SpeccyDS Update: A Sinclair ZX Spectrum Emulator for the Nintendo DS

CraigT has been working on a Sinclair ZX Spectrum emulator for the DS for quite some time now. In fact, some of the screenshots he posted on his blog seem to indicate that the latest build is almost complete. The developer just got back from a 2-week hiatus, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t made some progress.

But before we get into the SpeccyDS updates, we thought we’d refresh your memory about the Sinclair ZX Spectrum. This is especially for the benefit of the younger generation of DS owners.

The Spectrum was a home computer released in the UK in 1982. It came with a measly 16kB or 48kB of RAM and it has CPU running at 3.50 MHz, very very slow by today’s standards. Back then, the Spectrum is one hot machine with its color display. And would you believe that some of the current leading games developers began their careers using the ZX Spectrum? It does have a dedicated fan-base because many Spectrum games are very creative and still playable up to this day. That’s why PSP and DS homebrewers have been trying (and succeeding) to emulate the Spectrum for the new generation of portable game machines.

Now that we’ve gotten some nostalgic info out of the way, let’s turn our focus back to the SpeccyDS updates. First off, the file loading and touch screen GUI are pretty much complete. Only .SNA files are supported at this time, but it won’t be long till the .Z80s are added. As such, CraigT was able to test a load of new games which we all are rarin’ to play once the emulator is released. We reckon CraigT will have a much easier time completing the emulator as he now can write debug log file out of his supercard.

CraigT has been working on a Sinclair ZX Spectrum emulator for the DS for quite some time now. In fact, some of the screenshots he posted on his blog seem to indicate that the latest build is almost complete. The developer just got back from a 2-week hiatus, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t made some progress.

But before we get into the SpeccyDS updates, we thought we’d refresh your memory about the Sinclair ZX Spectrum. This is especially for the benefit of the younger generation of DS owners.

The Spectrum was a home computer released in the UK in 1982. It came with a measly 16kB or 48kB of RAM and it has CPU running at 3.50 MHz, very very slow by today’s standards. Back then, the Spectrum is one hot machine with its color display. And would you believe that some of the current leading games developers began their careers using the ZX Spectrum? It does have a dedicated fan-base because many Spectrum games are very creative and still playable up to this day. That’s why PSP and DS homebrewers have been trying (and succeeding) to emulate the Spectrum for the new generation of portable game machines.

Now that we’ve gotten some nostalgic info out of the way, let’s turn our focus back to the SpeccyDS updates. First off, the file loading and touch screen GUI are pretty much complete. Only .SNA files are supported at this time, but it won’t be long till the .Z80s are added. As such, CraigT was able to test a load of new games which we all are rarin’ to play once the emulator is released. We reckon CraigT will have a much easier time completing the emulator as he now can write debug log file out of his supercard.