What do you think?
Rate this book
Classic Game Programming on the NES: Make your own retro video game
Build your own retro games for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
Do you have an amazing idea for a NES game you’ve been itching to turn into reality? Classic Game Programming on the NES will show you how. This all-practical beginner's guide is full of step-by-step guidance on everything from graphics and music, to enemy AI, to the 6502 Assembler language you need to get the most out of the NES.
Inside Classic Game Programming on the NES you’ll learn how
Use the 6502 Assembler language to create your own game Create and display tile and sprite graphics Play sound effects and music Program enemy AI Balance cycle times and memory usage Design and develop your own action game from scratch
When you’re developing retro games, it’s dangerous to go alone—so take this essential guide! Classic Game Programming on the NES is an all-in-one handbook to the resources you need to start building for the NES. You’ll learn to understand modern emulators and discover the secrets of programming in ages past. Best of all, you won’t need any specialist experience! Even highly technical elements are broken down into step-by-step instructions, and fully illustrated with easy-to-follow diagrams.
Foreword by Philip and Andrew Oliver.
About the technology
Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) games like Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda shaped the video game industry and defined childhood for millions of gamers worldwide. Bring back the magic by creating your own NES games! All you need is this book and your imagination––no game dev experience or specialist programming skills required.
About the book
Classic Game Programming on the NES distills the scattered secrets of NES development into clear instructions for building your first games for the Nintendo Entertainment System. You’ll learn about the NES’s unique design, the surprisingly simple 6502 Assembly language, and more. As you go, you’ll create a simple space-based shoot-em-up that gives you a pattern you can follow to build anything you can dream up on your own.
What's inside
The tools of NES game development Create and display tile and sprite graphics Sound effects and music Program enemy AI
About the reader
No game programming experience required.
About the author
Tony Cruise is a legend in the field of retro games. In the 80’s he programmed games for 8-bit systems; now he creates resources for developers working with 8 and 16-bit systems.
The technical editor on this book was Dan Weiss.
Table of Contents
1 Let’s program games!
2 Getting set up
3 Starting 6502 Assembler
4 Math, loops, conditions, and bits
5 Starting somewhere
6 Starting a game
7 Move and shoot
8 Enemy movement
9 Collision detection
10 Keeping score
11 Player collisions and lives
12 More enemies
13 Animations and more
14 Sound effects
15 Music<
Do you have an amazing idea for a NES game you’ve been itching to turn into reality? Classic Game Programming on the NES will show you how. This all-practical beginner's guide is full of step-by-step guidance on everything from graphics and music, to enemy AI, to the 6502 Assembler language you need to get the most out of the NES.
Inside Classic Game Programming on the NES you’ll learn how
Use the 6502 Assembler language to create your own game Create and display tile and sprite graphics Play sound effects and music Program enemy AI Balance cycle times and memory usage Design and develop your own action game from scratch
When you’re developing retro games, it’s dangerous to go alone—so take this essential guide! Classic Game Programming on the NES is an all-in-one handbook to the resources you need to start building for the NES. You’ll learn to understand modern emulators and discover the secrets of programming in ages past. Best of all, you won’t need any specialist experience! Even highly technical elements are broken down into step-by-step instructions, and fully illustrated with easy-to-follow diagrams.
Foreword by Philip and Andrew Oliver.
About the technology
Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) games like Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda shaped the video game industry and defined childhood for millions of gamers worldwide. Bring back the magic by creating your own NES games! All you need is this book and your imagination––no game dev experience or specialist programming skills required.
About the book
Classic Game Programming on the NES distills the scattered secrets of NES development into clear instructions for building your first games for the Nintendo Entertainment System. You’ll learn about the NES’s unique design, the surprisingly simple 6502 Assembly language, and more. As you go, you’ll create a simple space-based shoot-em-up that gives you a pattern you can follow to build anything you can dream up on your own.
What's inside
The tools of NES game development Create and display tile and sprite graphics Sound effects and music Program enemy AI
About the reader
No game programming experience required.
About the author
Tony Cruise is a legend in the field of retro games. In the 80’s he programmed games for 8-bit systems; now he creates resources for developers working with 8 and 16-bit systems.
The technical editor on this book was Dan Weiss.
Table of Contents
1 Let’s program games!
2 Getting set up
3 Starting 6502 Assembler
4 Math, loops, conditions, and bits
5 Starting somewhere
6 Starting a game
7 Move and shoot
8 Enemy movement
9 Collision detection
10 Keeping score
11 Player collisions and lives
12 More enemies
13 Animations and more
14 Sound effects
15 Music<
- GenresProgrammingGames
320 pages, Paperback
Published July 30, 2024
7 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 15, 2024
"Classic Game Programming on the NES" is an indispensable guide for anyone fascinated by the magic of retro gaming. This book would have been a dream come true for my younger self, as it breaks down the technical complexities of NES development into clear, step-by-step instructions, making it accessible even to beginners. If you ever dreamed of creating your own 8-bit games, this book is the perfect starting point to turn that dream into reality.
August 24, 2024
This book delves into the complexities of NES 6502 programming, covering graphics, sprites, sound, and music and unraveling the old-good art of 8-bit black magic.
Good introduction about nes, architecture, software, retro programming, for instance a chapter about modern development tools, such as, emulators, sprite editors, background editors, etc. quick and good intro !
December 20, 2024
Had I read this book as a child, I might today be working at Nintendo Headquarters in Kyoto.
This is one of the most wonderful books any NES fan could hope for. I am simultaneously accumulating knowledge and bathing in euphoric nostalgia learning about what went on under the hood of the NES.
This is one of the most wonderful books any NES fan could hope for. I am simultaneously accumulating knowledge and bathing in euphoric nostalgia learning about what went on under the hood of the NES.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews