Techniques & Technology
The clever tricks and deep system knowledge that made magic happen.
BASIC V2 Reference
Complete command reference
Complete command reference for Commodore 64 BASIC V2
Disk Fastloaders
Cutting load times on the Commodore 1541
Fastload cartridges and custom DOS routines slashed wait times, turning the C64’s pokey disk drive into an arcade-ready accessory.
How a Cassette Becomes a Game
From magnetic stripes to moving sprites
Cassettes were slow, cheap, and everywhere. Here’s how data marched from tape to RAM, one bit at a time.
KERNAL I/O Routines
The Commodore 64’s built-in service desk
The C64’s KERNAL ROM exposes a patchable API for keyboard, screen, tape, disk, and serial I/O—perfect for BASIC and assembly alike.
PETSCII Character Chart
Every character code the C64 knows about
PETSCII codes, screen codes, and control characters—the complete reference for displaying text and graphics on the Commodore 64.
PRINT vs POKE
Why games don't use PRINT statements
Performance comparison of PRINT and POKE for screen output—and why understanding the difference makes you a better C64 programmer.
Random Numbers
RND() internals and techniques
RND() internals, techniques, and patterns for game development
Raster Tricks 101
Bending the beam on the Commodore 64
Raster timing turns the VIC-II into a multitool: split-screen status bars, colour gradients, sprite multiplexing, and more.
Screen Memory
How the C64 displays text and graphics
Screen RAM, colour RAM, and the VIC-II—understanding how 1000 bytes create 40×25 characters of colourful text.
Variables and Memory
BASIC memory management
How variables work internally and memory management for BASIC programs
Z80 Instruction Set Reference
Complete CPU instruction reference
Complete reference for Z80 assembly instructions with T-states, bytes, and flag effects.
ZX Spectrum Hardware Ports
Complete I/O port reference
Complete reference for Spectrum I/O ports - border, keyboard, speaker, and ULA control.
ZX Spectrum ROM Disassembly
Key ROM routines reference
Annotated reference for key ROM routines in the 16K Spectrum ROM.