Distributing the MAME software is legal, but distributing the copyrighted game code (ROMs) generally is not. Pro Tip for Navigating Indexes If you are trying to build a library, look for "Non-Merged Sets." Clones are tucked inside the parent ZIP. Clones require the parent ZIP to be present. Non-Merged:
According to the official MAME development wiki, the law on copying ROMs is . It states unequivocally: “Isn’t copying ROMs a legal gray area? No, it’s not. The law is quite clear: it is illegal, period.”Copyright on these games is owned by someone—often large corporations—and distributing or downloading ROMs without permission is a violation of that copyright.
The most common mistake beginners make when using a MAME ROM index is ignoring version numbers. MAME is an ongoing preservation project. As emulation accuracy improves, developers re-dump original arcade chips to fix errors or add missing data.
Every ZIP is standalone and contains every file needed to run that specific version, which is the easiest (though most storage-heavy) way to manage a collection. Legal Information - MAME index of mame roms
: Every zip file contains every file needed to run that specific game. These are the largest in size but the easiest to manage individually.
To find these indexes, you would use the following search strings:
This article will dissect everything you need to know about MAME ROM indexes, from the technical structure of a directory listing to the legal and security risks involved. Distributing the MAME software is legal, but distributing
While the original site has changed over the years, their GitHub presence and community mirrors remain the go-to for "Non-Merged" sets, which are easier to manage because each ZIP file contains everything needed to run that specific game. MameDB / Arcade-History: These aren't download sites, but they are the best
If you encounter an index, follow these steps to protect yourself:
Finding a "ROM" isn't always as simple as downloading a single file. Because MAME aims for 100% accuracy, the emulator is constantly updated. This leads to several types of sets you will encounter in an index: Non-Merged: According to the official MAME development wiki,
(This recursively downloads all files, avoids parent directories, and strips headers.)
: The parent game and all its regional or bootleg "clones" are packed into a single ZIP file. This is the most space-efficient method.
: MAME typically looks for ROMs in the /roms subfolder of your install directory.