Gridlee App in App Store Actually a MAME Emulator

[Akshay Masand]

A new game which has been released recently in the App Store seems to be offering a little more than meets the eye. Gridlee was a game previously developed for the arcade back in 1982 but not released until now. As many would expect, it’s a simple game but what’s interesting behind it is that it is built on the MAME4iOS engine. The information comes from the Touch Arcade, whose forum members made the discovery. The following was mentioned by the site:

When word of this hit our forums, readers were quick to pull out iExplore and begin digging about the app's directory structure looking for a ROM folder. Well, it's in there, and sure enough, if one copies other MAME ROMs into that folder, the Gridlee app starts up with the standard MAME4iOS ROM listing, allowing for a great many games beyond just Gridlee to be played on the iPhone or iPad in this Universal app.

As with the previous app that offered similar functionality, Gridlee is likely to be pulled from the App Store very quickly. Those of you who are interested in grabbing a working MAME emulator for your iPhone or iPad should get this game right now. To make the deal better than it already is, Gridlee is currently available for free.

Gridlee (iTunes Download Link)

The previous app that offered similar functionality was iMAME and it was pulled from the App Store back in 2011 with a small bundle of included games. It was pulled when Apple discovered that more games could be added by dropping ROM’s into a folder and Gridlee is no different. One thing to point out is that the game offers full iCade support since it’s a MAME emulator. Those of you who have an iCade shoul definitely not pass this one up.

Source: TouchArcade

[b1997469]

Yep, thats the thing to do, make it front page news. Now its going to get pulled.

[kline1]

Dont worry playa, it was released on the 25th and its still up even with all the ppl leaving reviews on the app store that it is an emulator. Get it while you can it works great.

[dsg]

I agree with b1997469, well done, please remove this article.

Edit: The more attention it gets, the more likely it will get pulled

[mklprc]

If it hadn't been posted and then publicized on Twitter, I would have missed it. Then Apple would have won, again. Keep it up and keep spreading the word as long as you can.

[raduga]

Yep, thats the thing to do, make it front page news. Now its going to get pulled.

Was going to post something about the updated/redo of iDOS that's still live in the appstore,
but... maybe I won't.

[knd775]

Yep, thats the thing to do, make it front page news. Now its going to get pulled.

Lol, I always wonder why people do this. It happens with sales, too.
>Something goes on sale with limited availability
>Someone sees it
>person decides to tell everyone about it
>Sells out immediately
>Person whines because they didn't get it in time.

[steveken]

I can also state that this works on an non-jailbroken iPhone 5. The only trick was to have it on my jailbroken iPad 2, use iExplorer to open the package so I could see the contents of the Documents folder, then inserting the ROM in the roms folder. Then I just copied the Documents folder over to the iPhone 5 and started up the app. Worked just fine for Galaga '88.

[n00neimp0rtant]

Why would it get pulled? For being an emulator? All of Sega's classic Genesis titles are just ROMs plus an emulator (a rather garbage one). Apple went way soft on the "no code interpreters" rule a long long time ago. As long as the ROM doesn't contain any infringing content, it's fine.

[thazsar]

Yep, thats the thing to do, make it front page news. Now its going to get pulled.

MMI is late on getting this story out. I'm surprised it wasn't already pulled so just because its now on MMI doesn't mean it wasn't gonna happen. I told Bouchard on Twitter to have someone write this up because I wanted as many people to benefit from it before it got axed!

[baRRy boRRis]

I can also state that this works on an non-jailbroken iPhone 5. The only trick was to have it on my jailbroken iPad 2, use iExplorer to open the package so I could see the contents of the Documents folder, then inserting the ROM in the roms folder. Then I just copied the Documents folder over to the iPhone 5 and started up the app. Worked just fine for Galaga '88.

You don't need anything jailroken to add new roms, which is the point :/

[AUZambo]

It seems I need iexplorer to install the rom for gridlee...but at first glance iexplorer looks like it's $35. Is there any free (or very cheap) software that will accomplish the same thing?

I'm not paying $35 to use this app!

[thazsar]

It seems I need iexplorer to install the rom for gridlee...but at first glance iexplorer looks like it's $35. Is there any free (or very cheap) software that will accomplish the same thing?

I'm not paying $35 to use this app!

It's free, don't worry!

I've been using it since the 3GS and its always been free!

[exNavy]

And I wonder what other features they snuck into this program that may trojan horse my idevice?

[steveken]

You don't need anything jailroken to add new roms, which is the point :/

Well, I couldn't figure out how to make it show the directory needed without using my jailbroken iPad2 first to look at it. Can you tell me how I would have done it without going the route I did??

[fleurya]

Damn, it's over 50MB and I won't be near any wifi until after work. I'm sure it will be gone by then. Why is the app so big???

[AUZambo]

Damn, it's over 50MB and I won't be near any wifi until after work. I'm sure it will be gone by then. Why is the app so big???

Do you have iTunes on your work computer? Could you download it to iTunes then sync it later?

[bencjedi]

Well, I couldn't figure out how to make it show the directory needed without using my jailbroken iPad2 first to look at it. Can you tell me how I would have done it without going the route I did??

You have to actually play the Gridlee game program once for the roms folder to appear under \Documents

I notice playing the game makes the folder appear and also it writes a gridlee.zip file into that folder. Smart of the developer to hide this and make the program create the structure after it is played. I bet Apple's appstore review board just played it and waved it on without looking at the folders in the sandbox that it created.

[ThatOneProfile]

I agree with b1997469, well done, please remove this article.

Edit: The more attention it gets, the more likely it will get pulled

Lol modmyi isn't the only iPhone site. (Keep in mind) and even still you should go to the roots if you truly want it removed. 😏

[thazsar]

As of right now (9:15a Central Time), Gridlee is still LIVE in the App Store