diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/neogeo.c b/src/mame/drivers/neogeo.c
index 184521cb0f0..e0a18e75041 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/neogeo.c
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/neogeo.c
@@ -1309,6 +1309,7 @@ DEVICE_IMAGE_LOAD_MEMBER( neogeo_state, neo_cartridge )
 		machine().memory().region_free(":fixed");
 		machine().memory().region_alloc(":fixed",size,1, ENDIANNESS_LITTLE);
 		memcpy(memregion("fixed")->base(),image.get_software_region("fixed"),size);
+		m_region_fixed.findit();
 
 		if(image.get_software_region("audiocpu") != NULL)
 		{
@@ -1338,6 +1339,8 @@ DEVICE_IMAGE_LOAD_MEMBER( neogeo_state, neo_cartridge )
 		machine().memory().region_free(":sprites");
 		machine().memory().region_alloc(":sprites",size,1, ENDIANNESS_LITTLE);
 		memcpy(machine().root_device().memregion("sprites")->base(),image.get_software_region("sprites"),size);
+		// Reset the reference to the region
+		m_region_sprites.findit();
 		if(image.get_software_region("audiocrypt") != NULL)  // encrypted Z80 code
 		{
 			size = image.get_software_region_length("audiocrypt");
diff --git a/src/mame/includes/neogeo.h b/src/mame/includes/neogeo.h
index 6e417b8e443..ec2d3c498b2 100644
--- a/src/mame/includes/neogeo.h
+++ b/src/mame/includes/neogeo.h
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ public:
 		, m_audiocpu(*this, "audiocpu")
 		, m_upd4990a(*this, "upd4990a")
 		, m_region_maincpu(*this, "maincpu")
+		, m_region_sprites(*this, "sprites")
+		, m_region_fixed(*this, "fixed")
+		, m_region_fixedbios(*this, "fixedbios")
 		, m_bank_vectors(*this, NEOGEO_BANK_VECTORS)
 		, m_bank_bios(*this, NEOGEO_BANK_BIOS)
 		, m_bank_cartridge(*this, NEOGEO_BANK_CARTRIDGE)
@@ -262,6 +265,9 @@ public:
 
 protected:
 	required_memory_region m_region_maincpu;
+	required_memory_region m_region_sprites;
+	required_memory_region m_region_fixed;
+	required_memory_region m_region_fixedbios;
 	required_memory_bank m_bank_vectors;
 	required_memory_bank m_bank_bios;
 	optional_memory_bank m_bank_cartridge;  // optional because of neocd
@@ -283,6 +289,8 @@ protected:
 	void _set_audio_cpu_rom_source();
 	void set_audio_cpu_rom_source( UINT8 data );
 	void _set_main_cpu_vector_table_source();
+	void optimize_sprite_data();
+	void draw_fixed_layer( bitmap_rgb32 &bitmap, int scanline );
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/mame/video/neogeo.c b/src/mame/video/neogeo.c
index 9952706ec0b..409618bfc31 100644
--- a/src/mame/video/neogeo.c
+++ b/src/mame/video/neogeo.c
@@ -264,31 +264,30 @@ void neogeo_set_fixed_layer_source( running_machine &machine, UINT8 data )
 }
 
 
-static void draw_fixed_layer( running_machine &machine, bitmap_rgb32 &bitmap, int scanline )
+void neogeo_state::draw_fixed_layer( bitmap_rgb32 &bitmap, int scanline )
 {
-	neogeo_state *state = machine.driver_data<neogeo_state>();
 	int x;
 
-	UINT8* gfx_base = state->memregion(state->m_fixed_layer_source ? "fixed" : "fixedbios")->base();
-	UINT32 addr_mask = state->memregion(state->m_fixed_layer_source ? "fixed" : "fixedbios")->bytes() - 1;
-	UINT16 *video_data = &state->m_videoram[0x7000 | (scanline >> 3)];
+	UINT8* gfx_base = m_fixed_layer_source ? m_region_fixed->base() : m_region_fixedbios->base();
+	UINT32 addr_mask = ( m_fixed_layer_source ? m_region_fixed->bytes() : m_region_fixedbios->bytes() ) - 1;
+	UINT16 *video_data = &m_videoram[0x7000 | (scanline >> 3)];
 	UINT32 *pixel_addr = &bitmap.pix32(scanline, NEOGEO_HBEND);
 
 	int garouoffsets[32];
-	int banked = state->m_fixed_layer_source && (addr_mask > 0x1ffff);
+	int banked = m_fixed_layer_source && (addr_mask > 0x1ffff);
 
 	/* thanks to Mr K for the garou & kof2000 banking info */
 	/* Build line banking table for Garou & MS3 before starting render */
-	if (banked && state->m_fixed_layer_bank_type == 1)
+	if (banked && m_fixed_layer_bank_type == 1)
 	{
 		int garoubank = 0;
 		int k = 0;
 		int y = 0;
 		while (y < 32)
 		{
-			if (state->m_videoram[0x7500 + k] == 0x0200 && (state->m_videoram[0x7580 + k] & 0xff00) == 0xff00)
+			if (m_videoram[0x7500 + k] == 0x0200 && (m_videoram[0x7580 + k] & 0xff00) == 0xff00)
 			{
-				garoubank = state->m_videoram[0x7580 + k] & 3;
+				garoubank = m_videoram[0x7580 + k] & 3;
 				garouoffsets[y++] = garoubank;
 			}
 			garouoffsets[y++] = garoubank;
@@ -304,14 +303,14 @@ static void draw_fixed_layer( running_machine &machine, bitmap_rgb32 &bitmap, in
 		if (banked)
 		{
 			int y = scanline >> 3;
-			switch (state->m_fixed_layer_bank_type)
+			switch (m_fixed_layer_bank_type)
 			{
 			case 1:
 				/* Garou, MSlug 3 */
 				code += 0x1000 * (garouoffsets[(y - 2) & 31] ^ 3);
 				break;
 			case 2:
-				code += 0x1000 * (((state->m_videoram[0x7500 + ((y - 1) & 31) + 32 * (x / 6)] >> (5 - (x % 6)) * 2) & 3) ^ 3);
+				code += 0x1000 * (((m_videoram[0x7500 + ((y - 1) & 31) + 32 * (x / 6)] >> (5 - (x % 6)) * 2) & 3) ^ 3);
 				break;
 			}
 		}
@@ -321,7 +320,7 @@ static void draw_fixed_layer( running_machine &machine, bitmap_rgb32 &bitmap, in
 			int i;
 
 			UINT8 *gfx = &gfx_base[((code << 5) | (scanline & 0x07)) & addr_mask];
-			pen_t *char_pens = &state->m_pens[code_and_palette >> 12 << 4];
+			pen_t *char_pens = &m_pens[code_and_palette >> 12 << 4];
 
 			for (i = 0; i < 4; i++)
 			{
@@ -670,10 +669,8 @@ static void start_sprite_line_timer( running_machine &machine )
 }
 
 
-static void optimize_sprite_data( running_machine &machine )
+void neogeo_state::optimize_sprite_data()
 {
-	neogeo_state *state = machine.driver_data<neogeo_state>();
-
 	/* convert the sprite graphics data into a format that
 	   allows faster blitting */
 	int i;
@@ -684,22 +681,22 @@ static void optimize_sprite_data( running_machine &machine )
 
 	/* get mask based on the length rounded up to the nearest
 	   power of 2 */
-	state->m_sprite_gfx_address_mask = 0xffffffff;
+	m_sprite_gfx_address_mask = 0xffffffff;
 
-	len = state->memregion("sprites")->bytes();
+	len = m_region_sprites->bytes();
 
 	for (bit = 0x80000000; bit != 0; bit >>= 1)
 	{
 		if (((len * 2) - 1) & bit)
 			break;
 
-		state->m_sprite_gfx_address_mask >>= 1;
+		m_sprite_gfx_address_mask >>= 1;
 	}
 
-	state->m_sprite_gfx = auto_alloc_array_clear(machine, UINT8, state->m_sprite_gfx_address_mask + 1);
+	m_sprite_gfx = auto_alloc_array_clear(machine(), UINT8, m_sprite_gfx_address_mask + 1);
 
-	src = machine.root_device().memregion("sprites")->base();
-	dest = state->m_sprite_gfx;
+	src = m_region_sprites->base();
+	dest = m_sprite_gfx;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < len; i += 0x80, src += 0x80)
 	{
@@ -859,7 +856,7 @@ void neogeo_state::video_start()
 	compute_rgb_weights(machine());
 	create_sprite_line_timer(machine());
 	create_auto_animation_timer(machine());
-	optimize_sprite_data(machine());
+	optimize_sprite_data();
 
 	/* initialize values that are not modified on a reset */
 	m_videoram_read_buffer = 0;
@@ -902,7 +899,7 @@ void neogeo_state::video_reset()
 {
 	start_sprite_line_timer(machine());
 	start_auto_animation_timer(machine());
-	optimize_sprite_data(machine());
+	optimize_sprite_data();
 }
 
 
@@ -920,7 +917,7 @@ UINT32 neogeo_state::screen_update_neogeo(screen_device &screen, bitmap_rgb32 &b
 
 	if (m_has_sprite_bus) draw_sprites(machine(), bitmap, cliprect.min_y);
 
-	if (m_has_text_bus) draw_fixed_layer(machine(), bitmap, cliprect.min_y);
+	if (m_has_text_bus) draw_fixed_layer(bitmap, cliprect.min_y);
 
 	return 0;
 }