c64_samples_kick

This is a repository of Commodore 64 sample programs that are built using the Kick Assembler. Each directory usually contains a small example program demonstrating just one or a few concepts. The programs can be executed/tested on the VICE C64 emulator running on Windows or loaded onto to a real Commodore 64.

Setup

To setup a development environment to build and run these sampes follow the following steps

• Install the latest java runtime

  • Download from here: https://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp
  • I used version 1.8.0_291

• Install Kick Assembler. This is an assembler specifically for C64 code.

  • Download the latest released version here: http://theweb.dk/KickAssembler
  • I used version: V5.20

• Install the VICE C64 emulator

  • Download the latest version here: https://vice-emu.sourceforge.io/
  • I used version 3.5

• Install C64 debugger to use.

  • Download lastest from here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/c64-debugger/
  • I used version v0.64.58.4

• Select a code editor, I used VS Code

  • Download from here: https://code.visualstudio.com/
  • I used version 1.56.2

• Install the Kick Assembler IDE Extension for VS Code Named "Kick Assembler (C64) for Visual Studio Code" by Paul Hocker

  • Start up VS Code
  • Search for Extension (ctrl-shift-x)
  • type in Kick Assembler (C64)
  • Install
  • configure the extension in VS Code, specifically find and set the settings that point the extension where it can find
    • Kick assembler jar file (KickAss.jar)
    • Emulator runtime, which is the VICE C64 emulator (x64sc.exe)
    • C64 debugger runtime (C64Debugger.exe)
    • Java runtime (java.exe)

• Now you should be ready to try the samples in this repository.

• Clone this repository.

• Some some samples may require some utility code from https://github.com/nealvis/nv_c64_util so clone that repo into a directory that sits at the same level as this repository.

• In VS Code, open one of the directories like hello, open the assembly file like hello.asm in the editor. Then go to the command palette with ctrl-shift-p and select or type in "Kick Assembler: Build and Run" if configured correctly the program will run in VICE.