2048

Fairchild Channel F - Homebrew - 2021

A game for the Fairchild Channel F, written in F8 assembly language over the course of around 24 hours. This is the classic modern-day mobile puzzle game 2048. The aim is to create a block containing the number 2048. When you move the controls in a direction, the blocks will move in that direction until they hit another block or the edge of the grid. When a moving block meets a stationary block of the same value, they combine to create a block with double the value, which clears space on the grid. Every time you make a move a new block is randomly placed on the grid, usually this will be a 2 but sometimes can be a 4. Should the grid fill up and there are no adjacent blocks of the same value to combine, the game is over and you will need to press the reset button. Game Modes : - 2048 - the game finishes when you achieve a block with a value of 2048. Try and achieve this in the quickest time possible! - Long - the game continues until you create the largest block possible of 131,072 or there are no more moves available. - Time - you have three minutes to achieve the highest score you can. Game modes are selected based on which button you press on the title screen.

3REES

Fairchild Channel F - Homebrew - 2021

A game for the Fairchild Channel F, written in F8 assembly language by Arlasoft. As an adaption of the game 2048, it took just a few hours to add the graphics and the extra rules that make Threes a trickier game to master than 2048. The aim is to get the highest score possible before you run out moves. When you move the joystick all the blocks that have space will move ONE square in that direction. When a moving block of 3 or above meets a stationary block of the same value, they combine to create a block with double the value. Unlike 2048, blocks containing 1 or 2 can only combine with each other and not themselves, therefore it's important to keep an eye on them and make sure 1's or 2's are not bunched together filling up the grid. Every time you make a move a new block is randomly placed on the opposite edge of the grid to the direction you moved. So if you move all the blocks left, a new block will appear on the right side of the grid. To help with forward planning, the next new block to be placed on the grid is show in the top right of the screen. Game Modes 768 - the game finishes when you achieve a block with a value of 768. Try and achieve this in the quickest time possible! Long - the game continues until you create the largest block possible of 12,288 or there are no more moves available. Time - you have three minutes to achieve the highest score you can. Game modes are selected based on which button you press on the title screen.

Centipede

Fairchild Channel F - Homebrew - June 4, 2021

A brand new (as of 2021) conversion of Centipede for the Fairchild Channel F. This game was developed by Arlasoft (Nick Sherman) and released on his itch.io page. The basic idea (as most of you know) is to shoot and avoid the centipede, as well as other enemies such as spiders, fleas and scorpions. When a centipede hits a mushroom, he will drop down one row and turn around. When you shoot a centipede, he will split and the second part will generate a new head. Shooting the head scores more points than the body. Mushrooms can be poisoned (turned blue) by the scorpion and will cause the centipede to dive straight for the bottom of the screen. Good luck!

Channel F (Built-in Games Hockey / Tennis)

Fairchild Channel F - Released - November 1, 1976

Fairchild's Channel F console comes with two built-in games. Those two games are: Hockey Hockey is an extended version of the Pong concept. Two players try to get the ball to land in their opponent's goal. The paddles can be moved not only up and down, but all across the playfield. They can even be tilted to have the ball reflect in another direction. In addition to the main paddles, both players also have a special goal keeper paddle that they can move up and down between the poles. There are four ball speeds to choose from. Matches end when either one of the players reaches a score of 15, or after a time limit of 2, 5, 10, or 20 minutes. If the game ends in a tie, the players can decide to play 1 minute of overtime. Tennis Tennis, is a simple Pong variant. Two players compete by passing back and forth a ball with paddles. If a player misses the ball, his opponent gets a point. In Tennis, the players can choose from 4 different game speeds. A round can be configured to end as soon as one player reaches a score of 15, or after a time limit of 2, 5, 10, or 20 minutes.

Democart

Fairchild Channel F - Released - November 1, 1976

A one player demo game published and developed by Fairchild Semiconductor in 1976.

Democart 2

Fairchild Channel F - Released

Lights Out

Fairchild Channel F - Homebrew - 2004

Lights out is a single player puzzle game published and developed by Sean Riddle in 2004.

Tents and Trees

Fairchild Channel F - Homebrew - 2021

A deceptively simple puzzle game written for the Fairchild Channel F, the first ever games console to use ROM cartridges and a microprocessor, which launched in 1976. Unfortunately with its quirky CPU and low video resolution of 102x58, it was soon superceded by the Atari 2600 and only 26 official games were ever released for it, together with a handful of modern homebrew games. However it deserves its place in history for being the first true 'games console' as we understand the term today. I thought it would be an interesting challenge to learn how to program its F8 processor. Many of the games only utilised the 64 bytes of 'Scratch RAM' built-in to the actual CPU, however this game takes advantage of a 2K RAM chip that some titles had, although I'm only using perhaps 150 bytes of that. Once I got the hang of it I've found it much easier to program than the Atari 2600 because you can just push pixels to the screen and don't need to worry about where the raster beam is. It was a lot of fun to make this game over the course of 2-3 days, and I'm already thinking of more ambitious projects for the future. Thanks to the excellent site Veswiki and the many contributors therein without whom this game wouldn't be possible. The code is available here:

Tetris

Fairchild Channel F - Homebrew - 2004

Tetris on the Fairchild Channel F. Published by Peter Trauner. Developed by Peter Trauner. Released in 2004.

Videocart-1: Tic-Tac-Toe & Shooting Gallery & Doodle & Quadra-Doodle

Fairchild Channel F - Released - November 1, 1976

Videocart-1: Tic Tac Toe, Shooting Gallery, Doodle, Quadradoodle is a board game genre video game released in 1976 by Fairchild Semiconductor for the Fairchild Channel F. TIC-TAC-TOE: "X" out our "O's" and beat the system. Every game is different! SHOOTING GALLERY: Electronic rifle versus dead ducks. Rifle repositions after every shot. DOODLE: Turn your TV screen into a drawing board. Ordinary doodles become electronic masterpieces. Three colors and four line thicknesses to use. QUADRA-DOODLE: The TV doodles for you automatically. Colorful kaleidoscope patterns. Great for parties!

Videocart-10: Maze, Jailbreak, Blind-Man's-Bluff, Trailblazer

Fairchild Channel F - Released - August 30, 1977

Enjoy 52 variations of TV maze games including: Regular Maze - Every mouse for himself! Cat & Mouse - Mice vs. hungry cat! Paranoia - Nobody out till the cat has his lunch! Double Paranoia - Nobody out. Ever! Also features various 2-player game modes: Jailbreak - Escapist entertainment for the con artist. Find the weak bars and you're out! Blind-man's-bluff - Love is blind, and so are the mice! Trailblazer - Can't see the forest for the trees. Lose your opponent by leaving a false trail!

Videocart-11: Backgammon, Acey-Deucey

Fairchild Channel F - Released - December 11, 1977

Play the world's newest and most modern game of backgammon. The pieces are on the tube, rather than a board. Like the regular game, but better... You've got nothing to lose! BACKGAMMON: Advance your runners to the comfort station. Send your buddy to the bar. Then get ready for a not-so-dangerous double. Get the point? ACEY-DEUCEY: Ahoy, buoys and gulls! Start with all stones unturned in this Navy version of backgammon. Then with a "one" and a "two", you're three moves ahead.

Videocart-12: Baseball

Fairchild Channel F - Released - August 30, 1977

Our Baseball game gives you nine (or more) innings to practice your timing, mix-up your pitches, shift your outfield... major league thrills with the comfort of home! It's Dizzy Dean, master of the fast ball, versus you! Common sandlot slugger. He winds up, throws... and WHACK! Straight over the center field fence! He should have tried a spit ball.

Videocart-13: Robot War, Torpedo Alley

Fairchild Channel F - Released - April 1, 1978

The hunter or the hunted. Take your pick in these action-packed 1 and 2 player games. ROBOT WAR: The space station's computer has run amok. Four robots are on the hunt and you're the game! Lead them into one of the electrified force fields and short-circuit their calculated plans! TORPEDO ALLEY: Play against time or compete with another gunner. Blast away with your shore battery and "deep six" the invading fleet!

Videocart-14: Sonar Search

Fairchild Channel F - Released - April 1, 1978

This battle on the high seas is sure to score a direct hit with exciting 1 and 2 player games! Sonar's got a fix... Computer's enemy Destroyer dead ahead. Fire one. Fire two. Got him! One down, four to blow up! In the 2-player game, uncover the locations of your opponent's 5-ship fleet, before he finds yours. Pay attention to the sonar's "ping", then close in for the kill!

Videocart-15: Memory Match

Fairchild Channel F - Released - April 1, 1978

Memory Match is a game where the player is given the task of flipping over cards two at a time in the hopes of having them match. If the cards match, they disappear from the playfield. If they don't match, the cards are flipped back over face down and the player tries again. The better the player is at memorizing where the overturned cards were, the easier it will be for him to find a match. The game contains 4 variations of its basic premise. The Memory Match 1 variations offer a smaller grid thus making it easier. Memory Match 1: Cipher-24 (6x4 grid with numbers) Symbol-24 (6x4 grid with symbols) Memory Match 2: Super Cipher-40 (10x4 grid with numbers) Super symbol-40 (10x4 grid with symbols) The game offers both 1 and 2-player modes. When playing alone, the player tries to clear the board in the fewest amount of guesses. In the multiplayer, both players try to get more matches than their opponent.

Videocart-16: Dodge-It

Fairchild Channel F - Released - April 1, 1978

The gameplay featured on this cart is a take on the game of Dodgeball. The player is trapped inside a playfield and has to dodge a ball that continuously keeps bouncing of the sides of the playfield. The longer the player is able to dodge the ball, the more points are earned. After a certain amount of points are earned, another ball enters the playfield thus making the player have to dodge two balls. More balls keep getting added at fixed intervals after that until a total of 9 balls are in the playfield. The game ends when the player is finally hit by the ball. In the 2 player game, both players are put into the same playfield and try to outlast the other player in trying not to get hit by the balls being thrown by the computer. The game features random variations in the gameplay, such as having different sized playfields, ball sizes and speeds, and changing the players' size and speed. There's an Amateur and a Pro mode, both playable with either 1 or 2 players.

Videocart-17: Pinball Challenge

Fairchild Channel F - Released - April 1, 1978

Although the title of the game may lead players to believe it's a pinball game, this is actually a Breakout variant. The basic gameplay features the player bouncing a ball off of a paddle into a wall of bricks, chipping them off one brick at a time. Each brick destroyed earns the player points with the low green bricks being worth 1 point each, the middle blue bricks being worth 4 points each, and the red bricks on top rewarding 7 points each. Once the ball bounces off the wall of bricks, it's up to the player to maneuver the paddle under the falling ball in order to hit it back up into the wall of bricks. The player loses a life if he happens to miss hitting the ball with his paddle and it falls into the abyss. The game ends when 7 balls are lost. To keep up with the pinball motif, the wall of bricks are referred to as different colored skill lanes, the walls on the side that the ball can bounce off of are labeled side rails, and the paddle is referred to as a flipper. The game offers 132 game variations of this basic gameplay idea, some of them for two simultaneous players. Game modes include Pinball Wiz, Crossover, Blok-Shot, Cooperation, Pro Challenge, and Double Blok, with each having variations that can include different sized paddles, ball speeds, invisible bricks, and even a variation where the paddle shrinks each time it hits the ball.

Videocart-18: Hangman

Fairchild Channel F - Released - October 1, 1978

The classic game of Hangman, in which the player has to guess a hidden word by suggesting letters. Only a certain number of letters can be tried - every incorrect guess will add an element to a drawing of a man being hanged at the gallows. The player loses if the drawing gets complete, due to his missing attempts at finding the letters in the secret word. The game contains 64 game variations of this basic premise for either 1 or 2 players, with or without a score. Variations include: The computer selects the word to guess; One player comes up with a word for another player to solve; The player is given one of the letters in the word to help him get started; The game will tell the player he guessed the right letter but will not say where it belongs in a word; The player isn't told how long the secret word is; The player has to guess the letters and their location in the word; The player has to solve an anagram.

Videocart-19: Checkers

Fairchild Channel F - Released - August 26, 1980

A playable version of the board game of Checkers. The player controls the 12 checkers at the bottom of the screen and attempts to remove the 12 checkers at the top of the screen, controlled by the computer. A player can only move his checkers diagonally toward his opponent's side of the board. A checker can be jumped when two opposing checkers are adjacent to each other and there is an empty space directly across the checker being jumped. If there's a checker in the board that a player can jump, he is forced to do so. If a checker reaches the other side of the board, that checker is kinged and is allowed to move and jump both back and forth in diagonal movements. The game is won by the player who removes all of his opponent's checkers from the board.

Videocart-2: Desert Fox & Shooting Gallery

Fairchild Channel F - Released - November 1, 1976

Let out your hunter instincts with these two exciting games. DESERT FOX: You sneak up on the enemy, but ram a mine instead. Your tank is immobilized. The enemy fires. Hits. And outfoxes you, the Fox. SHOOTING GALLERY: Electronic rifle versus dead ducks. Rifle repositions after every shot.

Videocart-20: Schach

Fairchild Channel F - Released - 1979

Schach (German for "chess") was released for the Saba Videoplay, a Channel F-compatible system that Fairchild licensed for the European market. In this early chess simulation you can only play against the machine, as there is no multiplayer support. The player can chose either the white (actually green on screen) or black (actually red) pieces, and can select from 4 different AI difficulties. The easiest AI plays its turns in a matter of seconds but, as the difficulty increases, each turn can take several minutes. In the highest difficulty, the AI can take up to 50(!) minutes to decide its move. To allow the player to watch something else on the TV while the system is busy, the game cart has a very special feature: an integrated red led lights up while the machine is "thinking". During the game, the player can ask the computer to help him with his next move. In those situations, the system analyses the board and plays impartially.

Videocart-20: Video Whizball

Fairchild Channel F - Released - October 1, 1978

Video Whizball is a game where players control paddles that have to protect a goal from being entered by whizballs. To protect their goal, the player's paddle can fire missiles which can be aimed straight or angled up or downward. Missiles that hit whizballs can help propel them to start going in an opposite direction. If one of the missiles or whizballs hits the player's or the opponent's paddle, it will temporarily disappear leaving the respective goal undefended. The game is won when either one of the players gets to a previously selected score. The game contains 72 game variations of this basic premise. Variations include having from 1 to 4 whizballs, and 6 different game types: Basic: each whizball is worth only 1 point; Basic Plus: players can guide the missile shots into the whizballs; Bonus: whizballs can be numbered 1 through 4 and are worth that many points each; Bonus Plus: adds guided missiles to the Bonus game type; Super Bonus: whizballs increase in value from 1 to 9 points the longer they stay in play; Super Bonus Plus: adds guided missile shots to the Super Bonus game type.

Videocart-21: Bowling

Fairchild Channel F - Released - October 1, 1978

The object of the game is to knock down as many pins in 10 frames of bowling. The game gives the player an overhead view of a bowling lane. The player's bowling ball starts out moving left and right across the front of the lane. This has the player trying to get the lane position they want the ball to start traveling down. Once the ball starts rolling down the lane, the player can curve the ball left or right. Once the curve has started, it can't be changed further. The game has 18 variations. They involve choosing the combination of number of players (1 or 2), then speed of play (slow, normal, fast, and fastest), and selecting a regular or split game. Regular games start with all pins standing in each frame while the split games have a random number of pins missing and the player has 2 balls to knock down the remaining ones.

Videocart-22: Slot Machine

Fairchild Channel F - Released - August 26, 1980

In this slot machine simulation, the player can choose his starting purse (from $1 up to $99) and then bet on each spin of the slot reels. Each bet can be either for 5¢,10¢,25¢, or 50¢. The game offers two modes: Random Play lets the wheel spin and then stop randomly, and Select Play lets the player choose when to stop each wheel at a time.

Videocart-23: Galactic Space Wars

Fairchild Channel F - Released - August 26, 1980

In Galactic Space Wars, the player controls of a fighter spacecraft with the sole objective to find and destroy enemy space ships. The players takes a first person perspective from inside the cockpit searching the vast area of space to locate enemy craft. Once one is located, players try to quickly fix their laser's sight on the enemy and shoot it. If the enemy stays on the screen for too long, it will fire one shot at the player's ship and score a hit. There are four different enemy ships, each worth a varying amount of points. Players are given a limited amount of time to destroy as many ships as possible, while trying not to let the enemy ships fire back. Lunar Lander is inspired by the same titled arcade game Lunar Lander. Players pilot a lunar lander and attempt to have a soft landing on a platform. The lunar lander has a limited amount of fuel to maneuver around, thus adding to the challenge. Players must gently and smoothly lower the lander onto the platform, as coming down too fast or missing the platform crashes the lunar lander. There is also a timer keeping count of the amount of time it takes for the player to land. The objective is to land the craft in the least amount of time possible.

Videocart-24: Pro Football

Fairchild Channel F - Released - August 26, 1980

Pro Football is a 2-player American Football game played on a horizontal football field. Players take control of a 6-player team and play both offense and defense against an opposing player's team with the objective of outscoring their opponent. There are 8 offensive and 8 defensive plays to call. On offense, the player can either pass the ball or run using the quarterback to try to score a touchdown. Also available is the option to kick a field goal to score points. On defense, players can have linebackers blitz or try to defend the pass from being completed. The game can be played at four different speeds.

Videocart-25: Casino Poker

Fairchild Channel F - Released - December 1, 1981

A simulation of the five-card draw poker variant. There is a computerized dealer and two more players (human or computer-controlled), and each one is dealt five cards. The players then take turns either calling or raising a bet (of up to $25) or, if they don't like their cards, they can fold. Once that round of betting is done, players can then choose to discard up to three of their cards in exchange for new ones, in an attempt to make a better hand. Another round of betting then takes place and, after that, all the players that didn't fold must show their cards. Whoever has the highest hand wins all the money in the pot.

Videocart-26: Alien Invasion

Fairchild Channel F - Released - December 1, 1981

In this Space Invaders variant, the player controls a gun turret at the bottom of the screen and fires missiles at incoming alien ships. The turret can move both left and right and hide behind three protective barriers. The alien invaders move left and right, fire missiles at the player, and slowly approach the planet surface - if they land, the player loses the game. Every once in a while, an alien mothership will fly across the top of the screen and shooting it will give the player extra points. The goal of the game is to destroy all alien ships in each attacking wave and score as many points as possible. The game ends when players lose their three lives. The game can be played by one or two players (turn-based or simultaneously). Depending on the selected game mode, there can only be 1 or 2 player missiles on the screen, and 2 or 4 alien missiles at the same time.

Videocart-27: Pac-Man

Fairchild Channel F - Homebrew - 2009

This Pac-Man homebrew was developed by Blackbird with help from e5frog. The plan was to port the original Arcade game to the Channel F as closely as possible, with several easter-egg added in. The goal was to have the game fit into 2k, with no external RAM, but the specs was updated as time went by.

Videocart-3: Video Blackjack

Fairchild Channel F - Released - November 1, 1976

Deal yourself into Video Blackjack for some fast action in these 1 and 2 player games. 1-Player Blackjack: Dealer hits soft 17, stays on hard 17. You're bankrolled with $500... and feeling hot! So, double down. Next stop - Vegas! 2-Player Blackjack: Bring on the sharpies! You and another player take on the dealer. You may not break the bank, but you can still show 'em who the "Man" is.

Videocart-4: Spitfire

Fairchild Channel F - Released - April 1, 1977

Videocart-4: Spitfire is a 1 on 1 aerial dogfighting Shooter game released by Fairchild Semiconductor for the Fairchild Channel F in 1977. In addition to a 2 player mode the game allowed for 1 player to combat the CPU, which for the time was unique for a home console thanks to the Channel F being the first home console with a CPU.

Videocart-5: Space War

Fairchild Channel F - Released - April 1, 1977

Teleport yourself and a friend to an interstellar battleground with this faster-than-the-speed-of-light game. Subspace distress call: Alien laser attack has drained your protective electro-magnetic force field. Can you get back to the starbase to recharge... before he blasts you out of the galaxy?

Videocart-6: Math Quiz I (Addition & Subtraction)

Fairchild Channel F - Released - April 1, 1977

Get one problem right and a new one appears. Take turns with a buddy for added competition. Plus or minus some fast-paced fun! Math Quiz - Addition: Count on your television instead of your fingers. Right answer scores. You get two chances before the screen shows you how. Arithmetic was never like this! Math Quiz - Subtraction: Your number's up! Brush up on the basics, teach the kids to balance their allowance, or just have fun. It won't take away from the thrill of the game!

Videocart-7: Math Quiz II (Multiplication & Division)

Fairchild Channel F - Released - August 11, 1977

Get one problem right and a new one appears. Take turns with a buddy to double the competition... And quadruple the fun! Math Quiz - Multiplication: Teach the kids to multiply while you practice your time tables. Do it in your head or sneak a look at your calculator. Any way you figure it, the product is fun! Math Quiz - Division: Think you're equal to our problem? If you've got our number, you score. If not, you get another try before the screen works it out for you. Makes long division half the work and twice the fun!

Videocart-8: Magic Numbers

Fairchild Channel F - Released - December 11, 1977

Take our magic numbers, your own secret strategy... And you just might trick the computer! Can you "digit"? MINDREADER: Think you've got our number? "H" or "T" tell you whether you've guessed the right digit in the right place or the wrong place. Race the clock or play for points. NIM: Trap the computer in a binary bind, and you win every time! You and the computer take turns removing one or more units from each square. Last move wins.

Videocart-9: Drag Strip

Fairchild Channel F - Released - August 30, 1977

Know when to shift and you'll go the distance with these two racy games. But be careful... Redline your engine, and you wind up shiftless! (You've blown it!) 1-Player Drag Strip: VROOOM! Tach it up for a dynamite breakout. Then race the clock as you burn up the strip. (Beat our 7.70 ET and you're ready for Pomona!) 2-Player Drag Strip: He who laps last, laps best. Max your rpm's without redlining and you'll have the speed to lap your opponent at the top end. 99 wins puts you in the Winner's Circle!