Commander X16¶

Overview¶

The Commander X16 is a modern 8‑bit inspired computer designed by The 8‑Bit Guy to recapture the feel of classic home computers while using accessible modern hardware. REG-Linux runs the platform through the x16emu emulator, and the system uses the commanderx16 tag so themes can show the dedicated artwork set.

Technical specifications¶

CPU: WDC 65C816 at 8 MHz with 24-bit addressing
Memory: 512 KB main RAM plus 512 KB VERA video RAM
Graphics: VERA co-processor offering 256×240 resolution, hardware sprites and 256 colors per tile
Sound: VERA DMA-driven stereo wave channels with PSG-style mixing

Supported ROM extensions¶

.bas, .img, .prg

Quick reference¶

Emulator: x16emu
ROM folder: /userdata/roms/commanderx16
Accepted formats: .bas, .img, .prg
System group: commanderx16

ROMs and game setup¶

Copy Commander X16 files into /userdata/roms/commanderx16. Games in .IMG or .PRG format launch automatically, but titles without recognized extensions can be started via helper files:

Create a BASIC loader (e.g., PLANETX16.BAS) in the game folder.
Add commands such as LOAD "PLANETX16" and RUN.
Save and return to EmulationStation to launch the .BAS file.

Disk images sometimes require an autorun.cmd (DOS-style commands) containing e.g.:

LOAD "WARS.PRG"
...
RUN

Emulators¶

x16emu¶

x16emu emulates the Commander X16 within REG-Linux. It supports keyboard input, joystick/controller bindings and the VERA video/audio pipeline. Use RetroArch-style menus to adjust options or open the emulator’s internal configuration if necessary.

Controls¶

The Commander X16 uses keyboard-first input. Map the key layout via the REG-Linux controller configuration. For games that use joysticks or keypad sequences, configure the input within x16emu’s settings.

Troubleshooting¶

Ensure your files have proper extensions (.img, .prg, .bas) so REG-Linux recognizes them.
When using a BASIC loader, match the LOAD/RUN commands to the exact filenames.