Kwyll is a new type of game creator designed with old 8 bit machines in mind, initially the Sinclair ZX Spectrum range of computers from 1982. It is designed to be easy to use, with simple graphics editing features and a friendly graphical programming system, so non-programmers can create games for their favourite retro machines.
Kwyll is currently in beta, available for a reduced price of $9.99, increasing to $29.99 on release, from Itch.io, so if you're the sort of person who likes to tinker with things early on, and don't mind a few "idiosyncrasies", now's the time to get involved.
During the beta program all updates and enhancements to the v1.0 version will be available immediately to anyone who has purchased a license. The beta version is under active development and subject to change, and may include bugs and aspects of performance that will change during the beta phase.
After beta, the official v1.0 release will be updated periodically to anyone with a license, Patreon supporters get early access to new features.
Games Made With Kwyll
Kwyll is still in beta, but it is already being used to make playable ZX Spectrum games by Indigobeetle and members of the community.
Indigobeetle games
Community games
Sewer Escape
A first game from MGRDesigns, created with Kwyll for the 48K ZX Spectrum.
Play on itch.io
Poopy Platforms
A characterful arcade platform game made in Kwyll for the ZX Spectrum.
Play on itch.io
Media
Kwyll in Action
Frequently Asked Questions
Kwyll is a new type of game creator inspired by classic 8-bit machines like the Sinclair ZX Spectrum. It’s designed to make retro game creation fun and accessible for everyone.
No! Kwyll features a friendly graphical programming system so non-programmers can create their own games without needing to write code.
Initially, Kwyll is focused on the Sinclair ZX Spectrum range of computers from 1982. The upcoming Kickstarter campaign is focused on adding first-class Sinclair ZX Spectrum Next support.
You can join the Kickstarter launch list above, check out our YouTube channel for updates, join our Discord community, or support development on Patreon and Ko-fi.
Kwyll is designed to be flexible within the constraints of the target platform, it imposes no specific limitations on the type of game you can make, the logic system is powerful and flexible. The main limitation at the initial release for the Spectrum is that it doesn't support scrolling, so screen/room based games only (unless you get creative).
The main limitation, apart from machine capabilities, is the amount of memory available for your game. At beta release 1.0, Kwyll will support only the 48k Spectrum, and it is hoped to provide between 15 and 20KB for game data. There are various tools in Kwyll to optimise your game, and many tips and tricks to be learned to maximise the available space, many of which are actively discussed on the Discord server.