https://github.com/fastrgv/RetroArcade/releases/download/v2.6.5/arc01oct26.7z
- On OSX, Keka works well for 7Z files. The command-line for Keka is:
- /Applications/Keka.app/Contents/MacOS/Keka --cli 7z x (filename.7z)
Note to github downloaders: Please ignore the "Source code" zip & tar.gz files. (They are auto-generated by GitHub). Click on the large 7z file under releases to download all source & binaries (Windows & Linux). Type "7z x filename" to extract the archive. Then you can compile your own binaries, or use the pre-built ones provided.
RetroArcade Permalink: https://sourceforge.net/projects/retroarcade/files/latest/download
- SpaceInvaders
- Frogger
- Pacman
ver 2.6.5 -- 1oct2026
- Improved key response for space-invaders on most platforms.
- Extremely improved key response for pacman on all platforms.
ver 2.6.4 -- 28sep2026
- Improved colors in space-invaders, frogger.
- Improved keystroke handling functions.
- Arrow-Keys now work on all systems.
- Minor color changes to pacman, frogger.
ver 2.6.3 -- 24sep2026
- Improved & generalized OSX build scripts.
- Updated Ada OpenAL sound code.
- A bad screen-flicker of PacMan & Frogger has been eliminated by using a single foreground color for each line, as is done in Space Invaders. They are less colorful but much more playable.
- Added a linux build that runs properly on old systems.
===============================================================
RetroArcade is a collection of ASCII arcade games with sound that run in a commandline terminal on Windows, OSX, and Linux using keyboard input. Includes SpaceInvaders, Pacman & Frogger. Includes full source code.
Featuring
-
no installation
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no dependencies (Ncurses not needed)
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simply unzip in your Downloads directory, or any other writeable directory, and run;
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or unzip onto a USB flash drive [w/same file format] and run.
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Windows versions use runtime-priority control for arcade-level response.
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Rebuildable using the free GNU Ada compiler.
Usable keys for all: (see ~/docs/KeyboardMoves.txt)
- wasd or ijkl or arrow-keys for moves
- (q)=quit
- (p)=pause
Can be called directly from the command line; e.g.
- bin\win\cpac.exe (from base directory)
- cpac.exe (from ~\bin\win\ directory)
but it is more convenient to use the selector app, thusly:
- winArcade.bat (Win64)
- macArcade.sh (Mac/OSX)
- gnuArcade.sh (linux)
- ognuArcade.sh (OldLinuxDistros)
In the selector app, use the keyboard arrow keys to highlight the desired game, then press the (enter)-key.
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Windows users note: Using linux executables under WSL [Windows Subsystem for Linux] is not supported. Instead, you should use the windows versions because extraordinary measures have been taken to achieve arcade-level response.
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Similarly, linux users cannot use wine to run Windows executables, with this particular App.
Proper keyboard setup is essential for playability. You should set a very short key-delay setting when running these arcade games.
Screen & font size is important, too... Terminal sizes required:
- pacman: 60x40
- frogger: 56x21
- Invaders: 80x30
Resize your terminal window, per the above table; then enlarge the font until the window just barely fits your computer screen.
===========================================================================
This is my translation of nInvaders.c into Ada, but with SOUND !!!
You need only the (space)-key to fire your laser gun and the left/right arrow keys [or a-d or j-l keys] to move out of the way of the alien missiles. There are no command-line options, but difficulty increases with level.
Pacman, is a kid friendly ascii character version of Pacman that plays in a commandline terminal. Pure minimalism with classic sounds and 9 predefined levels.
Now with commandline control of gamespeed & ghostspeed.
When run directly, cpac can be given 2 optional command line parameters:
* game speed 0..9; 0=slow, 5=default=medium, 9=fast;
* ghost speed 0..9; 0=stopped, 2=default=easy, 9=fast.
If you want to try non-default values for these params, you need to run directly from the directory of the executable. To do this: "cd bin/gnu" or "cd bin\win", first.
Terminal frogger is a kid friendly ascii character version of Frogger that plays in a commandline terminal. Pure minimalism with classic sounds and three levels.
River objects:
- @@@@ is a raft of lillypads,
- QQQQ is a team of turtles,
- ==== is a log,
Highway dangers:
- TTT is a truck,
- ccc is a car.
===============================================================
Mac/OSX users see "osx-setup.txt". Windows users see "windows-setup.txt".
Unzip the archive.
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On Linux & Windows, 7z [www.7-zip.org] works well for this. The proper command to extract the archive and maintain the directory structure is "7z x filename".
-
On OSX, Keka works well for 7Z files. The command-line for Keka is:
- /Applications/Keka.app/Contents/MacOS/Keka --cli 7z x (filename.7z)
Open a commandline terminal, and cd to the game directory.
To launch the game selector App, depending on your system, type:
- winArcade.bat (win64)
- macArcade.sh (Mac/OSX)
- gnuArcade.sh (linux)
- ognuArcade.sh (old-linux)
Note that any individual app may still be executed from the directory appropriate to your O.S. For example, on Windows you can CD to bin\win\ and then type "cfrog" to run Frogger.
If an older Linux system complains that /dev/dsp/ cannot be opened, prepend the command with "padsp",EG: "padsp (ExeName)".
===========================================================================
There are 3 scripts, winbuildall.bat for Windows, obuildall for OSX, lbuildall.sh for Linux, & slbuildall.sh for old-linux distros. They differ in where the executables are put. With so many different precompiled binaries for each OS, there would be too much clutter if they were all put into the same place, particularly since windows needs colocated DLLs.
These build scripts work for GNU Ada [with its own g++].
==========================================================================
Remember that prebuilt executables are already included. But, if you want or need to rebuild...
To get a recent Ada compiler; eg. GNU-Ada...try this source:
https://github.com/alire-project/GNAT-FSF-builds/releases
Manually install GNU Ada.
Next, edit the scripts wincmp.bat, lcmp.sh or ocmp.sh so that the path to gnatmake is correct. These scripts streamline the build process by allowing auxilliary files to be neatly hidden in subdirectories.
Windows users please read gnuAdaOnWindows.txt.
Then type "[win/l/o]buildall" to create new command-line executables for your system. ( win for Windows, l for Linux, o for OSX).
There are NO other 3rd party libraries or tools required to build.
- uses the Ada programming language and the freely-available GNU compiler.
- runs on PCs or laptops running Windows, OSX, or Linux;
- uses only free open source software [F.O.S.S] tools & libraries;
- portable, transparent code, easy to modify, rebuild;
- uses a cross-platform implementation of OpenAL-Audio, adaptable by any Ada application that needs sounds & music-loops with a simple interface.
- pure minimalism: no graphics, just colored ASCII characters, keyboard, & sound;
- Ncurses is not required.
- Windows versions use runtime-priority control for arcade-level response.
Open source Ada developers are welcome to help improve or extend this app. Developer or not, send comments, suggestions or questions to: fastrgv@gmail.com
RetroArcade is covered by the GNU GPL v3 as indicated in the sources:
Copyright (C) 2026 fastrgv@gmail.com
This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.
You may read the full text of the GNU General Public License at http://www.gnu.org/licenses/.
Mike Billars [michael@gmail.com] for his C-version of Pacman for the console, after which this Ada version was modelled (gnu gpl).
Sebastian Gutsfeld [segoh@gmx.net] & Alexander Hollinger [alexander.hollinger@gmx.net] for the C-version of nInvaders (v0.1.1), after which this Ada version was modelled (gnu gpl).
Fanfare/Applause and UFO sounds are from freesound.org and are covered by the Creative Commons CC0 Public License documented in the accompanying file ./docs/creativeCommonsCC0.txt. A few have a CC-by-3.0 license and are accompanied by a text file with the attribution.
Others from
- classicgaming.cc/classics/pac-man/sounds
- classicgaming.cc/classics/frogger/sounds (also CreativeCommons cc0). The remaining sounds are public domain. See also: ./sounds/licenses-sound-data.txt.
It is my intention to use media with copyrights or licenses that are compatible with GPLv3. Please notify me if you believe there is an incompatibility, and it will be removed; eg a CC-by-NC license is NOT GPL compatible.
- https://github.com/fastrgv?tab=repositories
- https://www.indiedb.com/members/fastrgv/games
- https://fastrgv.itch.io
- https://sourceforge.net/u/fastrgv/profile/
- https://gamejolt.com/@fastrgv/games
ver 2.6.2 -- 13oct2023
- Added warning in case window is too small for chosen game.
ver 2.6.1 -- 06oct2023
- Restored OSX build for the command line (without a bundle) .
ver 2.6.0 -- 15nov2022
- Initial spinoff from coterminalapps strictly for retro-arcade fans.