Screenshot published in the mamesaver project's official README. Image source: mamesaver project on GitHub.

mamesaver

MAME MESS EMULATOR

mamesaver

Mamesaver is a Windows screen‑saver application that launches the MAME emulator to run arcade ROMs in attract/demo mode at timed intervals. It is a wrapper around an existing MAME installation and requires a working MAME + ROM set; Mamesaver itself provides the screensaver UI, selection/filtering, and automation for running games as a saver.

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Screenshot published in the mamesaver project's official README. Image source: mamesaver project on GitHub.

mame messPRIMARY SYSTEM

History documentedPROJECT BEGAN

Open sourcePROJECT MODEL

WHY IT MATTERS

Why this project exists

Mamesaver is intended to let users run MAME games automatically as a Windows screen saver: it chooses games (filtered by metadata), launches MAME with configurable command line options, and provides hotkeys and splash information so the machine can display playable arcade attract modes without manual launches.

BEST FOR

Best use case

Run a dedicated Windows PC with a preconfigured MAME installation and legal ROMs to display rotating arcade attract/demo gameplay as a screensaver, with optional hotkeys to jump in and play or to step through games.

Gameplay from Street Fighter II on Arcade.

The people behind mamesaver

History & status

Mamesaver is an open source project hosted on GitHub (mika76/mamesaver) and documented on a small project site. The repository shows an active history of development (hundreds of commits) and a v3.0 release distributed by the author. The project is a utility wrapper, not an emulator core: it depends on an external MAME binary to perform emulation. The author and listed contributors (Mladen Mihajlović, Matt Painter and others) provide source code under an MIT licence. Issues in the repository indicate the project targets Windows and .NET and that some users have reported problems running the installer or the .scr on modern Windows builds; consult the project's issue tracker for current compatibility notes.

What mamesaver supports

Windows (desktop screensaver, requires Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6)
Requires a separate MAME installation (any supported MAME platforms are provided by the MAME build you use)
Multi-monitor setups supported (configuration via the screensaver settings dialog)
x86/x64 Windows (dependent on the MAME binary you pair it with)

Download and availability

OFFICIAL DOWNLOADS

Get mamesaver

Official releases and the source code are hosted on the project's GitHub releases page. Older distributions of Mamesaver are also available on SourceForge. The GitHub releases include a Mamesaver.scr and an MSI for Windows.

Get mamesaver ↗

DOCUMENTATION

Official documentation

Read the official configuration, compatibility, and troubleshooting material before changing advanced options.

Read official documentation ↗

Broken or missing download? Emulator projects move and official links sometimes change. Please contact Retro Replay so the source can be verified and updated.

mamesaver setup guide

Setup note: This setup guide shows how to install Mamesaver on a Windows PC and configure it so it launches MAME automatically as a screensaver. The guide assumes you already own or have legal permission to use the MAME binary and any ROMs you run. Do not expect BIOS files, ROMs, or MAME itself to be bundled with Mamesaver.

Prepare prerequisites: Install Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6 or newer (per the project's README requirement). Install a working MAME build separately — the README references using MAME 0.200 as an example but states other versions will probably work. Make sure you have a working ROM set and that each game you intend to include has been run once in MAME to clear any first‑run disclaimers.
Download Mamesaver: Download the installer or the Mamesaver.scr from the project's GitHub releases page. If you prefer an alternate mirror, older builds are available on SourceForge, but prefer the official GitHub release for the latest source and binaries.
Install the screensaver file: If you used the MSI installer it will place Mamesaver.scr for you. If you downloaded Mamesaver.scr manually, copy Mamesaver.scr into your Windows system screensaver directory (typically C:\Windows\System32 on 64‑bit Windows for 32/64‑bit scr handling). You may need administrator rights to copy into that folder.
Open the Screen Saver Settings and point to MAME: Right‑click the desktop → Display settings (or Control Panel → Personalization → Screen Saver) and choose Mamesaver from the screensaver dropdown. Click Settings. On the General tab set the MAME Path to the folder containing your MAME binary (mame.exe). You can also set the time interval used between game changes here.
Rebuild and filter the game list: In the Game List tab click Rebuild List to have Mamesaver probe your MAME installation and build a list of playable games. Use filters (year, manufacturer, category, rotation) to narrow the selection. Note: by default the tool only includes games that pass MAME's ROM audit (to avoid games that stop for user interaction). If you want imperfect drivers included, the README warns this is intended only for custom MAME builds because some games require input dialogs.
Configure command line options and behavior: On the configuration UI you can add MAME command line options (the project recommends -skip_gameinfo for screensaver use). Configure splash-screen text, in‑game display of game info, which monitor to start MAME on, and streaming/cloning settings if you use multiple displays. The README documents available options and recommended defaults.
Hotkeys and interactive behavior: Enable in‑game hotkeys to let users step to previous/next games, remove a game from the cycle, or press Enter to exit the saver and play the game. The README lists default keys (← previous, → next, Enter exit and play, Del deselect).
Troubleshooting & logging: If Mamesaver fails to start or fails to launch MAME, enable logging (writes to %TEMP%\MameSaver\Logs) and inspect log files. Common problems reported in the issue tracker include compatibility problems with certain Windows builds and permission issues when copying the .scr into System32. Check the repository issues for recent reports and any suggested workarounds.

Software reminder: Mamesaver does not include MAME, ROMs, or BIOS images. You must provide a legal MAME binary and any ROMs you intend to run. Follow MAME and ROM licensing requirements.