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Hacker News·Aug 13·5 min read
Donkey.bas is 45 Years Old – 131 line of Glory
TL;DR
DONKEY.BAS, a classic game demonstrating early color graphics and sound, was created by Bill Gates and Neil Konzen in 1981. A modern JavaScript recreation captures its original gameplay experience.
✦ Why It Matters
Explore the GitHub recreation of DONKEY.BAS to understand early game design principles.
Key Takeaways
- Study the original DONKEY.BAS code for historical insights.
- Experiment with JavaScript to recreate classic games.
- Analyze early game mechanics for modern applications.
- Share your own game recreations on platforms like GitHub.
Full Summary
DONKEY.BAS was included with early IBM PC DOS as a demonstration of the capabilities of the BASICA programming language, showcasing color graphics and sound. Developed by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Neil Konzen, the game was first released in 1981, with version 1.10 following in 1982.
Players navigate a car in a simple lane-switching mechanic to avoid obstacles, specifically a donkey, to prevent crashing. A modern recreation of this game has been implemented in JavaScript, allowing users to experience the original gameplay on contemporary web browsers.
This version takes some liberties with the original design but aims to preserve the nostalgic feel of the classic game. The project is available on GitHub, providing an opportunity for developers to explore early game design and graphics programming.