The source code for a bunch of retro games ranging from the NES, Genesis and Sega CD is currently available at GitHub.
The source comes from programming veteran, Chris Shrighley, who has more than 30 years in the industry, having worked with companies like Eurocom developing games for the NES, and more popular ones like Disney Interactive, working on games for the Genesis. He also worked on the Sega CD version of Batman Returns.

The list of games that had source code released by him:

• Magician (NES)
• John Smith Special Agent (aka James Bond Jr.) (NES)
  
• Hero Quest (previously unreleased NES game)
• Ex-Mutants (Genesis)
• Cliff Hanger (Genesis)
• Batman Returns (Sega CD)
• Gargoyles (Genesis)
• Gargoyles Protype/Test (SNES)

I’ve been a games programmer for a very long time now, and over the years I’ve collected quite a lot of source code from the games I’ve worked on. Unfortunately, a lot of the code is still owned by other people, and cannot be shared. I have older archives though, on the NES, and Sega Genesis, that I can share, and they are linked below.

Feel free to download and play with the code as you will. One important thing to note, this code is made available for educational purposes only! You are NOT allowed to make money from this source code, in any way, shape or form.

Cheers!

While the release is nowhere recent, it's always nice to see more and more developers that consider releasing the source code as open source and available to the public for others to delve into.

Source

 

[Rahkeesh]

Batman Returns driving at modern framerates/resolutions would be a trip.

 

[x65943]

That's interesting, I wonder how many programmers are just sitting on treasure troves of source code waiting for the moment they can release legally

I would have suspected all this code would be lost to the ages

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

Gargoyles was a popular disney cartoon I hear. Never tried the game before. Though the batman that has a source code I'm sure people would want to see is batman forever. Instead of trying to turn mortal kombat gameplay into a 2D platform beat 'em up... like mortal kombat mythologies sub-zero... Maybe with source code, can turn it into a actual fighting game like... proper mortal kombat.

 

[Noctosphere]

wait, the source code of NESes games were released?
I though that this many years later, all games from these consoles would have been cracked and source codes released... no?

 

[ShadowOne333]

wait, the source code of NESes games were released?
I though that this many years later, all games from these consoles would have been cracked and source codes released... no?

Except that this is directly from one of the devs himself.

Sure disassemblies exist for many games, but rarely do we see devs of those games releasing them as open source.

 

[urbanman2004]

This is good for game history preservation...

 

[x65943]

wait, the source code of NESes games were released?
I though that this many years later, all games from these consoles would have been cracked and source codes released... no?

Decompiling to source is very tedious and typically only happens for very popular games

 

[lordelan]

Is there a video or at least screenshots of that Hero Quest game?

 

[x65943]

Is there a video or at least screenshots of that Hero Quest game?

My understanding is it was never finished but that a rom has been available for some tim

There is a finished msdos version

 

[SG854]

PC Port of Gargoyles with Ray tracing

 

[Jayro]

No huge note-worthy games, but still cool for preservation.

 

[chrisrlink]

My understanding is it was never finished but that a rom has been available for some tim

There is a finished msdos version

this isn't the QFG I that had the title changed for the ega or am i wrong (or did HQ force sierra to change the name to quest for glory

 

[ChiefReginod]

Gargoyles is a bit of an underrated gem. Ridiculously hard, though. It came out at a time when the limits of the Mega Drive were being pushed but every game had artificial difficulty to stop kids from beating them on a weekend rental. A few adjustments to offset this could be very beneficial.

 

[VinsCool]

Man, I was so hopeful to see Erik the Viking in this list, but the NES games alone are a great surprise already!

 

[phil3254]

View attachment 337722​

The source code for a bunch of retro games ranging from the NES, Genesis and Sega CD is currently available at GitHub.
The source comes from programming veteran, Chris Shrighley, who has more than 30 years in the industry, having worked with companies like Eurocom developing games for the NES, and more popular ones like Disney Interactive, working on games for the Genesis. He also worked on the Sega CD version of Batman Returns.

The list of games that had source code released by him:

• Magician (NES)
• John Smith Special Agent (aka James Bond Jr.) (NES)
• Hero Quest (previously unreleased NES game)
• Ex-Mutants (Genesis)
• Cliff Hanger (Genesis)
• Batman Returns (Sega CD)
• Gargoyles (Genesis)
• Gargoyles Protype/Test (SNES)

While the release is nowhere recent, it's always nice to see more and more developers that consider releasing the source code as open source and available to the public for others to delve into.

Source

well damn Daniel ... DAMNNNNNNNNNNN!

 

[raxadian]

Someone should reverse engineer Sonic CD.

 

[Kwyjor]

I hear Magician is actually pretty nifty. (Never got around to playing it, of course.)

 

[phil3254]

The fact a dev released the source just....it warms my old fart heart ya knowkids?! <3 Grandpa is gonna go play his NES game now he is from 1982, But know this, He is so very god damned proud of all of you kids! *hugs and slips ya a 20$ bill. So damned proud...

 

[Rahkeesh]

this isn't the QFG I that had the title changed for the ega or am i wrong (or did HQ force sierra to change the name to quest for glory

The Milton Bradley board game "Hero Quest" this NES game is based on, is what forced Sierra to change to Quest for Glory.

Spoiler