diff --git a/src/devices/machine/s3c24xx.hxx b/src/devices/machine/s3c24xx.hxx
index ca7bc05a90d..adb57cd1977 100644
--- a/src/devices/machine/s3c24xx.hxx
+++ b/src/devices/machine/s3c24xx.hxx
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 
 #define CLOCK_MULTIPLIER 1
 
-#define BIT(x,n) (((x)>>(n))&1)
 #define BITS(x,m,n) (((x)>>(n))&(((UINT32)1<<((m)-(n)+1))-1))
 #define CLR_BITS(x,m,n) ((x) & ~((((UINT32)1 << ((m) - (n) + 1)) - 1) << n))
 
diff --git a/src/devices/machine/s3c44b0.cpp b/src/devices/machine/s3c44b0.cpp
index 19579a1aa03..bf81606cf12 100644
--- a/src/devices/machine/s3c44b0.cpp
+++ b/src/devices/machine/s3c44b0.cpp
@@ -284,7 +284,6 @@ void s3c44b0_device::device_reset()
 
 #define CLOCK_MULTIPLIER 1
 
-#define BIT(x,n) (((x)>>(n))&1)
 #define BITS(x,m,n) (((x)>>(n))&(((UINT32)1<<((m)-(n)+1))-1))
 #define CLR_BITS(x,m,n) ((x) & ~((((UINT32)1 << ((m) - (n) + 1)) - 1) << n))
 
diff --git a/src/devices/video/gf4500.cpp b/src/devices/video/gf4500.cpp
index d4b7e86f056..4ad49d4acf7 100644
--- a/src/devices/video/gf4500.cpp
+++ b/src/devices/video/gf4500.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ static inline void ATTR_PRINTF(3,4) verboselog( device_t &device, int n_level, c
 	}
 }
 
-#define BIT(x,n) (((x)>>(n))&1)
 #define BITS(x,m,n) (((x)>>(n))&(((UINT32)1<<((m)-(n)+1))-1))
 
 #define GF4500_FRAMEBUF_OFFSET 0x20000
diff --git a/src/emu/emucore.h b/src/emu/emucore.h
index a8e464f0b8b..c9b7900b010 100644
--- a/src/emu/emucore.h
+++ b/src/emu/emucore.h
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@
     General core utilities and macros used throughout the emulator.
 ***************************************************************************/
 
-#pragma once
+#ifndef MAME_EMU_EMUCORE_H
+#define MAME_EMU_EMUCORE_H
 
-#ifndef __EMUCORE_H__
-#define __EMUCORE_H__
+#pragma once
 
 // standard C includes
 #include <assert.h>
@@ -240,36 +240,24 @@ inline TYPE operator--(TYPE &value, int) { TYPE const old(value); --value; retur
 #define ENDIAN_VALUE_NE_NNE(endian,neval,nneval) (((endian) == ENDIANNESS_NATIVE) ? (neval) : (nneval))
 
 
-// useful macros to deal with bit shuffling encryptions
-#define BIT(x,n) (((x)>>(n))&1)
+// useful functions to deal with bit shuffling encryptions
+#define BIT(x, n) (((x) >> (n)) & 1)
 
-#define BITSWAP8(val,B7,B6,B5,B4,B3,B2,B1,B0) \
-	((BIT(val,B7) << 7) | (BIT(val,B6) << 6) | (BIT(val,B5) << 5) | (BIT(val,B4) << 4) | \
-		(BIT(val,B3) << 3) | (BIT(val,B2) << 2) | (BIT(val,B1) << 1) | (BIT(val,B0) << 0))
+template <typename T, typename U> constexpr T bitswap(T val, U b)
+{
+	return BIT(val, b) << 0U;
+}
 
-#define BITSWAP16(val,B15,B14,B13,B12,B11,B10,B9,B8,B7,B6,B5,B4,B3,B2,B1,B0) \
-	((BIT(val,B15) << 15) | (BIT(val,B14) << 14) | (BIT(val,B13) << 13) | (BIT(val,B12) << 12) | \
-		(BIT(val,B11) << 11) | (BIT(val,B10) << 10) | (BIT(val, B9) <<  9) | (BIT(val, B8) <<  8) | \
-		(BIT(val, B7) <<  7) | (BIT(val, B6) <<  6) | (BIT(val, B5) <<  5) | (BIT(val, B4) <<  4) | \
-		(BIT(val, B3) <<  3) | (BIT(val, B2) <<  2) | (BIT(val, B1) <<  1) | (BIT(val, B0) <<  0))
+template <typename T, typename U, typename... V> constexpr T bitswap(T val, U b, V... c)
+{
+	return (BIT(val, b) << sizeof...(c)) | bitswap(val, c...);
+}
 
-#define BITSWAP24(val,B23,B22,B21,B20,B19,B18,B17,B16,B15,B14,B13,B12,B11,B10,B9,B8,B7,B6,B5,B4,B3,B2,B1,B0) \
-	((BIT(val,B23) << 23) | (BIT(val,B22) << 22) | (BIT(val,B21) << 21) | (BIT(val,B20) << 20) | \
-		(BIT(val,B19) << 19) | (BIT(val,B18) << 18) | (BIT(val,B17) << 17) | (BIT(val,B16) << 16) | \
-		(BIT(val,B15) << 15) | (BIT(val,B14) << 14) | (BIT(val,B13) << 13) | (BIT(val,B12) << 12) | \
-		(BIT(val,B11) << 11) | (BIT(val,B10) << 10) | (BIT(val, B9) <<  9) | (BIT(val, B8) <<  8) | \
-		(BIT(val, B7) <<  7) | (BIT(val, B6) <<  6) | (BIT(val, B5) <<  5) | (BIT(val, B4) <<  4) | \
-		(BIT(val, B3) <<  3) | (BIT(val, B2) <<  2) | (BIT(val, B1) <<  1) | (BIT(val, B0) <<  0))
-
-#define BITSWAP32(val,B31,B30,B29,B28,B27,B26,B25,B24,B23,B22,B21,B20,B19,B18,B17,B16,B15,B14,B13,B12,B11,B10,B9,B8,B7,B6,B5,B4,B3,B2,B1,B0) \
-	((BIT(val,B31) << 31) | (BIT(val,B30) << 30) | (BIT(val,B29) << 29) | (BIT(val,B28) << 28) | \
-		(BIT(val,B27) << 27) | (BIT(val,B26) << 26) | (BIT(val,B25) << 25) | (BIT(val,B24) << 24) | \
-		(BIT(val,B23) << 23) | (BIT(val,B22) << 22) | (BIT(val,B21) << 21) | (BIT(val,B20) << 20) | \
-		(BIT(val,B19) << 19) | (BIT(val,B18) << 18) | (BIT(val,B17) << 17) | (BIT(val,B16) << 16) | \
-		(BIT(val,B15) << 15) | (BIT(val,B14) << 14) | (BIT(val,B13) << 13) | (BIT(val,B12) << 12) | \
-		(BIT(val,B11) << 11) | (BIT(val,B10) << 10) | (BIT(val, B9) <<  9) | (BIT(val, B8) <<  8) | \
-		(BIT(val, B7) <<  7) | (BIT(val, B6) <<  6) | (BIT(val, B5) <<  5) | (BIT(val, B4) <<  4) | \
-		(BIT(val, B3) <<  3) | (BIT(val, B2) <<  2) | (BIT(val, B1) <<  1) | (BIT(val, B0) <<  0))
+// legacy names for backwards compatibility
+template <typename T, typename... U> constexpr T BITSWAP8(T val, U... b) { return bitswap(val, b...); }
+template <typename T, typename... U> constexpr T BITSWAP16(T val, U... b) { return bitswap(val, b...); }
+template <typename T, typename... U> constexpr T BITSWAP24(T val, U... b) { return bitswap(val, b...); }
+template <typename T, typename... U> constexpr T BITSWAP32(T val, U... b) { return bitswap(val, b...); }
 
 
 
@@ -426,4 +414,4 @@ inline UINT64 d2u(double d)
 	return u.vv;
 }
 
-#endif  /* __EMUCORE_H__ */
+#endif  /* MAME_EMU_EMUCORE_H */
diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/gizmondo.cpp b/src/mame/drivers/gizmondo.cpp
index ed39f36a293..a520c72fc7f 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/gizmondo.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/gizmondo.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ SYSINTR_GPS      = INT_EINT3, INT_EINT8_23 (EINT18)
 #define VERBOSE_LEVEL ( 0 )
 
 
-#define BIT(x,n) (((x)>>(n))&1)
 #define BITS(x,m,n) (((x)>>(n))&(((UINT32)1<<((m)-(n)+1))-1))
 
 class gizmondo_state : public driver_device
diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/gp32.cpp b/src/mame/drivers/gp32.cpp
index f7c4c1c2f4c..0addf2d91c2 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/gp32.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/gp32.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ static inline void ATTR_PRINTF(3,4) verboselog(device_t &device, int n_level, co
 #define MPLLCON  1
 #define UPLLCON  2
 
-#define BIT(x,n) (((x)>>(n))&1)
 #define BITS(x,m,n) (((x)>>(n))&((1<<((m)-(n)+1))-1))