Some games in 0.72 had bad dumps (e.g., Pac-Man with missing color PROMs, Donkey Kong with incorrect sound ROMs).
“New” might mean newly corrected ROMs for existing games.
Example: Galaga – the 0.72 ROM had a known byte-swap error in the Namco I/O. A fixed galaga.zip circulating in 2004–2005 had different CRCs:
| ROM file | 0.72 CRC | Fixed CRC |
|----------|----------|-----------|
| gg1_1b.3p | e20574c0 | 3b40cf94 |
To use the fixed ROM in 0.72:
Verdict: ROM-only fixes work only for PROM/EPROM swaps, not CPU or sound core bugs.
In 2003, dumpers used imperfect hardware. Some ROMs had "bad dumps" (glitchy graphics or missing sound). Over the last 20 years, preservationists have gone back to original arcade PCBs and re-dumped the chips. While MAME 0.72 cannot run "new" games added in 2024, it can run better versions of old games (e.g., fixed audio samples or missing graphical layers).
When collectors search for MAME 0.72 ROMs new, they are often looking for "Split Sets" that include these corrected ROM revisions (Rev A, Rev B, etc.) that were discovered after 0.72 was released but backported to work with the old executable. mame 072 roms new
A “new” way to organize your 0.72 collection:
Many users now prefer non-merged “new” 0.72 ROM packs because they work without hunting for parent files.
| Feature | MAME 0.72 | Modern MAME (0.260+) | |---------|-----------|----------------------| | ROM naming | 8.3 short filenames | Long names supported | | Merging | Parent/clone sets | Split/merged + software lists | | CHD support | Almost none | Required for many games (HDD, laser disc) | | Device ROMs | In same ZIP | Separate BIOS/device ZIPs | | CRC/SHA1 | CRC only (32-bit) | CRC, SHA1, SHA256 | Some games in 0
Critical difference: A “new” game dumped in 2023 cannot simply be dropped into MAME 0.72. The driver architecture has changed completely.
| If you want... | You should... |
|---|---|
| To play games using old MAME 0.72 | Find a complete, untouched "MAME 0.72 ROM set" (approx 6-8 GB). Do not mix in newer ROMs. |
| To play newly dumped / recent games | Update MAME to the latest version (0.27x). Use a corresponding "MAME 0.27x ROM set" (merged/non-merged). |
| To understand file requirements | Use MAME's built-in -listroms or a ROM manager (CLRMAMEPro) to audit your set against your specific MAME version. |