Electric Adventures
The Beginning
Electric Adventures began in the mid-eighties when I had put together a number of titles and needed a name to start publishing them under.
Starting out with titles written entirely in Basic for the Spectravideo SV-318 and SV-328, I progressed to Basic programs with some machine code extensions e.g. Video Graphitti uses a machine code routine to smoothly capture the mouse position and update the sprite used for the drawing cursor. This allowed the user to draw fairly fine curves.
Next I moved on to games written entirely in machine code, they included clones of Asteroids, Pheonix and Pacman, and an original title Pyxidis (yes another vertically scrolling shoot-em-up).
More Recent Times
In more recent times, I have felt the urge to try things that I could not achieve back in the day so have expanded development first to converting a number of titles to the Colecovision, followed by completely jumping platforms and developing titles for the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).
I have also developed a number of Cross Platform development tools, sharing them with the community, along with a set of Videos on my Youtube Channel, so others can get started in writing new games for older systems.
Coupled with these new platforms and my joy of all things retro, I have built up quite a large collection of Retro Consoles, Computers and Software.
Classic Game Programming for the NES
This is my latest book where I go through the tools and steps need to start writing games for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 6502 Assembler.
Now available in multiple formats here: Here
Use the code au35cru for 35% off any Manning product in all formats.
Spectravideo & MSX Complete User Guide
I have released a revised/updated version of the book I released in 1991 for both the original Spectravideo and MSX machines, called Spectravideo & MSX Complete User Guide.
I used all of the original text with minor edits, added six articles I released in two different magazines called 'Beyond Basic' and it has been published as both a Printed and Kindle eBook.
Let's Make a Retro Game
Join me as I work through the steps required to make a home brew game for a retro 8-bit console or computer system.
In each episode I will work through various topics, such as tools, methods and design.
Each episode has a tutorial video and downloadable source code and article to work through..
Spectravideo and MSX History
This website includes numerous digital copies of magazines and software produced in Australia for both the original Spectravideo and MSX computers.
They are being regularly added to and updated as more magazines and lost software titles are found and digitally preserved...
Programming Games for the ColecoVision and Adam
This book is all about the authors love of gaming and the want to share with fellow enthusiasts, the understanding of the steps and process that go into creating games.
Perhaps the first of many volumes, this book aims to provide an overall guide on the steps required to start creating games for the ColecoVision 8-bit game console and its bigger cousin, the ColecoVision Adam Computer.
It will take you through each concept step-by-step, and rather than just being a technical guide, it will work through each stage with sample code and examples.
The code presented, will focus on writing games using Z80 assembler, just like the developers of the original ColecoVision games used back in the day.
It is possible to use languages such as C or Pascal to make ColecoVision games, but that is beyond the scope of what is covered in this book.
In addition to the tutorial section, a full technical guide covering the BIOS built into both the ColecoVision and Adam, along with memory and port maps is included.
Most BIOS calls include an example of usage or a reference to the tutorial section that covers it.
Modern Homebrew Titles
I am working on a number of new releases (home brew titles) for a number of systems including the MSX, Colecovision, Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and original Spectravideo.
EA 70's Arcade Classics
EA 70's Arcade Classics is a collection of three classic arcade games released in the 1970's.
Lunar Rescue
Lunar Rescue is an arcade game released by Taito in November 1979. The gameplay has some resemblance to both Taito's own 1978 hit Space Invaders and Atari, Inc.'s Lunar Lander.
Depth Charge
Depthcharge is a single-player arcade game released in 1977 by Gremlin Industries. The game, presents the player with a cut-away view of a section of ocean, on the surface of which is a destroyer with submarines passing beneath it
Stunt Cycle
Stunt Cycle is an arcade video game by Atari, Inc., originally released in 1976. In the style of the Evel Knievel craze of the mid-1970s, the game allows the player to perform simulated motorcycle jumping stunts.
All three games will come on one cartridge and are available for ColecoVision, MSX and Spectravideo SVI-318/328 systems.
Order now for:
Read moreSpace Dungeon
A port of the frantic twin-stick shooter to the Colecovision, MSX, and Spectravideo.
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Berzerk
Berzerk is a multidirectional shooter maze game, released for arcades in 1980 by Stern Electronics of Chicago. Berzerk places the player in a series of top-down, maze-like rooms containing armed robots.
The Astro Date is 3200 and you are the last survivor of a small group of earth people who came to explore the planet Mazeon. Soon after landing, you discovered the planet is a dark, apparently uninhabitable place. But by then it was too late to turn back because your space craft had been destroyed by Automazeons.
This version is for all ColecoVision consoles, no SGM required. Game play is a replica of the arcade, including the full original maze layout and robot placement logic.
The game does feature the speech samples from the arcade, but due to the limitations of the Coleco's sound chip no where near as clear. The original arcade had dedicated speech hardware that allowed it to play samples (unheard of at the time the arcade game was released).
The voices and sound effects are played during gameplay, without effecting the framerate, making it very close to the arcade games in that respect.
Read moreCavern Fighter
Cavern Fighter was an unreleased game of mine from around 1986, I finally completed it in late 2020 for the Colecovision and I am in the process of back porting it so it can run on the MSX and original Spectravideo.
It is a take on the arcade game Scramble that I used to love playing when I was younger.
You can watch a video of the Colecovision version here.
Read moreMSX/Coleco Sprite & Tile Set Editor
This is an application written in C# .Net for home brew developers to create both Sprite and Tile Set designs for their home brew projects.
The sprite design section allows:
- multi-layer pattern design
- animation sequences
- export to assembler and C formats
- import data directly from existing source code
The tile set editor section allows:
- characters can be designed in groups of four for larger objects
- powerful colour editting and copying
I intend on adding more features in the future.
The application is free to use, but I have included a Donate button if anyone would like to contribute to the cost of the certificate.
Sydney Hunter & The Caverns Of Death (NES)
Sydney Hunter & The Caverns of Death is a classic style platformer, very much suited to the Nintendo Entertainment System.
The game and concept are owned by Collectorvision, and this game will form part of the series of Sydney Hunter games released for multiple systems.
I will be developing the game mechanics, based on the engine for the Sydney Hunter mini-game I made for the Game On Expo Championship cartridge in 2015.
The original art assets have arrived and the initial phase of cutting up into tiles, tile maps and sprites has begun.
Read moreGame On Expo Retro Gaming Championship Cartridge
The Game On Expo Retro Gaming Championship cartridge for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was developed for John Lester (Gamster81)'s new Retro Gaming expo in Arizona.
The cartridge contains three mini-games, with each person having to play through the games with a maximum time limit of 6 minutes and 21 seconds.
The mini-games included in the cartridge are:
- Sydney Hunter & The Curse of The Mayans
- Pedal to the Metal
- Meteor Swarm
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Seaquest 99
Seaquest for the Atari 2600 was one of my favourite games back in the day, and a game that should have been brought out for other systems.Â
So Seaquest 99 is a TI-99xx version of the game i.e. it will run on Colecovision, original Spectravideo and MSX machines.
Read moreMeteor Swarm (NES)
Meteor Swarm was one of the very first games I wrote in Z80 assembly language for the original Spectravideo.
Later I ported it to the MSX range of machines, both of these versions were released on cassette tape.
Whilst programming the Game On Expo Championship cartridge, I added a basic port of the game as the third mini-game. It was ported as is i.e. did not really take advantage of any of the NES's particular features.
So I decided to make an enhanced version of the game, that better utilised the NES capabilities, some of the enhancements include:
- two play modes: hyperspace or shield
- more graduated difficulty level
- enhanced use of colour
- additional enemy with the exploding mine
EA Classics
EA Classics is a combined single cartridge release of the 1st three of my games written completely in machine code that were released for the original Spectravideo and MSX machines in the mid-80's.
So far it is available for the Colecovision, but I will be releasing it for both the original Spectravideo and MSX computers in cartridge form shortly.
Read morePyxidis
Pyxidis is a vertically scrolling shoot em up game released for the original Spectravideo and MSX computers in 1985.
A release is planned on cartridge for the Colecovision, followed by re-releases for the original Spectravideo and MSX computers.
Read moreNES Tileset Editor
This application is written in C# .Net for homebrew developers to create Sprite and Tile Set designs for their homebrew projects for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
I intend to add more features in the future.
The application is free to use, but I have included a Donate button if anyone would like to contribute to the cost of the certificate.
Read moreAsteroid Rescue
New project and game for the original Spectravideo, MSX, Colecovision and Memotech MTX machines in collaboration with Jim's Bite Size Games (https://jimsbitesizegames.com).
The game is called Asteroid Rescue, with gameplay split into two sections above ground, dodging various spaceships to land on a pad on the surface, followed by navigating a robot through underground caverns collecting fuel.
Read moreBlock'em Sock'em
Electric Adventures and The Immortal John Hancock bring you the Colecovision, MSX and Spectravideo versions of John's action puzzle game "Block'em Sock'em".
The game was previously released for the Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, Atari 7800, Atari Jaguar and in a soon-to-be-released Evercade cartridge.
The game is mostly working, all 25 levels from the original have been coded.
Sound effects and music to come, a few bugs to sort out and of course some play testing and it will be ready for release.
The box and manual are being designed and I will share them when they are ready.
I already have all the electronics ready for the physical cartridge release and will start building up a stock of cartridge shells in preparation over the coming weeks.
Read moreKangaroo
Kangaroo was a popular platform arcade game, released after Donkey Kong made platforming fun, where you as Momma Kangaroo have to climb to the top of the trees, avoiding harzards (such as lots of cheeky monkeys), to rescue Little Joey.
Will be released on cartridge for the MSX, Spectravideo SVI-318/328 and ColecoVision.
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