NES · Assembly · 6502
NES assembly
Learn 6502 assembly by building games
Where you are
04 · Machine track
NES assembly is the concrete 6502 route through a cartridge machine.
This is the application layer: 6502 instructions, memory-mapped PPU and APU registers, nametables, sprites, controller input, cartridge layout, mappers, and complete games that fit the console's rules.
- There is no BASIC gateway route for the NES.
- You should be comfortable with variables, loops, branches, and binary or use Foundations first.
- Use The Craft when a game introduces reusable ideas such as timing, scrolling, collision, state, or feel.
Before you begin
You'll need an assembler and an emulator. Both are free and take five minutes to install.
Set up your tools →Games
Each game teaches new skills while building something you'll want to play. Start with Game 1 and work through in order — each builds on what came before.
What you'll master
By the time you've built all the games, you'll have deep knowledge of NES hardware and 6502 assembly.
PPU graphics
Master the Picture Processing Unit: tiles, sprites, nametables, and the scrolling techniques that defined a generation.
APU sound
Program the Audio Processing Unit's five channels: two pulse waves, triangle, noise, and DMC for authentic 8-bit music.
6502 assembly
The instruction set that powered the console revolution. Zero page, indexed addressing, and cycle-counted code.
Mapper magic
Understand cartridge mappers and how they expanded the NES beyond its limits. Bank switching and advanced techniques.
Memory map
The NES has a compact but powerful memory layout — just 2 KB of RAM, with memory-mapped I/O for the PPU and APU.
Ready to start?
Game 1 starts with the PPU — building a complete NES cartridge from scratch. By the end of Unit 1, you'll have a sprite on screen drawn by real NES hardware.
Start Game 1: Dash →