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.
A movie tie-in for the movie of the same name, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom features novel multi-stage gameplay and complex graphics for its time, and included speech generation and stereo sound. Armed with a whip and a cool hat, you are tasked with a variety of very Indy tasks – freeing kidnapped children from Thuggee guards, recovering stolen relics and defeating cult leader Mola Ram. The game features three distinct stages and is relatively difficult in places, not least because you can't actually kill anyone (you only have a whip, after all).
Marble Madness was a novel game for its time, introducing the System 1 hardware and featuring unique level designs and gameplay in addition to true stereo sound. Players roll a marble (using a trackball, perhaps the tightest connection between gameplay and control scheme ever conceived) through increasingly complex and perilous 3D landscapes, trying to get to the goal before the timer runs out. The game was a hit upon its release, and is probably the most memorable of the System 1 games. Though it works best with a trackball, it is playable with an 8-way joystick, albeit with somewhat less control, and you'll feel like you're missing the point.
The first Looney Tunes arcade game, Road Runner gives players control of everyone's favorite speedy bird as he tries to outrun disaster-prone Wile E. Coyote, grabbing birdseed as he races through a series of increasingly twisty desert roads. The game travelled a rocky road of its own on the way to release, starting out as a much cooler laserdisc-based game with animated cutscenes and superior graphics, only to initially blow up like so much ACME brand dynamite before finding its way to the System 1 with a somewhat downsized vision. The original cabinet used a "hall effect" joystick that controlled both speed and direction, which is best emulated on MAME with an analog joystick, though it can be played with a standard 8-way stick as well, with less control.
Probably the least-known of the System 1 games, Peter Pack Rat featured an original set of cartoon animals, led by a pack rat whose goal is to collect all the random junk strewn about each level. Peter Pack Rat is a hybrid of platformer and maze game with a jazzy, eclectic soundtrack, and while its levels can be a little visually confusing at first, its a game that grows on you. The original cabinet sported a bright blue joystick identical to the original Battlezone joystick, only... blue.
The last of the System 1 games to be released, RoadBlasters puts players in a surprisingly colorful dystopian future death race, blasting other cars and picking up fuel orbs while grabbing air-dropped weapon upgrades. The original steering wheel controller was essentially a one-axis Star Wars yoke, and its limited turning radius makes it somewhat challenging to emulate on MAME. A yoke-style controller is ideal and a 270-degree steering wheel may offer similar control, though without the buttons. You may also get acceptable results with a dial, trackball, or analog joystick, and you can even play it with a standard 8-way joystick with the right settings. Even if you don't have the optimal setup, it's worth a try!