Summary: Game mamonoro.zip for MAME runs under Sega Naomi system. You need to change settings. Enter test menu with t. In test menu navigate with 9 and select with t. Change at System Assignments > Cabinet Type to “1Player(S)”. Other settings are optional, but you maybe want to change Monitor Type to “Vertical” too. Game does not run well, emulation is preliminary.
Long:
Recently an old Arcde shmup got a remake treatment and released on current platforms and PC as “Mamorukun ReCurse!”. This is exciting, because the genre lives on. To be honest, I never heard about this game and wondered if the original is playable on MAME. Spoiler alert: It is, but not perfect and you need little configuration. Let me introduce you:
- Mamoru-kun wa Norowarete Shimatta!
- Original Arcade release date: 2008
- Title English translation: Mamoru-kun has been cursed!
- Sega Naomi system
- Emulation Status Overall: Preliminary
- Rom Info: mamonoro.zip
- Game Info: Wikipedia
I expect you have a functional RetroArch and MAME setup already. Loading up the game will stop at boot process with an error message:
Caution 51, game assignments are incorrect. Set correctly in system assignments of test mode.
Note: Before we process further, do not forget to enable RetroArch Game Focus, so that all keyboard keys are sent directly to the MAME core, otherwise it would activate RetroArch functions. I think the default key to toggle Game Focus is Scroll_Lock key.
While the error message is shown, press F2 or t to open the test menu. Don’t worry, we will correct the rotation too. In this test menu, the key 9 on the keyboard is called the “Service Key”. Press 9 to navigate the menu options and press t to activate an option. Press 9 until cursor is on “System Assignments” option and activate it with t. In this sub menu we a select “Cabinet Type” and press t multiple times until option is set to “1Player(S)”.
This should be enough to make the game boot, but we should also change the video orientation. In this same menu, select option “Monitor Type” and set it to “Vertical”. However the RetroArch Shader doesn’t rotate automatically. So have this in mind, if you use one.
BTW there is another interesting setting, especially if you use a Shader. In the RetroArch Core Options: open RetroArch menu while MAME is loaded, you need to disable Game Focus for a moment with Scroll_Lock key, so that F1 will open the RetroArch menu (or use game controller, then you don’t need to toggle Game Focus). Go to Core Options > Video > Alternate Renderer = ON and toggle to ON, if its OFF. At least for me the Shader does not look broken anymore with the monitor type set to Vertical earlier. You may need to adjust the resolution for the Alternate Renderer. This setting may or may not help, its up to you to figure out the rest.
Now exit from the menu and the game should be able to boot. As a little bonus: In the main test menu there is an option at the bottom “Game Test Mode [Mamo Noru]”. If you select this, a new game specific configuration menu appears. Here you can test your controller input or change game specific settings.
On my system game is laggy, sound is stuttery and doesn’t play at full speed at all; even after some tweaking of performance settings. Not surprised at all, given the state of emulation. And at the top of the screen, its a little bit bugged and shows a copy from the bottom part. This maybe an issue with my configuration, or its a problem with emulation.
