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24 alternatives to A Sinclair ZX81 retro web assembler+simulator

Lots of fun to do. I would have not taken the time without the speedup provided by Claude. https://andyrosa.github.io/Sinclaude/simulator.html

A Sinclair ZX81 Retro Web Assembler and Simulator is a browser-based tool that allows users to write, assemble, and run code for the classic 1980s ZX81 computer. It is designed for retro computing enthusiasts and… Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes.

  1. 1AR

    Software and hardware projects for fun from a guy who loves retro computing

    2019 · internalregister.github.io · its alternatives →

  2. 2

    To try it out, simply build the project yourself from source, or use attached bootable ISO image of the system (in Releases on Github) and run it in QEMU. https://blog.vxn.dev/rou2exos-rusted-edition

    2025 · github.com · its alternatives →

  3. 3

    Finally got my hobby OS up and running on real hardware. I love the old IBM thinkpads, so thought it was the perfect machine to get it working on. Been working on it for quite some time now, but this has been a big milestone!

    2025 · github.com · its alternatives →

  4. 4

    RetroTick parses PE/NE/MZ binaries, emulates an x86 CPU, and stubs enough Win32/Win16/DOS APIs to run classics like FreeCell, Minesweeper, Solitaire and QBasic, entirely in the browser. Built with Preact + Vite + TypeScript. Demo: https://retrotick.com GitHub: https://github.com/lqs/retrotick

    Feb 2026 · retrotick.com · its alternatives →

  5. 5IR

    After 25 years of writing software, I was feeling nostalgic for the kinds of things that got me into programming in the first place: the old DOS demoscene. I spent a weekend seeing if I could recapture some of that INT 13H VGA magic using today's web tech, but with the old-school constraints of doing it from scratch. The result is this portfolio of ten classic effects running in a single HTML file. It's all vanilla JavaScript writing to a element, with no external libraries. It was a fun challenge to implement things like: * The color palette cycling and smooth fading in the Plasma demo. *…

    2025 · jdfio.com · its alternatives →

  6. 6

    8-Bit retro sound fx generator

    Dec 2025 · pro.sfxr.me · its alternatives →

  7. 7

    Learn how classic game hardware worked. Write code and see it run instantly.

    2016 · 8bitworkshop.com · its alternatives →

  8. 8
  9. 9IM

    Hi, As a 8-bit C64 game coder in eaarly 90ties and currently mostly FE-focused dev, decided to give a go to a simple retro game archive. This is purely fun project - so i decided to post it to HN, mayne it'll resonate :)

    2023 · polishpixels.com · its alternatives →

  10. 10

    Nostalgist.js is a JavaScript library that allows you to run emulators of retro consoles within web browsers.

    2023 · nostalgist.js.org · its alternatives →

  11. 11IW
  12. 12

    Linux virtual machine, running in the browser via HTML5/WebAssembly. Networking and graphics supported.

    2021 · repl.leaningtech.com · its alternatives →

  13. 13

    Rebuilt a Motorola 68000 emulator with 50+ instructions — runs entirely in the browser, no install. - gianlucarea/m68k-interpreter

    Mar 2026 · github.com · its alternatives →

  14. 14HX

    Hello HN, sharing my weekend project. I'm a fan of retro GUIs and fan of HN, so I built an alternative HN front end that resembles a Window XP desktop with an old Outlook email client. Archive and github links if you get 500 errors: https://web.archive.org/web/20220122190454/https://hackerxp.... https://github.com/assemblylanguage/hacker-xp

    2022 · hackerxp.com · its alternatives →

  15. 15NP

    Since it appears to be retrocomputing day on HN, I thought I'd post my pet project. It's a collection of modern peripherals for retrocomputers. I started collecting a list of upgrades for my ideal dream Mac SE/30 and grew from there. The site is currently mostly focused on Apple II and Mac stuff since that's what I grew up with.

    Aug 2026 · newold.computer · its alternatives →

  16. 16

    I’ve been looking for a decent project to get my teeth into on the Spectrum Next. Apart from my Next Z80 library routines, I’ve dabbled with a few demos, and considered writing a drawing package similar to Deluxe Paint. But on the whole have felt rather unenthusiastic about starting that

    2021 · breakintoprogram.co.uk · its alternatives →

  17. 17

    I've been exploring new ways of testing Ghidra processor modules. In this repo, I was able to emulate NES ROMs in Ghidra to test its 6502 specification, which resulted in finding and fixing some bugs. Context: Ghidra is used for reverse engineering binary executables, complementing the usual disassembly view with function decompilation. Each supported architecture has a SLEIGH specification, which provides semantics for parsing and emulating instructions, not unlike the dispatch handlers you would find in interpreters written for console emulators. Emulator devs have long had extensive test…

    2023 · github.com · its alternatives →

  18. 18

    A simple text-based adventure game. Contribute to skx/lighthouse-of-doom development by creating an account on GitHub.

    2024 · github.com · its alternatives →

  19. 19

    An in-browser canvas tool for making retro art.

    2014 · make8bitart.com · its alternatives →

  20. 20

    Re-build a retro computer with Lego®

    2017 · powerpig.ecwid.com · its alternatives →

  21. 21

    Browse the live web through retro desktop environments. Windows 98, System 7, NeXTSTEP, and more — every page is a real interactive browser session.

    Feb 2026 · win9-5.com · its alternatives →

  22. 22

    A 100% free retrospective tool for your tech team or squad.

    2021 · its alternatives →

  23. 23IR

    Recently, I managed to recover some of my earliest work from the ZX Spectrum era from an old audio cassette. It is a mini-game, that I created as a teen, called "Atomix," written in BASIC with a mix of Z80 assembly — some of which I coded myself, while other parts were disassembled from existing games. I put the game in an modern emulator and recorded a screencast. See the video in my linkedin post: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7288665...

    2025 · its alternatives →

  24. 248C

    Hi everybody! Due to Covid 19 pandemic I was forced in my home, so I revamped my book https://8bit.gioorgi.com It is a huge collection of information about the 8bit comnputer era (1980-1985) up to the NES console. I collected information from various source including “The 8bit Guy” videos and specific site (like C64 wiki, nesdev etc). I am using docusaurus to give a pleasnt look to the whole site. Please give me you feedback (and happy new year btw)!

    2021 · its alternatives →

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Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →

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