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.
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One of quirky Japanese company Nichibutsu's best-known games, Crazy Climber sends an urban adventurer climbing up a series of skyscrapers, dodging open windows, dropped objects, birds and other dangers on his way to the top. The control scheme consists of two joysticks that move the climber's hands independently, requiring you to coordinate your movements to climb and move horizontally to avoid obstacles. In addition to its novel control scheme, Crazy Climber was unusual for its sampled voices (saying "Go for it!" and "Oh nooo!"), and its simple concept and challenging gameplay led to a sequel and numerous computer game clones.
Just as it mixed up the Galaga-like action shooter genre with the three-level ship upgrade mechanics of Moon Cresta, quirky game maker Nichibutsu reworked the side-scrolling shoot-em-up concept with MagMax (no connection to the Mel Gibson car combat movie). The game starts players with a small ship moving over a futuristic, 2.5D scrolling landscape, attacking stationary and moving enemies, but moving over a teleporter transports the ship to an underground area that turns the game in a more traditional side-scrolling shooter. Picking up a torso and then legs upgrades your ship into a robot, which increases both your firepower and your vulnerability to enemy fire (fortunately being hit simply downgrades your craft, a la Super Mario Bros.). The game's delightfully weird concept and devilishly tricky enemies make MagMax an obscure shooter that was ahead of its time.