Elite for the ZX Spectrum ported to Java from its machine code
Claude read the compiled Spectrum machine code of Elite, enabling a precise Java port with a 60 FPS engine, better controls and saves, and original bugs fixed.
Credits
Earliest dated source:
The full story
The poster found that a complete ZX Spectrum game such as Elite, at roughly 42 KB, fits into Claude's context window. In their experiments Claude could read and understand compiled machine code for old computers, which allowed a very precise port.
They ported Elite to Java, moved it to a modern 60 FPS engine, improved the controls and save system and fixed a number of original bugs. The result can be played online.
How it was done
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Sources
From a short post by the maker, so the details are as they tell them.
- Reddit: Claude and old gamesReddit poster: Scf37Posted
The maker's post on r/ClaudeCode.
If it disappears: archived copy of Reddit: Claude and old games (opens in a new tab)
- The project: scf37.me
Linked in the post.