Platforms

The Retro Game Coders IDE supports a wide range of 8-bit (and some 16-bit) computers and consoles. Each platform page covers the machine's hardware, available languages in the IDE, a quick start workflow, and key things to know before you start coding.

6502-based platforms

These machines all use the MOS 6502 or a close variant. Core assembly knowledge transfers between them, though the hardware — video, sound, I/O — is completely different per machine.

Platform	Languages in IDE	Notes
Commodore 64	CC65 C, Commodore BASIC V2, KickAss assembly	The most popular home computer of all time
VIC-20	CC65 C, Commodore BASIC V2	C64's little sibling; tight on RAM
Commodore PET	CC65 C, Commodore BASIC V2, 6502 assembly	Commodore's first computer; monochrome character display
BBC Micro	CC65 C, BBC BASIC	Sophisticated BASIC with inline assembler
NES / Famicom	ca65 / DASM assembly	Console; no OS, strict timing requirements
Atari 8-bit	CC65 C, 6502 assembly	ANTIC/GTIA give it exceptional graphics hardware
Apple II	CC65 C, AppleSoft BASIC, 6502 assembly	Soft-switched graphics; non-linear HIRES layout

Z80-based platforms

These machines use the Zilog Z80. The Z80 has more registers and a richer instruction set than the 6502 — and very different I/O conventions per machine.

Platform	Languages in IDE	Notes
ZX Spectrum	Z88DK C, ZX BASIC (Boriel), Z80 assembly	Iconic British micro; simple memory map
ZX81	Z80 assembly	1KB RAM; FAST/SLOW display modes
Amstrad CPC6128	Z80 assembly	4 MHz Z80, Gate Array, no memory contention
MSX	Z88DK C, Z80 assembly	BIOS + libCV; slot-based memory system
Sega Master System / Game Gear	Z80 assembly	VDP via I/O ports; ROM header required

6809-based platforms

The Motorola 6809 is a more advanced architecture than the 6502 or Z80 — two stacks, two accumulators, multiply instruction, and powerful indexed addressing.

Platform	Languages in IDE	Notes
Dragon 32 / TRS-80 CoCo 2	CMOC C, Color BASIC, 6809 assembly	MC6847 VDG graphics; Color BASIC built in
Vectrex	CMOC C, 6809 assembly	Vector display — no pixels, no raster; unique BIOS

x86 / DOS

Platform	Languages in IDE	Notes
x86 / DOSBox	NASM assembly	DOS 6.22 environment; COM programs; Mode 13h VGA

Choosing a platform to start with

If you're new to retro programming, the Commodore 64 is a great first machine — huge community, multiple language options, and well-documented hardware.

For Z80 systems, the ZX Spectrum 48K is the most approachable: a simple memory map, a single ULA chip to understand, and ZX BASIC (Boriel) to ease you in before diving into assembly.

For something unusual, the Vectrex is unlike anything else — it draws actual vectors on screen, not pixels, and its BIOS makes it surprisingly easy to get something moving.

For DOS nostalgia, the x86/DOSBox preset drops you into Mode 13h and INT 21h — the world of early PC games.