The best type-in games

Videogame type-ins refer to a practice popularized in the early days of home computing, particularly in the 1980s. Back then, many home computers, like the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and later, the Amiga and Atari ST, lacked the extensive libraries of commercially available games we have today. Instead, users would often type in games manually from printed listings found in magazines, books, or computer manuals.

These listings were essentially lines of code written in the programming language of the respective computer, usually BASIC or assembly language. Users would meticulously type in each line of code, which could sometimes span hundreds or even thousands of lines, into their computer. Once the code was entered, they would save it to a cassette tape or diskette.

After the code was saved, users could run it, and if everything was typed correctly, the game would execute, allowing them to play. However, typing errors were common, and debugging the code to find and correct mistakes was part of the experience.

Most popular type-in games

Chess

strategyDOS

IBM 9-Hole Miniature Golf

sportsDOS