Name: BASIC Computer Games
ISBN: 9780894800528

BASIC Computer Games

BASIC Computer Games: Microcomputer Edition by David H. Ahl is a legendary book that, although no longer entirely up to date, remains an excellent starting point for anyone just beginning their journey into programming and game development. Released in the 1970s, it was a cornerstone of early computing, offering simple but engaging games written in BASIC, the most accessible language of the time. For me, this book was instrumental in my early development as a programmer. It helped me create a variety of simple games, including a very basic version of Blackjack, which was my first attempt at implementing gambling mechanics in code. It was rudimentary but served as the first step toward building more complex projects. Now, as I continue to work on more sophisticated projects for my portfolio, I draw inspiration from newer books such as The Art of Game Design by Jesse Schell and Game Programming Patterns by Robert Nystrom. These works, along with modern websites like help me stay updated on trends and best practices in the gaming and gambling industries, from the mechanics of risk and reward to understanding player psychology. Despite the rapid advancements in technology and knowledge, BASIC Computer Games will always hold a special place in my development journey. It laid the foundation for my understanding of game logic and programming and, in many ways, set me on the path to where I am today.

What Hacker News says

lophNov 2025

This book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BASIC_Computer_Games

I was exposed to this book in about 1975 when I was in detention in the math teacher's room. It set me on a path to programming.

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JSR_FDEDSep 2025

The book this is from, David Ahl’s More BASIC Computer Games, was hugely influential on me when I was 12. After my parents sent me to bed I’d read it under the covers trying to imagine how the computer would behave at every step. Great times!

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emptybitsApr 2025

"BASIC Computer Games" by David H. Ahl

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pico303Nov 2024

I first learned to program in CBASIC on an Eagle II (Z80), then later TI-BASIC, and finally MSBASIC. Thank you, Mr. Kurtz, for introducing me to a wonderful career and fond memories of hacking “BASIC Computer Games” by David Ahl into my early PCs.

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martincmartinJun 2024

OP here. Cool! I was born in 1969, less than a month before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, and was only a few months old when this game was written. I too learned BASIC, then spent hours pouring over the book "BASIC Computer Games", before I even had a computer of my own. Fond memories, as you say.

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stolenmerchJul 2022

I was infatuated with Eliza as a kid, thanks to its inclusion in David Ahl's "More BASIC Computer Games". It was my first foray into modifying someone else's code and trying to figure out how it worked. Something about this program was like jet fuel for my young imagination. The author of this article and founder of elizagen.org is Jeff Shrager, who was the first to convert Eliza from LISP to BASIC.

https://www.atariarchives.org/morebasicgames/showpage.php?pa...

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