CHIP-8 is an interpreted programming language created in the mid-1970s. It was made to allow video games to be more easily programmed for the early 8-bit microcomputers.

Systems running CHIP-8 are great candidates for emulation, because of their simple architecture. CHIP-8 specification requires:

• Memory / CPU
  • 4096 bytes of addressable memory
  • Sixteen 8-bit data registers (V0-VF)
  • One 16 bit address register (I)
• Graphics
  • Monochrome display with a resolution of 64x32 pixels
• Input
  • 16-key hexadecimal keypad

    Original layout:         Emulated with:
        1 2 3 C                 1 2 3 4
        4 5 6 D        -->      Q W E R
        7 8 9 E                 A S D F
        A 0 B F                 Z X C V
    

To provide:

• CHIP-8 interpreter capable of executing CHIP-8 programs
• Disassembler able to show details about the CHIP-8 program
• User interface capable of loading and running CHIP-8 programs

• Wikipedia CHIP-8 article
• Cowgod's Chip-8 Technical Reference v1.0
• Tips on writing disassembler and emulator
• CHIP-8 ROMs that are in the public domain