Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Mame VS DBGL

Compare Mame VS DBGL and see what are their differences

Mame logo Mame

MAME stands for Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator.

DBGL logo DBGL

DBGL is a free, open source, multiple frontends for DOSBox.
  • Mame Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-05
  • DBGL Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-03-20

Mame features and specs

  • Wide Game Support
    MAME supports a vast library of classic arcade games, making it a versatile choice for vintage gaming enthusiasts.
  • Preservation
    MAME's main goal is to preserve the history of arcade games, which it achieves through its effort to replicate classic games accurately.
  • Regular Updates
    The MAME development team is active, providing regular updates and improvements to enhance compatibility and add support for more games.
  • Cross-Platform
    MAME is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it accessible to a wide range of users.
  • Extensive Documentation
    There is a wealth of documentation available for MAME, helping users understand its configuration and functionalities better.

Possible disadvantages of Mame

  • Complex Setup
    MAME can be challenging to set up for beginners, as it requires a good understanding of ROM management and emulator configuration.
  • High System Requirements
    Some arcade games emulated in MAME can have high system requirements, meaning older or less powerful computers may struggle with performance.
  • Legal Issues
    While MAME itself is legal, obtaining ROMs for games can be legally questionable if the user does not own the physical game.
  • User Interface
    MAME's user interface is not as user-friendly as some other emulators, which can be intimidating for casual users.
  • Limited Online Play
    MAME offers limited or no support for online multiplayer experiences, focusing instead on offline gameplay and preservation.

DBGL features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Support
    DBGL is designed to be cross-platform, allowing users to run it on various operating systems such as Windows, macOS, and Linux. This ensures accessibility to a wide range of users and enables easy migration between systems.
  • Graphical User Interface
    The graphical user interface of DBGL simplifies the management of DOSBox configurations and game profiles, making it user-friendly and suitable for users who are not comfortable with command-line interfaces.
  • Game Profile Management
    DBGL provides an efficient way to manage game profiles, allowing users to customize settings for each game individually. This feature helps in organizing and optimizing game settings for the best possible experience.
  • Community Support
    Being an open-source project, DBGL benefits from community contributions and support, providing users access to a wealth of shared profiles, scripts, and configurations.

Possible disadvantages of DBGL

  • Dependency on DOSBox
    DBGL relies on DOSBox for emulation, meaning any limitations or bugs within DOSBox can directly affect DBGL's performance and functionality, potentially limiting its capabilities.
  • Learning Curve
    While DBGL offers a graphical interface, new users may still face a learning curve in understanding how to effectively use and manage DOSBox settings and configurations.
  • Limited Out-of-the-Box Experience
    Users might find the initial setup cumbersome, as DBGL relies on manual installation and configuration of DOSBox and games, which can be time-consuming and technical for beginners.
  • Potential Compatibility Issues
    As with any emulation software, users might encounter compatibility issues with newer hardware or operating systems, which might not be immediately resolved due to the reliance on community support.

Mame videos

Mame: Musical Hell Review #9

More videos:

  • Review - Man Cave Arcade Custom MAME Cabinet Review - Rerez
  • Review - MAME Review

DBGL videos

No DBGL videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Mame and DBGL)
Gaming
51 51%
49% 49
Emulators
64 64%
36% 36
Gaming Software
0 0%
100% 100
Gaming Tools
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Mame should be more popular than DBGL. It has been mentiond 14 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Mame mentions (14)

  • SF III 3d strike japan no cd - can you change region?
    Why not just recommend a proper version of MAME from mamedev.org. Source: about 2 years ago
  • CPS3 games having character sprite issues
    If you're using an official MAME build from mamedev.org then there's no logical reason why something would fail in the middle of writing out the NVRAM files, leaving them in a corrupt state, unless you've done something really stupid like write protected some corrupt files in there? Source: over 2 years ago
  • Need Help: Playing a TI99/4A Game for Christmas
    I tried running the .wav file from the download link you gave in MAME 0.249 using the ti99_4a driver. The command "takpie" is recognized, and other six-letter commands, like "sayelv, are deemed invalid and bring up statements like "INCORRECT STATEMENT" and "I DO NOT KNOW". The game does not appear to crash, so it might just be an issue with your copy of MAME. I recommend getting the latest version from... Source: over 2 years ago
  • Help w/Student Project with older CPUs
    Get the latest release of MAME from https://mamedev.org/. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Question: Original DK Arcade Cab - RBP Build or 60in1?
    You can use any PC (I recommend an i5 or newer so you can go back 10+ years easy for a junker). To set it up, all you need to do is install MAME (just unzip the file you get from mamedev.org) and install your front end of choice (I am using MaLa on my DK but I also like Attract Mode and Gamelauncher). Point the front end to mame.exe and make sure your games are in the roms folder (that is in the mame zip file). ... Source: over 3 years ago
View more

DBGL mentions (2)

  • DOSBox shortcut launcher?
    I recommend https://dbgl.org/ instead. It lets you graphically choose what to run from the host OS before running DOSBox. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Configuring DBLG to use different builds and forks of DosBox
    Due to Boxer (MacOS) no longer being in development, I've been on the lookout for a new front-end for DOSBox, especially after finding out about Win9x support in DOSBox-X. In my search I came across DBGL (https://dbgl.org/). Sadly I'm not sure how to configure it to use DOSBox-X instead of the bundled version DosBox. Would anyone here know how to do it? I haven't found any videos or tutorials for configuring DBLG... Source: almost 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Mame and DBGL, you can also consider the following products

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Batocera.linux - Batocera.linux is an open-source and completely free retro-gaming distribution that can be copied to a USB stick or an SD card with the aim of turning any computer/nano computer into a gaming console during a game or permanently.

DOSBox Launcher - DOSBox Launcher is a multi-platform GUI frontend for DOSBox.