VERTICAL ARCADE
These overlays (sometimes known as bezels) display art on top of the game you're playing. To use them, you need a PC or Raspberry Pi (or other compatible system) running some version of MAME and the associated game software, as well as a widescreen (16x9) monitor mounted vertically. To display the overlay while playing a game, download the artwork file for that game overlay (it must have the same filename as the game), place it in the Artwork folder within your MAME directory and launch the game. (For instance, the software for the game Magic Sword is called msword.zip, so it requires a file in the Artwork directory also called msword.zip.)
All overlays are 4K resolution (2160 x 3840), and listed dimensions are for the game screen, relative to a 4K vertical monitor. The actual game screen size will depend on the resolution of your monitor.
Most of the overlays include multiple presets that let you choose the size of the game screen, access a "dark" version designed to look more like a dark arcade, and sometimes other options. To choose a preset, press Tab while running the game to bring up the MAME menu, select Video Options, and select a preset from the list.
Some overlays include Curved presets designed with a curved screen port, to better simulate the look of a CRT monitor. These presets work best if you are using a geometry shader that adds a curved look to the game screen. For an optimal experience, you may need to adjust your shaders to match the curvature of the screen shape in the overlay. If you are not using a geometry shader, you are using a shader that adds a curved bezel, or if you prefer a rectangular screen port, choose a Straight preset where applicable.
Developed by Valadon Automation and released in the US by Stern, Bagman combines Donkey Kong-like platform levels that span multiple screens with maze chase gameplay that requires more strategy than reflexes. The titular antihero traverses the platforms, ladders and elevators of a mine to retrieve the gold he stashed before he escaped from prison, while avoiding guards and making use of pickaxes and carts in his quest to gather his quarry. It takes a bit of practice to find the optimal routes to avoid the guards, grab all the gold and run out before the timer does. Bagman is known for its comic strip-inspired art, which explains the entire game’s plot and gameplay mechanics all in the marquee.
Two years after the original Bagman, that lovable rascal is at it again, having escaped from Alcatraz (could Bagman actually be Clint Eastwood?!), and he’s still after his stashed gold. In Super Bagman, he can grab a gun and grenade in addition to the standard pickaxe, but the guards are also armed, adding more danger to his underground shenanigans. Another new twist is the ability to release a captured comrade from the clink by finding a special bag of gold to receive the key. Though not a radical change from the original, Super Bagman adds some new thrills and pitfalls, providing even more spelunking fun with hardened criminals.
Developed by Konami and released by Stern in the US, Tutankham (supposedly so named because "Tutankhamen" wouldn't fit) combined the maze game craze popular in the early 80s with Defender-like shooter mechanics to create a challenging dungeon crawl through ancient Egyptian tombs. You can shoot the asps, parrots, bats and other baddies that chase you, but only in left-right corridors, which adds a level of strategy beyond the usual maze run. Swipe the treasures on each level, grab the key to advance and see how deep you can go. The MAME version includes a version without a control panel, for those that want the art without the joysticks and buttons.