Roguelike Radio Episode 164: Roguelikes for classic home computers
Apr 16, 2025
Ricki Sickenger, a talented developer at Badgerpunch Games, dives into the vibrant world of retro game development for the Commodore 64 and Amiga. He shares his journey back into the game scene and discusses the intricacies of designing roguelikes within tight constraints. From developing a 4K roguelike to expanding it into Rogue 64, he explores procedural generation techniques, the impact of the demo scene, and the challenges of creating physical cartridges. Ricki also hints at future projects and plans, blending nostalgia with modern gaming.
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Episode notes
Returning To The C64 Scene
- Ricki described returning to the C64 scene after meeting a local developer and discovering active Discord and YouTube communities.
- He cross-compiled on Windows, tested in emulators, and then ran builds on real hardware to learn and develop games.
A 4K Roguelike Experiment
- Ricki recounted making a 4K roguelike for a compo where about 2K was the level generation algorithm.
- The final tiny game used PETSCII graphics, one monster, keys, exits and got fourth place in the contest.
Validate Algorithms In High-Level Code First
- Test procedural algorithms in a high-level language first to validate them quickly before porting to assembly.
- Then port working logic to assembly to save hacking time on constrained retro hardware.
