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Nintendo Entertainment System

1983 · Ricoh 2A03

Nintendo Entertainment System console with its wired controller
Photo: Evan-Amos · public domain.

Make games.
Understand the machine.

The NES helped establish the feel of the console platform game: precise movement, readable sprites and music that responds to play. Its graphics hardware rewards careful planning. Learn those constraints, then build your own games in 6502 assembly.

Choose a language route
Dash, a game from the NES lessons
Dash · NES. A game you can learn to build.
Explore Dash

Choose Your Route.

6502 assembly

Build cartridge images while learning input, tile graphics, sprites and audio.

35 published lesson pages

Explore 6502 assembly

Try the machine

Runs a built-in demo · add your ROMs for the full machine


Set Up Your Machine

Use the region, cartridge mapper and memory configuration specified by the lesson.

Follow Your Curiosity.

NESdev

A community and technical resource for NES development.