Scripted Emulators

With the speed increases in computers and browser code, a new class of emulators is slowly growing to significant levels: Emulators built in JavaScript!

I wrote about this recently when I found Matt West's cool Spectrum emulator on the web, and since then I've been looking around a bit to see what else is out there:

• Intel 4004 and MCS-4 micro computer
• virtual 6502
• 6502asm
• jsMSX (Z80)
• Z80 Speccy
• 8080 Space Invaders Arcade

There has been an obvious preference for the simpler, early CPUs, but with the JavaScript engines being aggressively pushed towards faster execution speeds it is only a matter of time before we will see more complex CPUs and computers in fully scripted glory.

I'm very excited about this trend towards deep, code-intensive applications written in JavaScript, since it opens this kind of development to a whole new generation of young coders who would previously have never considered being involved in such a project.

Since these applications are completely open and since there is no need for a development environment beyond a text editor and a browser, it has never been easier to take part in something as complex as emulation programming. I can't wait to see what all the new talent will come up with!