I grew up in the 1980s, learning to code in BASIC on computers like the Commodore 64 and Apple II. Back then, computers felt a little mysterious, but they also encouraged you to explore. You could turn one on, type a few lines of code, and watch something come to life.
I spent hours borrowing programming books from the library and typing in games one line at a time. Sometimes they worked. More often they didn't. Every typo was a lesson, and every success, no matter how small, felt like magic.
That experience has stayed with me ever since. I've always wanted to share it with others, but getting started with BASIC today isn't easy. The original hardware is harder to find, much of the documentation assumes prior knowledge, and staring at a blinking cursor can be intimidating if you've never programmed before.
That's why I built the computer I wish I'd had as a kid.
P64* is a small, 1980s-inspired fantasy computer designed to make learning BASIC approachable and fun. It includes Pixel, a built-in coding companion that helps explain commands, guides you through lessons, points out mistakes, and encourages you to keep experimenting instead of getting stuck.
The system is inspired by computers like the Commodore 64 and projects such as Family BASIC for the Famicom, while adding many of the features I always wished those systems had. Sprites, backgrounds, sound, animation and input, making it easy to go from your first line of BASIC to a complete game. You can also save your work on your post and share it with others.
At its core, P64 is a love letter to the computers that inspired me to become a programmer. More than anything, I hope it gives someone else that same feeling I had years ago, the excitement of making a computer do something new and realizing that, with a little curiosity, they can build anything which is even more important in this age of vibe coding and AI agents that do all of the work for you.
*P64 is a prototype of what could be possible publishing a fantasy game console to Reddit, and still a WIP. This is only made public for the judges until I can work out all of the bugs and release a fully working version.
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