A full "Merged" set of MAME 0.72 ROMs (excluding CHDs) is roughly 12 to 14 GB. A full modern MAME 0.260 set (excluding CHDs) is over 70 GB. If you are building a Raspberry Pi 3 or a retro handheld with limited storage, the mame 072 roms exclusive pack is the only logical choice.
Buy/Download this if:
Avoid this if:
MAME 0.72 was released in 2003. In the world of emulation, this is a "sweet spot" era. mame 072 roms exclusive
To understand the 0.72 exclusivity, you have to understand the era. In 2003, MAME was hitting its stride. Key drivers for Neo-Geo, CPS-1, and CPS-2 had matured. But here’s the catch: the MAME team was still figuring out how to accurately dump arcade boards. A full "Merged" set of MAME 0
The 0.72 set is famous for containing parent ROMs that no longer exist in modern MAME. Avoid this if: MAME 0
The term "exclusive" could imply ROMs that are specifically compatible with MAME 0.72 or perhaps harder-to-find titles. Keep in mind that MAME is regularly updated, and new versions may include support for more games or improve compatibility.