diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/nemesis.c b/src/mame/drivers/nemesis.c
index 86ed7236788..ba115d139a4 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/nemesis.c
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/nemesis.c
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ ADDRESS_MAP_END
 static ADDRESS_MAP_START( salamand_map, AS_PROGRAM, 16, nemesis_state )
 	AM_RANGE(0x000000, 0x07ffff) AM_ROM
 	AM_RANGE(0x080000, 0x087fff) AM_RAM
-	AM_RANGE(0x090000, 0x091fff) AM_RAM_WRITE(salamander_palette_word_w) AM_SHARE("paletteram")
+	AM_RANGE(0x090000, 0x091fff) AM_DEVREADWRITE8("palette", palette_device, read, write, 0x00ff) AM_SHARE("palette")
 	AM_RANGE(0x0a0000, 0x0a0001) AM_WRITE(salamand_control_port_word_w)     /* irq enable, flipscreen, etc. */
 	AM_RANGE(0x0c0000, 0x0c0001) AM_WRITE8(soundlatch_byte_w, 0x00ff)
 	AM_RANGE(0x0c0002, 0x0c0003) AM_READ_PORT("DSW0")
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ ADDRESS_MAP_END
 
 static ADDRESS_MAP_START( blkpnthr_map, AS_PROGRAM, 16, nemesis_state )
 	AM_RANGE(0x000000, 0x07ffff) AM_ROM
-	AM_RANGE(0x080000, 0x081fff) AM_RAM_WRITE(salamander_palette_word_w) AM_SHARE("paletteram")
+	AM_RANGE(0x080000, 0x081fff) AM_DEVREADWRITE8("palette", palette_device, read, write, 0x00ff) AM_SHARE("palette")
 	AM_RANGE(0x090000, 0x097fff) AM_RAM
 	AM_RANGE(0x0a0000, 0x0a0001) AM_RAM_WRITE(salamand_control_port_word_w)     /* irq enable, flipscreen, etc. */
 	AM_RANGE(0x0c0000, 0x0c0001) AM_WRITE8(soundlatch_byte_w, 0x00ff)
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ ADDRESS_MAP_END
 static ADDRESS_MAP_START( citybomb_map, AS_PROGRAM, 16, nemesis_state )
 	AM_RANGE(0x000000, 0x01ffff) AM_ROM
 	AM_RANGE(0x080000, 0x087fff) AM_RAM
-	AM_RANGE(0x0e0000, 0x0e1fff) AM_RAM_WRITE(salamander_palette_word_w) AM_SHARE("paletteram")
+	AM_RANGE(0x0e0000, 0x0e1fff) AM_DEVREADWRITE8("palette", palette_device, read, write, 0x00ff) AM_SHARE("palette")
 	AM_RANGE(0x0f0000, 0x0f0001) AM_READ_PORT("DSW1")
 	AM_RANGE(0x0f0002, 0x0f0003) AM_READ_PORT("IN2")
 	AM_RANGE(0x0f0004, 0x0f0005) AM_READ_PORT("IN1")
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ ADDRESS_MAP_END
 static ADDRESS_MAP_START( nyanpani_map, AS_PROGRAM, 16, nemesis_state )
 	AM_RANGE(0x000000, 0x01ffff) AM_ROM
 	AM_RANGE(0x040000, 0x047fff) AM_RAM
-	AM_RANGE(0x060000, 0x061fff) AM_RAM_WRITE(salamander_palette_word_w) AM_SHARE("paletteram")
+	AM_RANGE(0x060000, 0x061fff) AM_DEVREADWRITE8("palette", palette_device, read, write, 0x00ff) AM_SHARE("palette")
 	AM_RANGE(0x070000, 0x070001) AM_READ_PORT("DSW1")
 	AM_RANGE(0x070002, 0x070003) AM_READ_PORT("IN2")
 	AM_RANGE(0x070004, 0x070005) AM_READ_PORT("IN1")
@@ -580,7 +580,7 @@ static ADDRESS_MAP_START( hcrash_map, AS_PROGRAM, 16, nemesis_state )
 	AM_RANGE(0x000000, 0x00ffff) AM_ROM
 	AM_RANGE(0x040000, 0x05ffff) AM_ROM
 	AM_RANGE(0x080000, 0x083fff) AM_RAM
-	AM_RANGE(0x090000, 0x091fff) AM_RAM_WRITE(salamander_palette_word_w) AM_SHARE("paletteram")
+	AM_RANGE(0x090000, 0x091fff) AM_DEVREADWRITE8("palette", palette_device, read, write, 0x00ff) AM_SHARE("palette")
 	AM_RANGE(0x0a0000, 0x0a0001) AM_WRITE(salamand_control_port_word_w)     /* irq enable, flipscreen, etc. */
 	AM_RANGE(0x0c0000, 0x0c0001) AM_WRITE8(soundlatch_byte_w, 0x00ff)
 	AM_RANGE(0x0c0002, 0x0c0003) AM_READ_PORT("DSW0")
@@ -1717,7 +1717,8 @@ static MACHINE_CONFIG_START( salamand, nemesis_state )
 
 	MCFG_GFXDECODE_ADD("gfxdecode", "palette", nemesis)
 	MCFG_PALETTE_ADD("palette", 2048)
-
+	MCFG_PALETTE_FORMAT(xBBBBBGGGGGRRRRR)
+	MCFG_PALETTE_MEMBITS(8)
 
 	/* sound hardware */
 	MCFG_SPEAKER_STANDARD_STEREO("lspeaker", "rspeaker")
@@ -1763,7 +1764,8 @@ static MACHINE_CONFIG_START( blkpnthr, nemesis_state )
 
 	MCFG_GFXDECODE_ADD("gfxdecode", "palette", nemesis)
 	MCFG_PALETTE_ADD("palette", 2048)
-
+	MCFG_PALETTE_FORMAT(xBBBBBGGGGGRRRRR)
+	MCFG_PALETTE_MEMBITS(8)
 
 	/* sound hardware */
 	MCFG_SPEAKER_STANDARD_STEREO("lspeaker", "rspeaker")
@@ -1805,7 +1807,8 @@ static MACHINE_CONFIG_START( citybomb, nemesis_state )
 
 	MCFG_GFXDECODE_ADD("gfxdecode", "palette", nemesis)
 	MCFG_PALETTE_ADD("palette", 2048)
-
+	MCFG_PALETTE_FORMAT(xBBBBBGGGGGRRRRR)
+	MCFG_PALETTE_MEMBITS(8)
 
 	/* sound hardware */
 	MCFG_SPEAKER_STANDARD_STEREO("lspeaker", "rspeaker")
@@ -1851,7 +1854,8 @@ static MACHINE_CONFIG_START( nyanpani, nemesis_state )
 
 	MCFG_GFXDECODE_ADD("gfxdecode", "palette", nemesis)
 	MCFG_PALETTE_ADD("palette", 2048)
-
+	MCFG_PALETTE_FORMAT(xBBBBBGGGGGRRRRR)
+	MCFG_PALETTE_MEMBITS(8)
 
 	/* sound hardware */
 	MCFG_SPEAKER_STANDARD_STEREO("lspeaker", "rspeaker")
@@ -1896,7 +1900,8 @@ static MACHINE_CONFIG_START( hcrash, nemesis_state )
 
 	MCFG_GFXDECODE_ADD("gfxdecode", "palette", nemesis)
 	MCFG_PALETTE_ADD("palette", 2048)
-
+	MCFG_PALETTE_FORMAT(xBBBBBGGGGGRRRRR)
+	MCFG_PALETTE_MEMBITS(8)
 
 	/* sound hardware */
 	MCFG_SPEAKER_STANDARD_STEREO("lspeaker", "rspeaker")
diff --git a/src/mame/includes/nemesis.h b/src/mame/includes/nemesis.h
index b5de5e6b279..3d4fe61743f 100644
--- a/src/mame/includes/nemesis.h
+++ b/src/mame/includes/nemesis.h
@@ -98,7 +98,6 @@ public:
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(nemesis_gfx_flipy_word_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(salamand_control_port_word_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(nemesis_palette_word_w);
-	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(salamander_palette_word_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(nemesis_videoram1_word_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(nemesis_videoram2_word_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(nemesis_colorram1_word_w);
diff --git a/src/mame/video/nemesis.c b/src/mame/video/nemesis.c
index 8b2dcc3d806..5f28870e3e5 100644
--- a/src/mame/video/nemesis.c
+++ b/src/mame/video/nemesis.c
@@ -202,15 +202,6 @@ WRITE16_MEMBER(nemesis_state::nemesis_palette_word_w)
 	m_palette->set_pen_color(offset, m_palette_lookup[r],m_palette_lookup[g],m_palette_lookup[b]);
 }
 
-WRITE16_MEMBER(nemesis_state::salamander_palette_word_w)
-{
-	COMBINE_DATA(m_paletteram + offset);
-	offset &= ~1;
-
-	data = ((m_paletteram[offset] << 8) & 0xff00) | (m_paletteram[offset + 1] & 0xff);
-	m_palette->set_pen_color(offset / 2, pal5bit(data >> 0), pal5bit(data >> 5), pal5bit(data >> 10));
-}
-
 
 WRITE16_MEMBER(nemesis_state::nemesis_videoram1_word_w)
 {