NESFab – Programming language for making NES games
This is a long-running personal project I've had to write an optimizing compiler from scratch. Everything was done by me, including the lexer/parser, SSA-based IR, high-performance data structures, and code generator. Originally I wasn't targeting the NES. It started as a scripting language, then it morphed into a C++ replacement, and then finally I turned it into what it is today. The large scope of the project and colorful history means it's still a little rough around the edges, but it's now working well enough to post.
NESFab – Programming language for making NES games launched on March 7, 2023 with 298 votes, #97 of 5,007 launches that month and more than 95% of that year's launches. The site was still online in September 2026, 3 years on.
In plain words
NESFab is a programming language and compiler for creating games for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It features a custom-built optimizing compiler with lexer, parser, SSA-based intermediate representation, and code generator, all developed by a single creator. The language evolved from a scripting project into a specialized NES development tool. While still refining some rough edges from its complex development history, it is now functional enough for practical use in NES game creation.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
NESFab is a new programming language for creating NES games. Designed with 8-bit limitations in mind, the language is more ergonomic to use than C, while also producing faster assembly code. It's easy to get started with, and has a useful set of libraries for making your first — or hundredth — NES game. NESFab generates better 6502 machine code than any high-level compiler tested, including GCC and LLVM. It's possible that NESFab is the best performing 6502 compiler in existence. Traditionally, NES games were written by hand in assembly language, as anything else at the time was too sluggish to run on the 1980s era CPU. NESFab isn't sluggish though! The NES uses a 16-bit address…from pubby.games
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