cabinet-games you pretty much need to go with MAME. However, every MAME app I've used is CRAP! Either they have to be launched by some cryptic means, they don't run at all or most games are troublesome.

What other choices do I have, as far as with arcade games?

 

[Foxglove9]

For arcade games MAME is pretty much the only way to go. Newer versions of MacMame ran very very slow on PowerPC's. My advice is to track down someone who has a old version of MacMame (like 10 years ago?) and a working romset. You won't get newer games but the classics from the 70's and 80's should work fine.

Otherwise you can track down a Williams Pack which had a few Midway/Atari games in it. Or you can get the Playstation Emulator and run all the PS1 arcade compilations (there were so many made) that way.

 

[MrCheeto]

WOWZA! Glad somebody knows what they're talking about!

How are the Playstation arcade titles different from the home-console versions? Would I be pressing my luck getting games as far up the chain as N64 and PS1 to run on the PowerMac G4 1.25ghz?

Also, as predicted I have a graphite iBook headed my way. Any chance big shoot-em-ups like Terminator 2 by Midway will play, even with an older version of MAME, or am I just wishing for too much?

 

[dmr727]

Would I be pressing my luck getting games as far up the chain as N64 and PS1 to run on the PowerMac G4 1.25ghz?

I can't speak for the N64, but back in the day I played PS1 games via Connectix's emulator on my 500MHz G3 iBook without any trouble.

 

[MrCheeto]

Cool! The graphite iBook is 466mhz. Though it has a lesser graphics card, an older version of mame may just offer some hope

Thanks all. I'm still looking to play B17 Bomber though. It drives me nutz!

 

[Foxglove9]

Any chance big shoot-em-ups like Terminator 2 by Midway will play, even with an older version of MAME, or am I just wishing for too much?

No chance on getting Terminator 2 running at full speed. Same goes for Mortal Kombat, Wrestlemania, and even Street Fighter 2. Late 80's would probably be as far as you can go without it dropping frames or running slow.

N64, is unplayable. PS1 games using that Connectix PS1 emulator runs really great. Many of the PS1 arcade compilation discs (Namco, Williams, etc...) are pretty good emulations. Maybe not MAME perfection but close enough.

Honestly you are better off just getting a cheapo PC from a few years ago. MAME just flies compared to a powerpc.

 

[MrCheeto]

Well all of the games I've tried so far appear to be moving with NO friction on the G4. I guess that's the limit, then no iBook except for NES and maybe SNES heh.

Thanks for that.

 

[mallocip]

Anyone looking for a copy of Connectix PS! Emulator? I have one in box with all documentation if interested..I think I should be able to dig it up. Send me your best offers...cpkendra@gmail.com.

 

[Hugh]

MAME and other emulators

If you can get MAME version 0.103u2 you will be able to play almost 70's and 80's games. Some of the 90's games work too, but that would depend on your speed of the computer when it comes to the 90's. I run that version because the newer version turns on my fan to play Pac-Man. Also it has a great front end. MAME can also play NEO-GEO games as well.

EDIT: Just found where you can get version 0.103u2. http://www.macmame.org/

PS1 emulator (from Connectix) was a great way to play PS1 games on a G3. It was made for the for the G3 (there was no G4 at the time.) although some games do not work with it. Trial and error on that one. I still have my boxed version. Hanging on to that, might be a collectors item some day. (also have BLEEM for the PC but could never get it to work)

As for the N64 forget it unless you have a G5, it too slow to really play any games.

For 68k Macs there two working emulators that I know of. One is vMac but the site is out dated and you need to find a ROM image of a Mac Plus, and I forgot the name of the second one.


For Mac intellivision emulator and ROMs go here. They even have B17-Bomber on there.

For some of the other console emulators for the Mac you can go here.

As for as I know, there are no SEGA-CD emulator, SEGA-32X, or SEGA Saturn for the Mac. I don't even think there is one for the Saturn for the PC since it was a b$tch to program for. :/

I hope this gets you started, any questions just PM me.

Hugh