Beep-8: a Fantasy Console with an Arm-Based Architecture and C/c++ SDK
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Nov 26, 2025 at 7:50 PM EST
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It emulates an ARM v4-like CPU running at 4 MHz, includes a lightweight RTOS, and provides a full C/C++ toolchain for building ROMs. The graphics system is powered by a custom WebGL-based PPU supporting a 128×240 vertical display, 16-color palette, 8×8 sprites, background layers, and single-color wireframe rendering. The sound subsystem is a Namco C30-style APU implemented in JavaScript.
The aim is to recreate the feel of retro bare-metal console development, while keeping everything instantly runnable in the browser — no installation required.
SDK (toolchain, examples, docs): https://github.com/beep8/beep8-sdk
Sample games running in the emulator (playable online): https://beep8.org/
Feedback from the HN community would be greatly appreciated — especially on technical direction, performance, and usability.
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