Most used tools

This list of tools is meant to serve as a quick reference for newcomers and oldschoolers who returned to the scene and are wondering what the current state of tools is and what most people use. It's not meant to be a comprehensive or complete list, so don't add more than a handful essential and notable tools to each category. Also please don't link directly to binaries in cases where a proper homepage for a tool is available.

For a more comprehensive list of links to tools, check the links section instead.

More assemblers are listed at the assemblers section on the links page, and it should be made clear that some people prefer other assemblers than those listed here.

• DreamAss - by Doc Bacardi / The Dreams. Basic cross-assembler, does the job.
• ca65 - A complete cross-developing suite with assembler, c-compiler, linker, and more.
• Kick Assembler - by Slammer/Camelot. Assembler with extensive Java-style scripting. Runs anywhere with Java. Find tips & tricks here.
• ACME - Cross assembler with a lot of nice features, without being bloated. Includes macro support.
• 64TASS - A very tiny TASM compatible macro assembler.

• ByteBoozer - Fast(er), ok results. Made for demos, also integrated decruncher with loader.
• Pucrunch - Faster, good results. (Sometimes bugs out on very small binaries.)
• Exomizer - Slower, better results

• CharPad by Subchrist Software
• SpritePad by Subchrist Software

• Project One
• Timanthes
• OxPaint by Oxidy

• Goattracker - By Cadaver. Ports for various systems are available here.
  • Goattracker (Mac port)
• CheeseCutter a cross platform music tool by Abaddon/Fairlight, based on the JCH music editor.
• Music Studio 2.1.0.7 by Martin Piper

• IDA Pro - THE industry standard disassembler.

• VICE - Official homepage for the most widely used C64 Emulator
  • VICE at SourceForge
  • VICE for Mac OSX - Latest builds of Mac VICE are available through this page.
• HOXS64 - Also aiming at cycle exact Commodore 64 emulation.
• CCS64

• Final replay and Codenet - by Graham/Oxyron. Requires a Retro Replay cartridge with RR-net. Also check “Warpcopy”.

• TMPView 1.3 - by Style. Convert your TASM source to PC, for crossassember environment.

• Turbo Assembler Homepage - maintained by Style. Also featuring Turbo Macro Pro.
• Ass Blaster V3.1 - by Zeldin of Cascade

• ByteBoozer 1.0 - By HCL.
• 2MHz Time Cruncher V5.0 by Stoat + Tim
• The Cruncher AB V1.0 by Zizyphus and Skyflash of Oneway. Bugfixed by Crossbow/Crest
• Byte Boiler V1.0 by Zizyphus and Skyflash of OneWay

• Sledgehammer packer/linker V2.1+ by Trap/Bonzai, improved by Atis/Cross
• Lightimizer Packer V6.0 by Zagon/Light
• Visiomizer Packer V6.3 by Zagon/Vision
• Zipper V5.0 by Zagon/Vision
• BYG Compactor V1.0 by Naf/Babygang

• JCH Editor - By JCH. Most used editor ever(?).
• SDI - By SHAPE ..for best sound quality(?).
• DMC V5.0+ by Graffity, Improved by CreaMD
• DMC V4.0 by Graffity
• ATMDS v3.2 by St0fF / Neoplasia, AcidTrackMusicDevelopmentSystem - an Editor for coders, style based on the DMC-series.