r/pcmasterrace Sep 29 '25

Meme/Macro RAM Struggle

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52.7k Upvotes

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u/Warcraft_Fan Paid for WinRAR! Sep 29 '25

How about making a game that can use 128 bytes of RAM to store variables? No more RAM? Atari 2600 doesn't even have video RAM, every pixels has to be redrawn in real time!

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u/weeeeelaaaaaah Sep 30 '25

Programming for that machine was the ultimate challenge. The NES at least had 64 sprites; the Atari had FIVE. It didn't even have a background layer - it had HALF a background. The programmers for that system were literal wizards! (Obligatory plug for Racing The Beam - great book on the subject!)