diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/raiden.cpp b/src/mame/drivers/raiden.cpp
index 40da2c3927f..3985471c65c 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/raiden.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/raiden.cpp
@@ -854,8 +854,8 @@ GAME( 1990, raidenk,  raiden, raiden,   raiden, raiden_state,  init_raiden,  ROT
 GAME( 1990, raidenkb, raiden, raidenkb, raiden, raiden_state,  init_raiden,  ROT270, "bootleg", "Raiden (Korea, bootleg)", MACHINE_SUPPORTS_SAVE )
 
 /* Alternate hardware; SEI8904 + SEI9008 PCBs. Main & Sub CPU code not encrypted */
-GAME( 1990, raidenua, raiden, raidenu,  raiden, raiden_state,  empty_init,   ROT270, "Seibu Kaihatsu (Fabtek license)", "Raiden (US set 2)", MACHINE_SUPPORTS_SAVE )
+GAME( 1990, raidenua, raiden, raidenu,  raiden, raiden_state,  empty_init,   ROT270, "Seibu Kaihatsu (Fabtek license)", "Raiden (US set 2, SEI8904 hardware)", MACHINE_SUPPORTS_SAVE )
 
 /* Alternate hardware. Main, Sub & Sound CPU code not encrypted. It also sports Seibu custom CRTC. */
-GAME( 1990, raidenb,  raiden, raidenb,  raiden, raidenb_state, empty_init,   ROT270, "Seibu Kaihatsu", "Raiden (set 3)", MACHINE_SUPPORTS_SAVE )
-GAME( 1990, raidenub, raiden, raidenb,  raiden, raidenb_state, empty_init,   ROT270, "Seibu Kaihatsu (Fabtek license)", "Raiden (US set 3)", MACHINE_SUPPORTS_SAVE )
+GAME( 1990, raidenb,  raiden, raidenb,  raiden, raidenb_state, empty_init,   ROT270, "Seibu Kaihatsu", "Raiden (set 3, newer hardware)", MACHINE_SUPPORTS_SAVE )
+GAME( 1990, raidenub, raiden, raidenb,  raiden, raidenb_state, empty_init,   ROT270, "Seibu Kaihatsu (Fabtek license)", "Raiden (US set 3, newer hardware)", MACHINE_SUPPORTS_SAVE )
diff --git a/src/mame/includes/raiden.h b/src/mame/includes/raiden.h
index 09550e56dfc..f6a8a4001c9 100644
--- a/src/mame/includes/raiden.h
+++ b/src/mame/includes/raiden.h
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ protected:
 
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(raiden_text_w);
 
-private:
+	void common_video_start();
+
 	required_device<cpu_device> m_subcpu;
 	required_device<gfxdecode_device> m_gfxdecode;
 	required_device<palette_device> m_palette;
diff --git a/src/mame/video/raiden.cpp b/src/mame/video/raiden.cpp
index 593ceeee287..0fba5069bba 100644
--- a/src/mame/video/raiden.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/video/raiden.cpp
@@ -222,14 +222,11 @@ TILE_GET_INFO_MEMBER(raiden_state::get_text_tile_info)
 	SET_TILE_INFO_MEMBER(0, tile, color, 0);
 }
 
-void raiden_state::video_start()
+void raiden_state::common_video_start()
 {
 	m_bg_layer = &machine().tilemap().create(*m_gfxdecode, tilemap_get_info_delegate(*this, FUNC(raiden_state::get_back_tile_info)), TILEMAP_SCAN_COLS, 16,16, 32,32);
 	m_fg_layer = &machine().tilemap().create(*m_gfxdecode, tilemap_get_info_delegate(*this, FUNC(raiden_state::get_fore_tile_info)), TILEMAP_SCAN_COLS, 16,16, 32,32);
-	m_tx_layer = &machine().tilemap().create(*m_gfxdecode, tilemap_get_info_delegate(*this, FUNC(raiden_state::get_text_tile_info)), TILEMAP_SCAN_ROWS,  8, 8, 32,32);
-
 	m_fg_layer->set_transparent_pen(15);
-	m_tx_layer->set_transparent_pen(15);
 
 	save_item(NAME(m_bg_layer_enabled));
 	save_item(NAME(m_fg_layer_enabled));
@@ -238,9 +235,20 @@ void raiden_state::video_start()
 	save_item(NAME(m_flipscreen));
 }
 
+void raiden_state::video_start()
+{
+	common_video_start();
+
+	m_tx_layer = &machine().tilemap().create(*m_gfxdecode, tilemap_get_info_delegate(*this, FUNC(raiden_state::get_text_tile_info)), TILEMAP_SCAN_ROWS, 8, 8, 32,32);
+	m_tx_layer->set_transparent_pen(15);
+}
+
 void raidenb_state::video_start()
 {
-	raiden_state::video_start();
+	common_video_start();
+
+	m_tx_layer = &machine().tilemap().create(*m_gfxdecode, tilemap_get_info_delegate(*this, FUNC(raidenb_state::get_text_tile_info)), TILEMAP_SCAN_COLS, 8, 8, 32,32);
+	m_tx_layer->set_transparent_pen(15);
 
 	save_item(NAME(m_raidenb_scroll_ram));
 }