Intel 8080 Space Invaders Emulator

A Space Invaders emulator written in C++ that emulates the original Intel 8080 arcade hardware. The emulator supports full gameplay including both one-player and two-player modes, accurate CPU behavior, correct video memory decoding, and real-time input through SDL3. Audio has not yet been implemented.

Features

• Full Intel 8080 CPU emulation
• Compatible with the original Space Invaders ROM layout
• SDL3-based rendering and input handling
• One-player and two-player gameplay support
• Correct interrupt and timing behavior
• Authentic monochrome display output

Controls

Action	Key
Insert Coin	C
Player 1 Start	Enter
Player 2 Start	2
Player 1 Fire	Space
Player 1 Move Left	Left Arrow
Player 1 Move Right	Right Arrow
Player 2 Fire	Left Shift
Player 2 Move Left	A
Player 2 Move Right	D
Tilt	T

Requirements

• Visual Studio Code
• C++ compiler supporting C++20
• SDL3
• Space Invaders ROM files

Building and Running

• This project was built and run directly through Visual Studio Code using its built-in Run and Debug functionality, without CMake or external build systems.
• If you get an error, move everything from the dependencies folder into the build folder

Steps:

1. Open the project folder in Visual Studio Code
2. Ensure the C++ extension and build tools are installed (MSVC or equivalent)
3. Configure SDL3 include and library paths in the build configuration
4. Press Run or Start Debugging inside VS Code
5. Place the ROM files in the expected ROM directory and start the game

Screenshots

Acknowledgements

• Intel 8080 architectural documentation
• Community Test Roms