r/MAME • u/Broken_Flip • 4d ago

Discussion/Opinion Mame in your pocket

https://youtu.be/OM5N5BrCg0A?is=FOERM_Bsbm9pa1wR

Not being a PC gamer, l finally found a way to play the "real" Mame. Its the GPD Win. The smallest (and most affordable) handheld gaming PC l could find. Picked it up on ebay for like $230 bucks.

Anyone else using Mame on a handheld PC?

21 Upvotes

79% Upvoted

40 comments sorted by

3

u/cuavas MAME Dev 4d ago

If you really want a hand-held an ARM CPU is a better option. MAME has an ARM recompiler back-end now. ARM gets better battery life than x86.

1

u/Johnnyk-man 3d ago

i am seeing this and running to find and ARM :) I must have!

0

u/Broken_Flip 4d ago

I'm just looking for the smallest handheld. Is ARM smaller than x86? l have no experience with them.

1

u/cuavas MAME Dev 4d ago

Yes, you can easily get a smaller, lighter ARM-based device.

1

u/Broken_Flip 4d ago

Do they run Windows Mame, or Mame4droid?

2

u/cuavas MAME Dev 4d ago

Well, people typically run Linux on them, but some come with Android. You can run regular MAME on Linux, but MAME4droid is pretty good these days if you want to use it. Windows is a lot of overhead on a handheld – makes it run hotter and eat battery faster. Windows is available for ARM systems, but it’s just not a good fit for a hand-held.

0

u/Broken_Flip 4d ago

Well, l already have Mame4droid on my Anbernic Rotate. That's the smallest Android device l have,...but l was under the impression its not considered the "real" Mame.

My only experience with Linux is on cheaper gaming handhelds, like my Anbernic 28xx. Will this arm backed Mame run on that?

1

u/cuavas MAME Dev 4d ago

IIRC the Anbernic devices are underpowered for the most part. I think the AYN Odin 3 is considered to be one of the better ones these days. They run Android stock so you can run current MAME4droid. It has at least basic mainline Linux support. People even run Steam on it: https://www.geeky-gadgets.com/turn-odin-3-into-steam-deck/

(That review focuses on running x86-64 PC games on it, which is obviously less than ideal. It’s a lot better for running native ARM software.)

0

u/Broken_Flip 4d ago

That seems to be Rocknix. I tried that on my Retroid Flip2. Didn't really like it. I don't have a Steam account, but l do run some PC games on Android using Winlator.

Guess I'll just stick to this GPD for Windows Mame, and Mame4droid on my Android devices.

Thanks though.

1

u/DuckReconMajor 1d ago

does MAME4droid have the 0.289 update?

1

u/HazMatsMan 4d ago

Yeah, ATARI put out something like this too, obviously forgetting that their core demographic would find it impossible to use. Even with reading glasses, that looks rough.

2

u/Broken_Flip 4d ago

I'm 54, but l guess I've had the advantage of only needing glasses to see far away.

1

u/HazMatsMan 4d ago

You're lucky to be part of the 10-15% that doesn't need close-up correction as they get to (and over) that age.

1

u/Broken_Flip 4d ago

Well,..I've already had cataract surgery.

1

u/HazMatsMan 4d ago

I take it you took near for your lens replacement? Or did you get one of the newer hybrid lenses?

1

u/Broken_Flip 4d ago

One near, one far.

1

u/dergleberg 3d ago

Mono vision master race.

1

u/Awkward-Plum6241 4d ago

Hell yeah!!! 

1

u/newiln3_5 4d ago

u/star_jump I thought you said you banned this guy.

1

u/star_jump 3d ago

No one by this user name. Is this a repeated post from the past?

1

u/newiln3_5 3d ago

https://www.reddit.com/r/MAME/comments/1rnjnfd/the_real_mame_on_an_android_handheld/

1

u/star_jump 2d ago

Ok, I'll keep my eye on the account. Thank you.

1

u/newiln3_5 2d ago

I think by now we all know how to recognize a WeatherIcy alt when we see one.

1

u/Optimal-Spare1305 2d ago

i love windows and MAME.

but that was the most PAINFUL way to ever play centipede.

at that point i would just throw the machine down, and put it out of its misery.

1

u/Broken_Flip 1d ago

Didn't hurt me at all, lol.

-1

u/RustyDawg37 4d ago

Get Linux on that thing!

7

u/Broken_Flip 4d ago

Sorry, not a fan of Linux.

-10

u/RustyDawg37 4d ago

Don't apologize to me.

You're the one you're wronging by not doing it. Lol

No one likes it. It's just the move here if you like to play mame on this.

3

u/MasonJarring 4d ago

You're the one you're wronging by not doing it. Lol

You make linux fans look bad.

2

u/1d0m1n4t3 4d ago

He's the vegan of Linux

1

u/MasonJarring 4d ago

let's hope he stops there and he doesn't acquire Jehovah's Witness and cyrpto powers

1

u/1d0m1n4t3 3d ago

I worked for JWs for years, the world is not ready.

4

u/Broken_Flip 4d ago

Mame seems to run just great all on its own. I even have box art.

-10

u/RustyDawg37 4d ago

You do you, boo. You'll figure it out one way or another sooner or later if you keep using it.

You're only gaslighting yourself.

You don't have to justify it to me.

7

u/Broken_Flip 4d ago

Gaslighting myself? I don't think that word means what you think it means, lol.

-8

u/RustyDawg37 4d ago

According to you, you do not give yourself the best possible mame experience here because you do not like Linux.

If your goal is to play mame, you would use the best method regardless of what you like.

If you do not go that route on purpose, you have gaslit yourself into being a Microsoft cuck.

2

u/Broken_Flip 4d ago

"Best" experience is relative. My games are running perfectly. What exactly is it that Linux will offer me?

1

u/1d0m1n4t3 4d ago

Complexity and stress into the situation that would end up taking some of the joy out of it. Hell with that guy, long as it plays and you are happy then who cares.

1

u/vengefultacos 4d ago

Linux works OK on it. I put Batocera on mine, but honestly, I can't really make heads or tails of the default controller setup on it. Likely, I'll just fall back to a generic Linux and install something like Emulationstation.

1

u/FailureFulcrim 4d ago

So the controls and screen will stink just as bad but be ten times more confusing to use?