Front-Ends
Front-end Software
Below is the front-end software comparison table. Click on the software's name for detailed information about that software. Please be aware that this may be incomplete! The individual pages will have the software's homepage for you to verify any information or questions you may have!
Note: Any unknown information in the table is filled with placeholders (placeholders are shown in italics).
Note: To be listed as Cabinet friendly, it needs to be able to be used with joysticks and buttons only (
).'
| Software | BYOAC User | OS | Type1 | Monitor Orientation 2 | Emulators3 | Other Features4 |
| AtomicFE | Youki | 
|
Freeware |  
|
CMD PC |       
|
| FEEL | dr.prodigy |
|
Freeware |
|
CMD PC |  
|
| GameEx | TSpeirs |
|
Shareware ($25) |
|
CMD PC | 
|
| HyperSpin | BadBoyBill |
|
Freeware |
|
CMD PC |
|
| MaLa | Loadman (previously Swindus) |
|
Freeware |
|
CMD PC |
|
| Mamewah | Minwah |
|
Freeware |
|
CMD PC |
|
| Maximus Arcade | % |
|
Shareware ($25) |
|
39+ arcade and console emulators |
|
| AdvanceMenu | % |  
|
Open Source |
|
CMD |  ]
|
| Wah!Cade | Balki |
|
Open Source |
|
CMD |
|
| Attract-Mode | Raygun | 
|
Open Source |
|
CMD PC |
|
| Big Blue | bulbousbeard |
|
Open Source |
|
CMD PC | 
|
| Cabrio | Cosam |
|
Open Source |
|
CMD |
|
| Emulaxian/3D Arcade | )p( |
|
Freeware |
|
CMD |
|
| Fronty | FrontyDev |
|
Freeware |
|
CMD PC |
|
| Khameleon | Cakemeister |
|
Open Source |
|
CMD |
|
| MAMELOAD TNG | Tafoid |
|
Freeware |
|
CMD (MAME-BASED, Including MESS), M1, Final Burn Alpha |
|
| MultiFE | Space Fractal |
|
Freeware |
|
Mame, CMD (Includning MESS) & PC Games |
|
| UltraMame | r.cade |
|
Open Source |
|
MAME only |
|
| EmuLaunch | % |
|
Freeware for personal use | Emulator dependent | Uses Finder to open ROMS in 15 arcade and console emulators |
|
| MAME32 | % |
|
Freeware |
|
MAME only |
|
| SimpleTouch FE | Lave Laar |
|
Freeware | Application dependent | CMD |
|
| ArcadeOS | % |
|
Open Source |
|
CMD |
|
| ArcadEpic | chowny |
|
Freeware |
|
CMD |
|
| Dragon King | Howard_Casto |
|
Freeware |
|
CMD |
|
| GameLauncher | Dave Dribin |
|
Open Source |
|
CMD |
|
| Kymaera | PacManFan |
|
Open Source |
|
CMD |
|
| Ultrastyle | ultrastyle |
|
Open Source |
|
MAME only |
|
| CabFE | % |
|
Open Source |
|
CMD | Placeholder |
| PyreCade | flemming |
|
OpenSource |
|
Mame <.106uq2 | Placeholder |
| XMAME-GUI | % | 
|
Open Source |
|
SDL-MAME Only | Placeholder |
Homepages for these FEs are gone, and are (might?) not active anymore:
- Arcade.EXE - Windows-only MAME front-end
- ArcadeFE - Windows-only MAME front-end
- ArcadeFX - Windows-only MAME front-end
1) Type:
- Open Source: is fully functional software with source code included.
- Freeware: is fully functional without payment and without nag screens and ads.
- Shareware: has limited functionality (or has nags) until payment is made.
- Commercial: software is fully functional for a limited time, after which payment must be made.
2) About software and hardware rotation:
Most Frontends with vertical support typical require Windows to been rotated as well. Some frontends, such like Mamewah, MultiFE and others support software rotation as well.
3) Emulators:
- If CMD is shown, this front-end can run all command line based emulators.
- If PC is shown, it can run PC games as well (using bat and/or shortcuts files).
4) Other Features:
- Still in developing for fixing bugs or/and supported.
- Native arcade monitor support without ArcadeVGA card
- Mouse and keyboard-free operation (for cabinets)
- Integrated jukebox
- LCD screen, such as those found at http://www.seetron.com/
- Front-end can control a LED controller
- Low Resolutions (below 640 pixels wide)
- Multiple Resolutions
- Skin tool included
- Skinnable without tool
- Touchscreen Support
- Video snapshots (movies)
- Multi-monitor
Howover Mamewah and MultiFE (in realtime) have software rotation as well.
Just because a frontend is discontinued does not mean that it is a bad frontend. Either there is no more need to update it, or the author just left the project. Discontinued frontends are still used in cabinets today, and most run on both older and newer machines, though some may have some issues with newer versions of MAME. So check these out as well.
