Retro Computers
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers
@retrocomps.bsky.social
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Semi-automated posting of old computers and videogames. Sometimes other bits of retro aesthetics and design. ~6-8 posts a day, ~24 posts on holidays.

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retrocomps.bsky.social
"20 top titles available..." (Source.)
Top right, the text "VIDEO EXCITEMENT in the palm of your HAND" - the first words are in blocky sans serif text, but 'hand' is stretched vertically. To the left side, a kid wearing a black denim jacket, blue jeans and yellow polo jumps to hold his Tiger electronic game. Middle, the Tiger Out Run game itself - a handheld console, white with painted scenery on the edges and unlit LCD; the left circle has two buttons, the right circle has two buttons (Speed and Brake), and four function buttons are in the center; a grille for the bleeptronic speaker is on the bottom of the "console." Ad right, breathless copy describes the challenges players face when they take "the Out Run challenge." At the bottom of the ad, the logo for "Tiger Grandstand: The Leading Name in LCD Games" appears.
January 24, 2026 at 12:05 AM
retrocomps.bsky.social
Fire Fighter (DOS, 1985, and every other computer with a BASIC, by the end of 1986)
Screen top right, "TURN 14"; below that, a compass indicating the wind is blowing to the north at 18mph. Below that, "FIREBREAKS: 6"; below that "COMMANDS: Arrow Keys D(rop water F(irebreak B(ackfire". Screen left, the 25x25 grid that represents the forest; a few lakes in blue are dotted about, but much of the screen is covered in red of varying depths. The black vertical liens indicate the user used firebreaks to keep the fires from heading west, but with the wind now blowing to the north, the fire is starting to spread north of the firebreaks. It's not certain how the user will be able to protect the homes in the center and the homes at risk to the left in the same few turns, indicating the sort of stress this game that is essentially a turn-based cellular automata put you through.
January 23, 2026 at 6:05 PM
retrocomps.bsky.social
While the Dragon was designed and built in Wales, a licensing agreement with a New Orleans company meant that you could get the Dragon 64, new in box, until 2017, making the Dragon 64 perhaps one of the longest market stays for any micro.
The box for the Tano release of the Dragon 64. A fairly simple breadbox up top on a vaporwave grid, underneath the rainbow Dragon logo; below are pictures of a grown man at a spreadsheet, a grown woman at a database, a boy playing chess, and a boy and a girl playing some grid based two player game.
January 23, 2026 at 12:05 PM
retrocomps.bsky.social
TRISME (Stephane Giacone, 1997) (Source.)
An old school Windows shareware title with a lot going on. Menus are Play, Options, Info, and (greyed out) "TRIS-ME 1997 (C) Unregistered Version." The playfield is a standard black field with falling Tetronimos composed of rounded spheres of various colors. Top left are colorful notes of Level, Score, Money, and Bonus; playfield left is the Next indicator, with hearts, clovers, magic wands, and a timer. Top right is a spellbook, with the colorful word "CAST!" below; below that are various spellcasting reagents, and their point values. A strung-out orange tank cat with green stripes has a chat balloon, currently empty, where messages would appear; at the bottom right are the buttons "Play!", "Buy!", "Stole!", and "Return!" The whole thing is set up against a faux-granite backdrop.
January 23, 2026 at 6:05 AM
retrocomps.bsky.social
The Game.com Pocket Pro. There's not a lot out there about it, but it came in Atomic Purple, so it can't be all that bad.
A landscape format handheld playing a Sonic game. The left has a D-pad; the right has action buttons (A, B, C, D), power, pause, and menu buttons.
January 23, 2026 at 12:05 AM
retrocomps.bsky.social
Robie the Robot (1982) (Source.)
A yellow cylinder, with legs, two arms, green eyes, and a red tongue. The free hand is posable is just strong enough to hold a pen; the big palm hand lifts in order to put the coin into his mouth.
January 22, 2026 at 6:05 PM
retrocomps.bsky.social
Well, there goes your third life! (Source.)
A commodore game, in extruded all-capital font, reads: "Well, there goes your third life - and since you're not a cat, you don't have six more - so sayonara, ja mata ne!
January 22, 2026 at 12:05 PM
retrocomps.bsky.social
CLOSE UP: The Commodore 128D
A review from the April 1988 Up top, the aforementioned article title, and a picture of the machine itself; the grey machine doesn't look too dissimilar from modern pizzabox computers, with a 5.25" disk drive where a modern pizzabox would have a CD drive, and a detached clickey keyboard that's not too far from IBM standard. The article touts such features as the enhanced video RAM ('an expansive 64K'), enhanced CP/M, support for multiple operating systems
January 22, 2026 at 6:05 AM
retrocomps.bsky.social
WE ASKED PEOPLE HOW TO IMPROVE OUR BEST SELLING PRINTER. THEY TOLD US TO BE QUIET. (Source.)
Up top, the pritner itself, a white boxy affair with a black control panel to one side and a black panel indicating where it can be read. The copy reads: "When you already have a best seller like the KX-P1123 Dot Matrix Printer that delivers outstanding print quality, speed and reliability for the money, what do you do for an encore? We asked people just like you and they told us to make it quieter. So, we added Panasonic's Quiet Technology and created the new KX-P2023 24-pin Dot Matrix printer. But, we didn't stop there. At the same time we made it easier on your ears, we made the KX-P2023 much easier to use with an al-new, user-friendlier control panel. We also made it easier to load and even more reliable with a belt-drive tractor feed and a simplified paper path. Plus, like all Panasonic Dot Matrix printers, the KX-P2023 is backed by a tewo-year limited warranty. No wonder the 1992 PC Magazine Service and Reliability Survey rated Panasonic "Excellent"..."
January 22, 2026 at 12:05 AM
retrocomps.bsky.social
Some people say I focus too much on Commodore computers, but they're just sour appleheads. (Source.)
Two people talk to each other. A man, in a striped polo, with an Apple II for a head. A woman, in a blouse, with a Disk II disk drive. They're using their hands animatedly. Illustration drawn by Martin Cannon.
January 21, 2026 at 6:05 PM
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"The microbee Computer-in-a-Book represents a novel, practical effective low cost way of advancing to disk drive capacity..." (Source.)
From the April '86 issue of Bits & Bytes. Up top, the text "The microbee Computer-in-a-Book represents a novel, practical effective low cost way of advancing to disk drive capacity..." Center, the Microbee itself, featuring a squat keyboard, a squat CRT, and what we'd now call a minitower format for their 3.5" disk drive. Below, it touts the features, the included software, and the prices ($1,350 for the 64K Microbee with single disk drive; $470 for spare disk drive with matching volume; and "ask" about Modems, Printers, and Business Software). At the bottom, the bumblebee logo for microbee computer, as well as their postal address and six-digit telephone number.
January 21, 2026 at 12:05 PM
retrocomps.bsky.social
Fallout (PC, 1996)
The main interface for the game Fallout. The PC is currently in a cave; a two-headed cow corpse is visible screen left. Top center is dominated by the Pipboy view. Left are the player's current inventory (a rifle and two stacks of ammunition); top center is the PC's appearance, a grey green army man; middle is the current armor, some football-pad-looking leather armor; bottom shows the left hand is empty, and the right hand has a grey pistol. Top right are the character's key stats (ST 15, DX 17, IQ 11, HT 14, PD 2, DR 7, Move 7, Dodge 7), attack stats (Magnum, 3d bullet), Total Weight 10, Points 138, and Unspent Points -38. Bottom left is a log showing everything the player has looked at, an inventory button, the menu button, HP 14, FP 15, the left hand button showing Punch/Kickthe right hand button showing a Magnum, three toggles for action control, a Pip-Boy button, a Character Sheet button, a button for movement, and a mollyguard that would show combat options.
January 21, 2026 at 6:05 AM
retrocomps.bsky.social
I looked up the artist of this ad, Martin Kenwright. Mr. Kenwright's had a long and storied career in computer games: working on Tetris ports out of college, flight sims in the 80s, sold one company to Ocean Software, sold two different companies to Sony, not bad for a cartoonist. (Source.)
Top, the title: "Interactive BASIC Programming 48K ZX Spectrum & Spectrum+" Center, a Martin Kenwight cartoon; left, the user imagines the old way, reading books while the comptuer reads "ERROR", and getting rustrated; right, the user is happily computing, using Eigen software to learn how to program his micro. The tagline reads: "The only ZX Basic programming course that runs in your Spectrum and gives you complete control over your computer." Dense ad copy touts the twelve Learning Modules, as well as a giveaway of two Epson FX80 printers; the footer gives the name and address of Eigen Software, and their slogan, "Create Reality," which is really a lot to put on a speccy.
January 21, 2026 at 12:05 AM
retrocomps.bsky.social
FUTURE COMPUTERS? (Source.)
The cover of Byte, the Small Systems Journal, for April 1981. In it, a Robert Tinney piece depicts a small bezeled computer on a man's steel wristwatch; the tiny QUERTY keyboard and four side function keys fit on the face, while the micro-CRT reads, "INSERT DISK". Two fingers gingerly load the 5 1/4mm diskette into the side of the wristwatch.
January 20, 2026 at 6:05 PM
retrocomps.bsky.social
UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!
An ad from the Feb 1976 issue of Byte Magazine for The Intecolor 8001, a complete 8080 system with keyboard, monitor, modem, bell, AND manual, for JUST $1395 plus $15 shipping.
January 20, 2026 at 12:05 PM
retrocomps.bsky.social
"Happy puppy has thousands of playable demos, not to mention reviews, previews, and cheats - perfectly suited for your average samurai." (Source.)
Up top, a two page comic. A samurai in plaid looks at his CRT, showing he has fired a rocket in a Quake-like FPS killing his foe, and says: "[HP] takagawa: GG". His foe in the next panel grey floral looks at his CRT, showing he has been exploded, and types: "[HP] hero-hito: FT! you have so dishonored me." Down below, the text reads: "Concentrate. Channel. Frag. Chill out. Happy puppy has thousands of playable demos, not to mention reviews, previews, and cheats--perfectly suited for your average samurai. (Other people like Happy Puppy too.) In the bottom right, the logo of Happy Puppy - indeed, a happy puppy, with red eyes, a smug grin, floppy ear, and a patch over one eye - is surrounded by the url happypuppy.com and the slogan, "it's all games". Far bottom right, the URL games.theglobe.com appears.
January 20, 2026 at 6:05 AM
retrocomps.bsky.social
Your Complete Home Computer Resource (Source.)
Up top, in red rounded sans serif block font, the supertitle: "GET WIRED-LOG ON TO THE WORLD". Below that, in squared sans serif font with rounded corners in gold, the name of the magazine, COMPUTE; the hollow of the O forms a house. The subtitle below reads, "Your complete home computer resource - $2.95 February 1991." Middle cover is a stunning piece of digital art by artist Doug Strothers; made on a Micro Vax II, it depicts a dragonfly spaceship (mottled black and yellow) flying past two fractal gas giants to land on a fractal red planet. Below are the major article callouts: "HOME BUSINESS HELP • PC MONEY MANAGER • SPACE WARS AND GALACTIC CONQUEST • COMPUTER NOMAD • SURE FIRE MAC FIXES"
January 20, 2026 at 12:05 AM
retrocomps.bsky.social
Thanks to not-the-artist on Reddit, we have this screenshot of Neopets - and the kind of browser that would serve Neopets. (Source.)
A screenshot of IE6, open to Neopets' Explore page. The browser is branded with a red Q logo of some ISP, since browsers back then would let ISPs brand them to imply it was the ISP's legitimate software. Below menus and clearly labelled buttons, we have a labelled address bar, a links toolbar, a Google toolbar (with search and adblock built in!), a Yahoo toolbar (with search and common Yahoo links built in). The page shows a yellow sidebar with googie font (Pet Central, Create a Pet, Neomail, World, Explore, Chat, Games, Shops, News, Help, Login, Logout); a banner in the same googie font for Explore Neopia; an event ("Something has happened:" - image of a green brutish Neopet - "GRUNDO MUST EAT NEOPETS!!! GRUNDO FETCH NEOPETS FOR MASTER!"); and a map of Neopia, each having its own games and lore to explore. The taskbar shows 12 fast-start icons, three Internet Explorer windows, a notepad window, and a MSPaint window; the system tray shows 5 resident programs beside the clock.
January 19, 2026 at 6:05 PM
retrocomps.bsky.social
"ALL THOSE WHO CHALLENGE ME DIE, RONIN"
In the center of the screen, a rabbit samurai raises his sword and prepares to attack a rhinoceros in a forest; snowy mountains are in the background. Up top, we see the samurai's face contorted into anger, while the rhino says: "All those who challenge me die, ronin..." The corners of the screen give the player's money (3 ryo), Karma (4), the Player's health (9/10), and the enemy's health (8/10).
January 19, 2026 at 12:05 PM
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When Tandy cancelled the OS-9 line, fans in 1990 tried to step up. The MM/1 beat the Amiga, Mac, and most PCs on price, but with less than 500 units made - and only 8 ever sold, not including the giveaway mentioned in this ad - there was never going to be the software needed. (Source.)
A Utopian Scholastic style ad that shows a computer. The title: "For the first time, a community has banded together to design their next computer. A revolutionary new computer, conceived by you. The MM/1." Many dense articlets follow, including: Power, Support, Smart, Free, Compare, For $779, Systems, Extras, Giveaway. It's credited to Interactive Media Systems of Davidson, NC.
January 19, 2026 at 6:05 AM
retrocomps.bsky.social
In Quest of the Star Lord (TRS Coco 3, 1988, 4 disks)
A TRS-80 text adventure screenshot. The screan reads: "I am in a pre-war bunker. It appears to have taken quite a bit of damage and remains in poor repair. A hole exists in the west wall. You see: BIN, COT, CABINET, HOLE. EXITS: W U. COMMAND?"
January 19, 2026 at 12:05 AM
retrocomps.bsky.social
Murder. Treason. Sabotage. Espionage. Intergalactic war. Just another day on the planet Harmony. (Source.)
Up top, an alt deco take on a spaceship control concole, with a brown chair at the silvery panels; the three monitors show workers at the base of a pyramid, a three-dimensional map (currently highlighting the planet Harmony: "Friendly, population:low, Tech Level:medium"), and a topographic map with a selection cursor. The catchphrase "Murder. Treason. Sabotage. Espionage. Intergalactic war. Just another day on the planet Harmony." is in the middle. Dense, breathless ad copy below gives multiple paragraphs of reasons to play the game ("Introducing Maelstrom", "Mind-Bending Strategy", "Heart-Stopping Action", "Ever-Changing Plots"), and an 800 number to call to order. The logos for Merit Software and Don Bluth Multimedia appear at page bottom, as well as the box art (the same spaceship instrument panels as shown above).
January 18, 2026 at 6:05 PM
retrocomps.bsky.social
Knights of Xentar (1995) (Source.)
Up top, a holy man (Rolf) with magnificent blue beard prays in a church, with a girl hanging off his arm and two other girls in the background laughing. Below the text: "Rolf: Alice and I are concerned about the disgusting computer games being sold in our fair community."
January 18, 2026 at 12:05 PM
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A victim of Nazi pogroms, the Mondotheque was a precursor to our 'linked works on demand', using 'electric telescope' to produce and send documents to libraries and researchers.
A shelving unit holding a small rough-hewn electric appliance. In comparison to the card catalogues behind it, it's a tiny device, no longer than a desktop radio of the era; documents produced by this 'electric telescope' could be reviewed on the desk itself.
January 18, 2026 at 6:05 AM
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Total Back Up Power Takes A Quantum Leap!
In this EXTREMELY text- and font-dense ad, a Commodore 64 is a computer flying to space, and the red Action Replay cartrige is a shuttlecraft about to dock with it. Headings include "WARP 25 BREAKS THE 5 SECOND BARRIER!!!" "PLUS UNIQUE CODE CRACKER MONITOR" and "POWERFUL DESIGN WITH ON BOARD L51 LOGIC PROCESSOR CHIP"
January 18, 2026 at 12:05 AM