diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/suna16.c b/src/mame/drivers/suna16.c
index cad7411a2a4..2b73353bdca 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/suna16.c
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/suna16.c
@@ -107,6 +107,43 @@ ADDRESS_MAP_END
                                 Ultra Balloon
 ***************************************************************************/
 
+READ8_MEMBER(suna16_state::uballoon_prot_r)
+{
+	UINT8 ret = 0;
+
+	switch (offset)
+	{
+		case 0x0011/2:
+			ret  = ((m_prot & 0x03) == 0x03) ? 2 : 0;
+			ret |= ((m_prot & 0x30) == 0x30) ? 1 : 0;
+			break;
+
+		case 0x0311/2:
+			ret = 0x03;
+			break;
+		
+		default:
+			//logerror("uballoon_prot_r %04X\n", offset);
+			break;
+	}
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
+WRITE8_MEMBER(suna16_state::uballoon_prot_w)
+{
+	switch (offset)
+	{
+		case 0x0001/2:
+			m_prot = data;
+			break;
+		
+		default:
+			//logerror("uballoon_prot_w %04X=%02X\n", offset, data);
+			break;
+	}
+}
+
 static ADDRESS_MAP_START( uballoon_map, AS_PROGRAM, 16, suna16_state )
 	AM_RANGE(0x000000, 0x0fffff) AM_ROM	// ROM
 	AM_RANGE(0x800000, 0x803fff) AM_RAM	// RAM
@@ -120,7 +157,7 @@ static ADDRESS_MAP_START( uballoon_map, AS_PROGRAM, 16, suna16_state )
 	AM_RANGE(0x600008, 0x600009) AM_WRITE(uballoon_leds_w)	// Leds
 	AM_RANGE(0x60000c, 0x60000d) AM_WRITENOP	// ? IRQ 1 Ack
 	AM_RANGE(0x600010, 0x600011) AM_WRITENOP	// ? IRQ 1 Ack
-	AM_RANGE(0xa00000, 0xa0ffff) AM_NOP			// Protection
+	AM_RANGE(0xa00000, 0xa0ffff) AM_READWRITE8(uballoon_prot_r, uballoon_prot_w, 0x00ff)	// Protection
 ADDRESS_MAP_END
 
 
@@ -145,36 +182,30 @@ ADDRESS_MAP_END
                             Best Of Best
 ***************************************************************************/
 
-READ16_MEMBER(suna16_state::bestbest_prot_r)
+READ8_MEMBER(suna16_state::bestbest_prot_r)
 {
-
 	return m_prot;
 }
 
-WRITE16_MEMBER(suna16_state::bestbest_prot_w)
+WRITE8_MEMBER(suna16_state::bestbest_prot_w)
 {
-	if (ACCESSING_BITS_0_7)
+	switch (data)
 	{
-
-		switch (data & 0xff)
-		{
-			case 0x00:	m_prot = m_prot ^ 0x0009;	break;
-			case 0x08:	m_prot = m_prot ^ 0x0002;	break;
-			case 0x0c:	m_prot = m_prot ^ 0x0003;	break;
-			//default:    logerror("CPU#0 PC %06X - Unknown protection value: %04X\n", space.device().safe_pc(), data);
-		}
+		case 0x00:	m_prot = m_prot ^ 0x0009;	break;
+		case 0x08:	m_prot = m_prot ^ 0x0002;	break;
+		case 0x0c:	m_prot = m_prot ^ 0x0003;	break;
+		//default:    logerror("CPU#0 PC %06X - Unknown protection value: %04X\n", space.device().safe_pc(), data);
 	}
 }
 
-
 static ADDRESS_MAP_START( bestbest_map, AS_PROGRAM, 16, suna16_state )
 	AM_RANGE( 0x000000, 0x03ffff ) AM_ROM AM_MIRROR(0xc0000)		// ROM
 	AM_RANGE( 0x200000, 0x2fffff ) AM_ROM AM_REGION("user1", 0)		// ROM
 	AM_RANGE( 0x500000, 0x500001 ) AM_READ_PORT("P1") AM_WRITE(suna16_soundlatch_w)		// To Sound CPU
 	AM_RANGE( 0x500002, 0x500003 ) AM_READ_PORT("P2") AM_WRITE(bestbest_flipscreen_w)	// P2 + Coins, Flip Screen
 	AM_RANGE( 0x500004, 0x500005 ) AM_READ_PORT("DSW") AM_WRITE(bestbest_coin_w)		// Coin Counter
-	AM_RANGE( 0x500008, 0x500009 ) AM_WRITE(bestbest_prot_w )		// Protection
-	AM_RANGE( 0x500018, 0x500019 ) AM_READ(bestbest_prot_r )		//
+	AM_RANGE( 0x500008, 0x500009 ) AM_WRITE8(bestbest_prot_w, 0x00ff)		// Protection
+	AM_RANGE( 0x500018, 0x500019 ) AM_READ8(bestbest_prot_r, 0x00ff)		// "
 	AM_RANGE( 0x540000, 0x540fff ) AM_READWRITE(suna16_paletteram16_r, suna16_paletteram16_w )	// Banked(?) Palette
 	AM_RANGE( 0x541000, 0x54ffff ) AM_RAM														//
 	AM_RANGE( 0x580000, 0x58ffff ) AM_RAM							// RAM
@@ -1025,7 +1056,6 @@ MACHINE_CONFIG_END
 ***************************************************************************/
 
 ROM_START( bssoccer )
-
 	ROM_REGION( 0x200000, "maincpu", 0 )	/* 68000 Code */
 	ROM_LOAD16_BYTE( "02", 0x000000, 0x080000, CRC(32871005) SHA1(b094ee3f4fc24c0521915d565f6e203d51e51f6d) )
 	ROM_LOAD16_BYTE( "01", 0x000001, 0x080000, CRC(ace00db6) SHA1(6bd146f9b44c97be77578b4f0ffa28cbf66283c2) )
@@ -1048,7 +1078,6 @@ ROM_START( bssoccer )
 	ROM_LOAD( "06", 0x180000, 0x080000, CRC(d42ce84b) SHA1(3a3d07d571793ecf4c936d3af244c63b9e4b4bb9) )
 	ROM_LOAD( "08", 0x200000, 0x080000, CRC(96cd2136) SHA1(1241859d6c5e64de73898763f0358171ea4aeae3) )
 	ROM_LOAD( "10", 0x280000, 0x080000, CRC(1ca94d21) SHA1(23d892b840e37064a175584f955f25f990d9179d) )
-
 ROM_END
 
 
@@ -1073,7 +1102,6 @@ audio2.rom    27c010
 ***************************************************************************/
 
 ROM_START( uballoon )
-
 	ROM_REGION( 0x100000, "maincpu", 0 )	/* 68000 Code */
 	ROM_LOAD16_BYTE( "prg2.rom", 0x000000, 0x080000, CRC(72ab80ea) SHA1(b755940877cf286559208106dd5e6933aeb72242) )
 	ROM_LOAD16_BYTE( "prg1.rom", 0x000001, 0x080000, CRC(27a04f55) SHA1(a530294b000654db8d84efe4835b72e0dca62819) )
@@ -1091,23 +1119,8 @@ ROM_START( uballoon )
 	ROM_LOAD( "gfx2.rom", 0x080000, 0x080000, CRC(6307aa60) SHA1(00406eba98ec368e72ee53c08b9111dec4f2552f) )
 	ROM_LOAD( "gfx3.rom", 0x100000, 0x080000, CRC(718f3150) SHA1(5971f006203f86743ebc825e4ab1ed1f811e3165) )
 	ROM_LOAD( "gfx4.rom", 0x180000, 0x080000, CRC(af7e057e) SHA1(67a03b54ffa1483c8ed044f27287b7f3f1150455) )
-
 ROM_END
 
-
-DRIVER_INIT_MEMBER(suna16_state,uballoon)
-{
-	UINT16 *RAM = (UINT16 *) machine().root_device().memregion("maincpu")->base();
-
-	// Patch out the protection checks
-	RAM[0x0113c/2] = 0x4e71;	// bne $646
-	RAM[0x0113e/2] = 0x4e71;	// ""
-	RAM[0x01784/2] = 0x600c;	// beq $1792
-	RAM[0x018e2/2] = 0x600c;	// beq $18f0
-	RAM[0x03c54/2] = 0x600C;	// beq $3c62
-	RAM[0x126a0/2] = 0x4e71;	// bne $1267a (ROM test)
-}
-
 /***************************************************************************
                             Suna Quiz 6000 Academy
 
@@ -1250,7 +1263,7 @@ ROM_END
 
 ***************************************************************************/
 
-GAME( 1994, bestbest, 0, bestbest, bestbest, driver_device, 0,        ROT0, "SunA", "Best Of Best", 0 )
-GAME( 1994, sunaq,    0, sunaq,    sunaq, driver_device,    0,        ROT0, "SunA", "SunA Quiz 6000 Academy (940620-6)", 0 )	// Date/Version on-screen is 940620-6, but in the program rom it's 1994,6,30  K.H.T  V6.00
-GAME( 1996, bssoccer, 0, bssoccer, bssoccer, driver_device, 0,        ROT0, "SunA (Unico license)", "Back Street Soccer", 0 )
-GAME( 1996, uballoon, 0, uballoon, uballoon, suna16_state, uballoon, ROT0, "SunA (Unico license)", "Ultra Balloon", 0 )
+GAME( 1994, bestbest, 0, bestbest, bestbest, driver_device, 0, ROT0, "SunA", "Best Of Best", 0 )
+GAME( 1994, sunaq,    0, sunaq,    sunaq,    driver_device, 0, ROT0, "SunA", "SunA Quiz 6000 Academy (940620-6)", 0 )	// Date/Version on-screen is 940620-6, but in the program rom it's 1994,6,30  K.H.T  V6.00
+GAME( 1996, bssoccer, 0, bssoccer, bssoccer, driver_device, 0, ROT0, "SunA (Unico license)", "Back Street Soccer", 0 )
+GAME( 1996, uballoon, 0, uballoon, uballoon, driver_device, 0, ROT0, "SunA (Unico license)", "Ultra Balloon", 0 )
diff --git a/src/mame/includes/suna16.h b/src/mame/includes/suna16.h
index 3058cbdea9d..24b3f9e8ac8 100644
--- a/src/mame/includes/suna16.h
+++ b/src/mame/includes/suna16.h
@@ -5,22 +5,25 @@ public:
 		: driver_device(mconfig, type, tag),
 		m_maincpu(*this,"maincpu"),
 		m_spriteram(*this, "spriteram"),
-		m_spriteram2(*this, "spriteram2"){ }
+		m_spriteram2(*this, "spriteram2")
+	{ }
 
 	required_device<cpu_device> m_maincpu;
 	required_shared_ptr<UINT16> m_spriteram;
 	optional_shared_ptr<UINT16> m_spriteram2;
 
-	UINT16 m_prot;
+	UINT8 m_prot;
 	UINT16 *m_paletteram;
 	int m_color_bank;
 
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(suna16_soundlatch_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(bssoccer_leds_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(uballoon_leds_w);
+	DECLARE_READ8_MEMBER(uballoon_prot_r);
+	DECLARE_WRITE8_MEMBER(uballoon_prot_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(bestbest_coin_w);
-	DECLARE_READ16_MEMBER(bestbest_prot_r);
-	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(bestbest_prot_w);
+	DECLARE_READ8_MEMBER(bestbest_prot_r);
+	DECLARE_WRITE8_MEMBER(bestbest_prot_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE8_MEMBER(bssoccer_pcm_1_bankswitch_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE8_MEMBER(bssoccer_pcm_2_bankswitch_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE8_MEMBER(uballoon_pcm_1_bankswitch_w);