diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/bionicc.c b/src/mame/drivers/bionicc.c
index d0a5ae960b6..7b50e17bbe7 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/bionicc.c
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/bionicc.c
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ static ADDRESS_MAP_START( main_map, AS_PROGRAM, 16, bionicc_state )
 	AM_RANGE(0xfec000, 0xfecfff) AM_RAM_WRITE(bionicc_txvideoram_w) AM_SHARE("txvideoram")
 	AM_RANGE(0xff0000, 0xff3fff) AM_RAM_WRITE(bionicc_fgvideoram_w) AM_SHARE("fgvideoram")
 	AM_RANGE(0xff4000, 0xff7fff) AM_RAM_WRITE(bionicc_bgvideoram_w) AM_SHARE("bgvideoram")
-	AM_RANGE(0xff8000, 0xff87ff) AM_RAM_WRITE(bionicc_paletteram_w) AM_SHARE("paletteram")
+	AM_RANGE(0xff8000, 0xff87ff) AM_RAM_DEVWRITE("palette", palette_device, write) AM_SHARE("palette")
 	AM_RANGE(0xffc000, 0xfffff7) AM_RAM /* working RAM */
 	AM_RANGE(0xfffff8, 0xfffff9) AM_READWRITE(hacked_soundcommand_r, hacked_soundcommand_w)      /* hack */
 	AM_RANGE(0xfffffa, 0xffffff) AM_READWRITE(hacked_controls_r, hacked_controls_w) /* hack */
@@ -372,6 +372,7 @@ static MACHINE_CONFIG_START( bionicc, bionicc_state )
 	MCFG_DEVICE_ADD("spritegen", TIGEROAD_SPRITE, 0)
 
 	MCFG_PALETTE_ADD("palette", 1024)
+	MCFG_PALETTE_FORMAT_CLASS(2, bionicc_state, RRRRGGGGBBBBIIII)
 
 	MCFG_BUFFERED_SPRITERAM16_ADD("spriteram")
 
diff --git a/src/mame/includes/bionicc.h b/src/mame/includes/bionicc.h
index 1fd57dd5e7c..67912af61ab 100644
--- a/src/mame/includes/bionicc.h
+++ b/src/mame/includes/bionicc.h
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ public:
 		m_txvideoram(*this, "txvideoram"),
 		m_fgvideoram(*this, "fgvideoram"),
 		m_bgvideoram(*this, "bgvideoram"),
-		m_paletteram(*this, "paletteram"),
 		m_maincpu(*this, "maincpu"),
 		m_gfxdecode(*this, "gfxdecode"),
 		m_palette(*this, "palette"),
@@ -30,7 +29,6 @@ public:
 	required_shared_ptr<UINT16> m_txvideoram;
 	required_shared_ptr<UINT16> m_fgvideoram;
 	required_shared_ptr<UINT16> m_bgvideoram;
-	required_shared_ptr<UINT16> m_paletteram;
 
 	/* video-related */
 	tilemap_t   *m_tx_tilemap;
@@ -49,7 +47,6 @@ public:
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(bionicc_bgvideoram_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(bionicc_fgvideoram_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(bionicc_txvideoram_w);
-	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(bionicc_paletteram_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(bionicc_scroll_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(bionicc_gfxctrl_w);
 	TILE_GET_INFO_MEMBER(get_bg_tile_info);
@@ -58,6 +55,7 @@ public:
 	virtual void machine_start();
 	virtual void machine_reset();
 	virtual void video_start();
+	DECLARE_PALETTE_DECODER(RRRRGGGGBBBBIIII);
 	UINT32 screen_update_bionicc(screen_device &screen, bitmap_ind16 &bitmap, const rectangle &cliprect);
 	TIMER_DEVICE_CALLBACK_MEMBER(bionicc_scanline);
 	required_device<cpu_device> m_maincpu;
diff --git a/src/mame/video/bionicc.c b/src/mame/video/bionicc.c
index 6f61d0ff32b..9c6b38a053c 100644
--- a/src/mame/video/bionicc.c
+++ b/src/mame/video/bionicc.c
@@ -97,6 +97,24 @@ void bionicc_state::video_start()
 	m_bg_tilemap->set_transparent_pen(15);
 }
 
+PALETTE_DECODER_MEMBER( bionicc_state, RRRRGGGGBBBBIIII )
+{
+	UINT8 bright = (raw & 0x0f);
+
+	UINT8 r = ((raw >> 12) & 0x0f) * 0x11;
+	UINT8 g = ((raw >>  8) & 0x0f) * 0x11;
+	UINT8 b = ((raw >>  4) & 0x0f) * 0x11;
+
+	if ((bright & 0x08) == 0)
+	{
+		r = r * (0x07 + bright) / 0x0e;
+		g = g * (0x07 + bright) / 0x0e;
+		b = b * (0x07 + bright) / 0x0e;
+	}
+
+	return rgb_t(r, g, b);
+}
+
 
 
 /***************************************************************************
@@ -123,27 +141,6 @@ WRITE16_MEMBER(bionicc_state::bionicc_txvideoram_w)
 	m_tx_tilemap->mark_tile_dirty(offset & 0x3ff);
 }
 
-WRITE16_MEMBER(bionicc_state::bionicc_paletteram_w)
-{
-	int r, g, b, bright;
-	data = COMBINE_DATA(&m_paletteram[offset]);
-
-	bright = (data & 0x0f);
-
-	r = ((data >> 12) & 0x0f) * 0x11;
-	g = ((data >> 8 ) & 0x0f) * 0x11;
-	b = ((data >> 4 ) & 0x0f) * 0x11;
-
-	if ((bright & 0x08) == 0)
-	{
-		r = r * (0x07 + bright) / 0x0e;
-		g = g * (0x07 + bright) / 0x0e;
-		b = b * (0x07 + bright) / 0x0e;
-	}
-
-	m_palette->set_pen_color (offset, rgb_t(r, g, b));
-}
-
 WRITE16_MEMBER(bionicc_state::bionicc_scroll_w)
 {
 	data = COMBINE_DATA(&m_scroll[offset]);