简体中文
EnglishMAME Download, Documentation, and Community Resources
Updated
MAMEdev.org is the official site of the MAME development team, and it is the correct starting point for downloading MAME, reading the official documentation, and reaching the project's community and development resources. Use it when you want the current release rather than a mirror or third-party build, when you need the MAME documentation or wiki, or when you want to file issues, join discussions, or compile MAME yourself.
Downloading MAME
The site's Download section is split into two paths:
- Latest Release — the current version of MAME. The site's news feed shows MAME 0.289 dated 31 Jul 2026 as the most recent release at the time of that entry.
- Previous Releases — older versions, useful if you need to match a specific version for compatibility or testing.
The site also lists Supported Platforms, so check that section before downloading to confirm your operating system is covered by an official build.
Note from the 0.289 release notes: Windows binary releases now include the SDL sound output and joystick input modules, the sdljoy joystick input module supports controllers with up to 128 buttons, and outputs were overhauled — which may require updating your configuration after upgrading.
Documentation
Documentation is grouped under Resources:
| Resource | What it covers |
|---|---|
| MAME Documentation | The main official documentation |
| MAMEdev Wiki | Community-maintained technical and usage reference |
| Frequently Asked Questions | Common questions about setup and use |
| Emulated System Guides | Per-system guidance for emulated machines |
Community
Official community entry points listed on the site:
- Official Forums
- MAMEdev Discussions on GitHub
- Chat on IRC
- MAME on Twitter, Bluesky, and Facebook
Development
If you want to work with the source rather than just run MAME:
- MAME on GitHub — the project repository
- Compiling MAME — build instructions
- Technical Specifications — hardware and implementation details
- Browse Source Code — read the code directly
- Development Tools — tooling used by the project
What MAME Is, and Why It Matters Here
MAME is a multi-purpose emulation framework whose purpose is to preserve decades of software history by documenting hardware and how it functions. The source code itself serves as that documentation, and the fact that the software is usable primarily validates the accuracy of that documentation. MAME originally stood for Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator, and it later absorbed the sister project MESS (Multi Emulator Super System), so it now documents a wide variety of mostly vintage computers, video game consoles, and calculators in addition to arcade video games.
Licensing
The MAME project as a whole is distributed under the GNU General Public License, version 2 (GPL-2.0), since it contains code under multiple GPL-compatible licenses. Over 90% of files, including core files, are under the BSD-3-Clause License, and new contributors are encouraged to distribute files under that license. MAME is a registered trademark of Gregory Ember, and permission is required to use the "MAME" name, logo, or wordmark.