diff --git a/plugins/hiscore/hiscore.dat b/plugins/hiscore/hiscore.dat
index 10809192b78..5a55b8b119e 100644
--- a/plugins/hiscore/hiscore.dat
+++ b/plugins/hiscore/hiscore.dat
@@ -4851,6 +4851,26 @@ eprom:
 
 ;@s:equites.cpp
 
+;*** Splendor Blast II - you must exit game with top score on screen for save to work *** 
+splndrbt2:
+@:maincpu,program,40020,3,01,00
+@:maincpu,program,40840,168,53,01
+@:maincpu,program,201611,1,20,20
+@:maincpu,program,201691,1,01,01
+@:maincpu,program,201711,1,00,00
+@:maincpu,program,201791,1,00,00
+@:maincpu,program,201811,1,00,00
+@:maincpu,program,201891,1,00,00
+@:maincpu,program,201911,1,00,00
+@:maincpu,program,201921,1,20,20
+
+
+splndrbta:
+splndrbtb:
+@:maincpu,program,40840,168,53,01
+@:maincpu,program,40020,3,01,00
+
+
 ;(splendor blast) (by GeoMan)
 splndrbt:
 @:maincpu,program,40840,168,53,01
@@ -5632,6 +5652,10 @@ galaxiac:
 
 ;@s:galaxian.cpp
 
+uniwarsa:
+@:maincpu,program,40a8,3,00,00
+
+
 anteatergg:
 @:maincpu,program,40ef,3c,00,20
 
@@ -9682,6 +9706,11 @@ newsa:
 
 ;@s:ninjakd2.cpp
 
+mnightj:
+@:maincpu,program,c099,41,00,20
+@:maincpu,program,c0e6,3,00,00
+
+
 ;(ninja kid ii (set 1)) and clones (by GeoMan) 
 ninjakd2:
 ninjakd2a:
@@ -9769,6 +9798,10 @@ pclubysa:
 
 ;@s:nmk16.cpp
 
+bjtwinpa:
+@:maincpu,program,f9100,a0,00,4c
+
+
 ;tdragon:******Thunder Dragon (9th Jan. 1992)
 ;tdragon1:******Thunder Dragon (4th Jun. 1991)
 tdragon:
@@ -11493,6 +11526,12 @@ sbrkoutct:
 
 ;@s:scobra.cpp
 
+hustlerb5:
+@:maincpu,program,84c0,f,00,00
+@:maincpu,program,80a8,3,00,02
+@:maincpu,program,8003,1,0a,0a
+
+
 ;(video hustler)
 hustler:
 hustlerb3:
@@ -15602,6 +15641,10 @@ timepltc:
 
 ;@s:tmnt.cpp
 
+tmnta:
+@:maincpu,program,63500,f3,03,41
+
+
 tmntub:
 @:maincpu,program,63500,f3,03,41
 
@@ -15768,6 +15811,11 @@ tnzsjo:
 
 ;@s:toaplan1.cpp
 
+demonwld4:
+@:maincpu,program,c001c2,c8,00,2d
+@:maincpu,program,c001be,4,00,00
+
+
 ;***** truxton fixed (delete old truxton entry and replace).
 truxton:
 @:maincpu,program,0819de,16c,00,0b
diff --git a/src/frontend/mame/luaengine.cpp b/src/frontend/mame/luaengine.cpp
index 9cacb72d4a8..52da46ae113 100644
--- a/src/frontend/mame/luaengine.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/mame/luaengine.cpp
@@ -758,6 +758,17 @@ void lua_engine::initialize()
 				return sol::make_object(sol(), sol::nil);
 			return sol::make_object(sol(), driver_list::driver(i));
 		};
+	// this throws an error when implemented as an initializer
+	emu["item"] = [this](int index) {
+			save_item *item = new save_item;
+			if(!machine().save().indexed_item(index, item->base, item->size, item->count))
+			{
+				item->base = nullptr;
+				item->size = 0;
+				item->count= 0;
+			}
+			return item;
+		};
 
 	emu.new_usertype<emu_file>("file", sol::call_constructor, sol::constructors<sol::types<const char *, uint32_t>>(),
 			"read", [](emu_file &file, sol::buffer *buff) { buff->set_len(file.read(buff->get_ptr(), buff->get_len())); return buff; },
@@ -768,14 +779,8 @@ void lua_engine::initialize()
 			"filename", &emu_file::filename,
 			"fullpath", &emu_file::fullpath);
 
-	emu.new_usertype<save_item>("item", sol::call_constructor, sol::factories([this](save_item &item, int index) {
-					if(!machine().save().indexed_item(index, item.base, item.size, item.count))
-					{
-						item.base = nullptr;
-						item.size = 0;
-						item.count= 0;
-					}
-				}),
+	sol().new_usertype<save_item>("item",
+			sol::meta_function::garbage_collect, sol::destructor([](save_item *item) { delete item; }),
 			"size", sol::readonly(&save_item::size),
 			"count", sol::readonly(&save_item::count),
 			"read", [this](save_item &item, int offset) -> sol::object {