SD-8516 Summer Game Jam

The SD-8516 Summer Game Jam is an exciting opportunity for retro computing enthusiasts, hobbyist developers, and fans of 1970s/1980s arcade and home console classics to create games for the SD-8516 platform!

The SD-8516 is a retro-inspired fantasy console system designed in the spirit of classic 8/16-bit machines like the Commodore 64 and the SNES. It supports programming in:

• Stellar BASIC
• Star Forth (a FORTH implementation)
• TinyC (A Subset of C)
• Assembly Language

Documentation, including the User's Guide, Programmer's Reference Guide, language tutorials, and example programs, is available at: https://appledog.ca (check the wiki sections for SD-8516 specifics).

1. Developer Beta Phase (May 2026)

• Sign up for early/beta access to the SD-8516 system by sending a private message (DM) to me on Reddit (u/AppledogHu) or via Discord.

During this 1 month window, you'll explore the hardware, learn the programming environments and requirements, experiment, and decide on your game. There is no obligation.

2. Game Proposal Submission

• Submit a game proposal; the game name, what language (BASIC, FORTH, TinyC or Assembly), and some information about your game (i.e. what kind of game it is).

• The proposed game must be a version of a classic home console or arcade game from the 1970s or 1980s,
• or something from the BSDGAMES collection.
• Think Space Invaders, Pac-Man, Asteroids, Donkey Kong, Jumpman, Loderunner, Ladybug…
• And for bsdgames, atc, rogue, robots, and so on.
• If you have a similar but different idea, please explain it in the proposal.

Proposals will be reviewed, and accepted entrants will be notified before June 1st.

3. Development Phase (June and July 2026)

• JUNE and JULY 2026

• Accepted developers get 60 days to complete and polish their game.

• During this time I will make myself available to answer questions about the development environment. I will be on discord, reddit, and you can send me e-mail.

Total Prize Pool: $2,500 USD

• Overall Best Game: $1,000 USD
• 2nd Place: $500 USD
• 3rd place 'Best in Category' (one each):
  • Best BASIC game: $250 USD
  • Best FORTH game: $250 USD
  • Best TinyC game: $250 USD
  • Best Assembly Language game: $250 USD

Prizes awarded based on creativity, playability, faithfulness to the retro inspiration, technical execution on the SD-8516, and overall fun factor. Judging details will be shared closer to submission.

• By entering and accepting a prize, winners grant distribution rights to Appledog for publishing the games on our webpage as part of this paid contest. You retain your own distribution rights as well.
• This is a community-focused jam to celebrate retro computing, retro programming and share cool projects with each other!
• Keep an eye on our Discord, Reddit and Wiki for updates, beta access announcements, proposal templates/examples, and more!
• Minimum participants rule. “No more than half the submissions can be winners.” This means because there are six prizes, in order for all six prizes to be awarded there must be at least 12 entrants. So, 2 entrants: 1st prize ok, but no 2nd prize. Five entrants: 1st and 2nd prize ok. Six entrants, 1st, 2nd, and one third prize. I don't want people to not try very hard because they think they're “guaranteed a prize”. This is a competition.
• There is no signup deadline but you are urged to sign up early.

If you're interested in the beta or have questions, send me a private message! I'm here to answer your questions.

Who's ready to code some pixel-perfect retro magic? Show me your power!

(Tell your friends! Please help spread the news of the first SD-8516 Summer Game Jam!)