MAME in Ubuntu 16.04?

Solution 1:

You can get very clear instructions at http://sdlmame.wallyweek.org/repository/ on how to install MAME via an unofficial PPA, which I copy verbatim here because there isn't anything to add:

Open a terminal window (commands may be typed directly or pasted into it) and:

1. Remove old sdlmame repositories (if any):

   sudo rm -f /etc/apt/sources.list.d/sdlmame4ubuntu.*
   

2. Add the main repository for unofficial builds:

   sudo add-apt-repository ppa:c.falco/mame
   

3. (optionally) add the repository for "u"(nstable) builds:

   (Skip this step to stick with main, stable, not-"u" releases!)

   sudo add-apt-repository ppa:c.falco/umame
   

4. Now update the information on your box:

   sudo apt-get update
   

5. Finally install the package from the repository:

   sudo apt-get install mame
   

Solution 2:

I came across this video on YouTube which shows additional configuration steps. Not tested by myself so take with a grain of salt. In summary:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:c.falco/mame
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install mame

Then edit the configuration file to set your default rompath

gedit ~/.mame/mame.ini

And change the rompath line if necessary. The video shows it as

rompath     $HOME/mame/roms;/usr/local/share/games/mame/roms

Don't follow the video's advice to use sudo nautilus - that's a very bad idea. If you really need to open nautilus as root (which should not often be the case, do

sudo -i
nautilus <some directory> &

and when done, remember to type

exit

in the terminal to drop privileges