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Game Boy Coding Adventure: Learn Assembly and Master the Original 8-Bit Handheld

AUTHOR Dagois, Maximilien
PUBLISHER No Starch Press (10/28/2025)
PRODUCT TYPE Paperback (Paperback)

Description
Talk to the Machine

Game Boy Coding Adventure is a hands-on guide to programming one of the most iconic consoles ever built. And there is magic here: By leveraging the simplified assembly language of this retro machine, you'll learn how to control every aspect of the Game Boy's 8-bit hardware.

As you build tile-based graphics, sprite animations, sound effects, input handling, timers, and more, you'll discover how hardware behavesĀ­--and how software components work together to run interactive programs. Along the way, you'll gain a strong foundation in systems programming, mastering concepts like memory management, registers, interrupts, and I/O.

You'll learn how to:

  • Write and debug assembly using RGBDS, the standard development toolchain
  • Work with tiles, sprites, backgrounds, windows, and color palettes
  • Control sound channels, interrupts, timers, frame pacing, and the joypad
  • Leverage memory banking, DMA, and serial communication for more complex game features
  • Experiment with the Super Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and the Game Boy Printer

Written by a veteran game developer with over 15 years of experience building graphics engines and shipping titles across PC, mobile, and consoles, this book teaches more than just syntax. It takes you back to a simpler platform with a reduced instruction set that's perfect for learning. You'll write assembly code that runs directly on real hardware, see the results immediately, and learn how to debug, optimize, and control every cycle. You'll also build game-ready components and develop a clear understanding of how software and hardware interact.

Why stop now? Slot in the cartridge, flip the switch, and start coding.

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Product Format
Product Details
ISBN-13: 9781718503908
ISBN-10: 1718503903
Binding: Paperback or Softback (Trade Paperback (Us))
Content Language: English
More Product Details
Page Count: 456
Carton Quantity: 14
Product Dimensions: 7.10 x 1.20 x 9.10 inches
Weight: 1.90 pound(s)
Feature Codes: Bibliography, Index, Price on Product
Country of Origin: US
Subject Information
BISAC Categories
Computers | Programming - Games
Computers | Languages - Assembly Language
Computers | Video & Mobile
Library of Congress Control Number: 2025016589
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.
publisher marketing
Talk to the Machine

Game Boy Coding Adventure is a hands-on guide to programming one of the most iconic consoles ever built. And there is magic here: By leveraging the simplified assembly language of this retro machine, you'll learn how to control every aspect of the Game Boy's 8-bit hardware.

As you build tile-based graphics, sprite animations, sound effects, input handling, timers, and more, you'll discover how hardware behavesĀ­--and how software components work together to run interactive programs. Along the way, you'll gain a strong foundation in systems programming, mastering concepts like memory management, registers, interrupts, and I/O.

You'll learn how to:

  • Write and debug assembly using RGBDS, the standard development toolchain
  • Work with tiles, sprites, backgrounds, windows, and color palettes
  • Control sound channels, interrupts, timers, frame pacing, and the joypad
  • Leverage memory banking, DMA, and serial communication for more complex game features
  • Experiment with the Super Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and the Game Boy Printer

Written by a veteran game developer with over 15 years of experience building graphics engines and shipping titles across PC, mobile, and consoles, this book teaches more than just syntax. It takes you back to a simpler platform with a reduced instruction set that's perfect for learning. You'll write assembly code that runs directly on real hardware, see the results immediately, and learn how to debug, optimize, and control every cycle. You'll also build game-ready components and develop a clear understanding of how software and hardware interact.

Why stop now? Slot in the cartridge, flip the switch, and start coding.

Show More
List Price $49.99
Your Price  $49.49
Paperback