diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/mcr68.c b/src/mame/drivers/mcr68.c
index b83fd31409e..1736a5fb1f5 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/mcr68.c
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/mcr68.c
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ static ADDRESS_MAP_START( mcr68_map, AS_PROGRAM, 16, mcr68_state )
 	AM_RANGE(0x070000, 0x070fff) AM_RAM_WRITE(mcr68_videoram_w) AM_SHARE("videoram")
 	AM_RANGE(0x071000, 0x071fff) AM_RAM
 	AM_RANGE(0x080000, 0x080fff) AM_RAM AM_SHARE("spriteram")
-	AM_RANGE(0x090000, 0x09007f) AM_WRITE(mcr68_paletteram_w) AM_SHARE("paletteram")
+	AM_RANGE(0x090000, 0x09007f) AM_DEVWRITE("palette", palette_device, write) AM_SHARE("palette")
 	AM_RANGE(0x0a0000, 0x0a000f) AM_READWRITE(mcr68_6840_upper_r, mcr68_6840_upper_w)
 	AM_RANGE(0x0b0000, 0x0bffff) AM_WRITE(watchdog_reset16_w)
 	AM_RANGE(0x0d0000, 0x0dffff) AM_READ_PORT("IN0")
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ static ADDRESS_MAP_START( zwackery_map, AS_PROGRAM, 16, mcr68_state )
 	AM_RANGE(0x108000, 0x108007) AM_DEVREADWRITE8("pia1", pia6821_device, read, write, 0x00ff)
 	AM_RANGE(0x10c000, 0x10c007) AM_DEVREADWRITE8("pia2", pia6821_device, read, write, 0x00ff)
 	AM_RANGE(0x800000, 0x800fff) AM_RAM_WRITE(zwackery_videoram_w) AM_SHARE("videoram")
-	AM_RANGE(0x802000, 0x803fff) AM_RAM_WRITE(zwackery_paletteram_w) AM_SHARE("paletteram")
+	AM_RANGE(0x802000, 0x803fff) AM_RAM_DEVWRITE("palette", palette_device, write) AM_SHARE("palette")
 	AM_RANGE(0xc00000, 0xc00fff) AM_RAM_WRITE(zwackery_spriteram_w) AM_SHARE("spriteram")
 ADDRESS_MAP_END
 
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ static ADDRESS_MAP_START( pigskin_map, AS_PROGRAM, 16, mcr68_state )
 	AM_RANGE(0x000000, 0x03ffff) AM_ROM
 	AM_RANGE(0x080000, 0x08ffff) AM_READ(pigskin_port_1_r)
 	AM_RANGE(0x0a0000, 0x0affff) AM_READ(pigskin_port_2_r)
-	AM_RANGE(0x0c0000, 0x0c007f) AM_WRITE(mcr68_paletteram_w) AM_SHARE("paletteram")
+	AM_RANGE(0x0c0000, 0x0c007f) AM_DEVWRITE("palette", palette_device, write) AM_SHARE("palette")
 	AM_RANGE(0x0e0000, 0x0effff) AM_WRITE(watchdog_reset16_w)
 	AM_RANGE(0x100000, 0x100fff) AM_RAM_WRITE(mcr68_videoram_w) AM_SHARE("videoram")
 	AM_RANGE(0x120000, 0x120001) AM_READWRITE(pigskin_protection_r, pigskin_protection_w)
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ static ADDRESS_MAP_START( trisport_map, AS_PROGRAM, 16, mcr68_state )
 	AM_RANGE(0x080000, 0x08ffff) AM_READ(trisport_port_1_r)
 	AM_RANGE(0x0a0000, 0x0affff) AM_READ_PORT("DSW")
 	AM_RANGE(0x100000, 0x103fff) AM_RAM AM_SHARE("nvram")
-	AM_RANGE(0x120000, 0x12007f) AM_WRITE(mcr68_paletteram_w) AM_SHARE("paletteram")
+	AM_RANGE(0x120000, 0x12007f) AM_DEVWRITE("palette", palette_device, write) AM_SHARE("palette")
 	AM_RANGE(0x140000, 0x1407ff) AM_RAM AM_SHARE("spriteram")
 	AM_RANGE(0x160000, 0x160fff) AM_RAM_WRITE(mcr68_videoram_w) AM_SHARE("videoram")
 	AM_RANGE(0x180000, 0x18000f) AM_READWRITE(mcr68_6840_upper_r, mcr68_6840_upper_w)
@@ -1054,6 +1054,7 @@ static MACHINE_CONFIG_START( zwackery, mcr68_state )
 
 	MCFG_GFXDECODE_ADD("gfxdecode", "palette", zwackery)
 	MCFG_PALETTE_ADD("palette", 4096)
+	MCFG_PALETTE_FORMAT(xRRRRRBBBBBGGGGG_inverted)
 
 	MCFG_VIDEO_START_OVERRIDE(mcr68_state,zwackery)
 
@@ -1086,6 +1087,7 @@ static MACHINE_CONFIG_START( mcr68, mcr68_state )
 
 	MCFG_GFXDECODE_ADD("gfxdecode", "palette", mcr68)
 	MCFG_PALETTE_ADD("palette", 64)
+	MCFG_PALETTE_FORMAT(xxxxxxxRRRBBBGGG)
 
 	MCFG_VIDEO_START_OVERRIDE(mcr68_state,mcr68)
 
diff --git a/src/mame/includes/mcr68.h b/src/mame/includes/mcr68.h
index 2115cbd2df1..86485c7ed81 100644
--- a/src/mame/includes/mcr68.h
+++ b/src/mame/includes/mcr68.h
@@ -28,8 +28,7 @@ public:
 		m_maincpu(*this, "maincpu"),
 		m_gfxdecode(*this, "gfxdecode"),
 		m_screen(*this, "screen"),
-		m_palette(*this, "palette"),
-		m_generic_paletteram_16(*this, "paletteram") { }
+		m_palette(*this, "palette") { }
 
 	optional_device<midway_chip_squeak_deluxe_device> m_chip_squeak_deluxe;
 	optional_device<midway_sounds_good_device> m_sounds_good;
@@ -79,8 +78,6 @@ public:
 	DECLARE_READ16_MEMBER(mcr68_6840_r_common);
 	void reload_count(int counter);
 	UINT16 compute_counter(int counter);
-	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(mcr68_paletteram_w);
-	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(zwackery_paletteram_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(mcr68_videoram_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(zwackery_videoram_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(zwackery_spriteram_w);
@@ -129,5 +126,4 @@ public:
 	required_device<gfxdecode_device> m_gfxdecode;
 	required_device<screen_device> m_screen;
 	required_device<palette_device> m_palette;
-	required_shared_ptr<UINT16> m_generic_paletteram_16;
 };
diff --git a/src/mame/video/mcr68.c b/src/mame/video/mcr68.c
index a84ea4dd29b..983f01205f1 100644
--- a/src/mame/video/mcr68.c
+++ b/src/mame/video/mcr68.c
@@ -131,33 +131,6 @@ VIDEO_START_MEMBER(mcr68_state,zwackery)
 
 
 
-/*************************************
- *
- *  Palette RAM writes
- *
- *************************************/
-
-WRITE16_MEMBER(mcr68_state::mcr68_paletteram_w)
-{
-	int newword;
-
-	COMBINE_DATA(&m_generic_paletteram_16[offset]);
-	newword = m_generic_paletteram_16[offset];
-	m_palette->set_pen_color(offset, pal3bit(newword >> 6), pal3bit(newword >> 0), pal3bit(newword >> 3));
-}
-
-
-WRITE16_MEMBER(mcr68_state::zwackery_paletteram_w)
-{
-	int newword;
-
-	COMBINE_DATA(&m_generic_paletteram_16[offset]);
-	newword = m_generic_paletteram_16[offset];
-	m_palette->set_pen_color(offset, pal5bit(~newword >> 10), pal5bit(~newword >> 0), pal5bit(~newword >> 5));
-}
-
-
-
 /*************************************
  *
  *  Video RAM writes