✦ Abby's Arcade

A magical little game library

Old adventures.
A new doorway.

A controller-first arcade that makes classic games approachable for kids—wrapped in a safe, joyful interface designed for Abby.

Follow the build See what’s next
Early development · macOS prototype running
An original red-haired adventurer leaping through colorful magical jungle ruins.
Original artwork created for the prototype
♥

Made for kids

Big choices, friendly language, mouse and controller navigation, and a playful Abby-centric default theme.

⌁

Parent managed

Games enter through a grown-up import flow with test launches, constrained settings, and library health checks.

◇

Hardware flexible

Developed on macOS, designed for Linux deployment, and built around replaceable emulator adapters.

Eleven worlds, one library

Systems in the arcade

Each emulator stays behind the same simple game card and return-to-arcade experience.

DOSDOSBox-X

Classic PC adventures with per-game speed and display settings.

AMIGAFS-UAE

ADF floppy support with parent-supplied Kickstart firmware.

N64Mupen64Plus

Cartridge images, isolated saves, and controller-first play.

GAMECUBEDolphin

ISO, GCM, and RVZ support through supervised native launching.

NESNestopia UE

Classic Nintendo cartridge adventures with a controller-first launch.

SNESSnes9x

16-bit favorites presented through the same friendly library.

ATARI 2600Stella

Foundational console games with simple, immediate play.

GENESISares

Sega cartridge support through a modern multi-system core.

C64VICE

Commodore disks, tapes, programs, and cartridges.

APPLE IIMAME

Apple IIe disk images with parent-managed system ROMs.

APPLE IIGSMAME

16-bit Apple adventures with ROM 03 and expanded disk-image support.

Simple on the outside, careful underneath

Built with a parent-controlled boundary

Game metadata never becomes a shell command. Every import is validated, staged, and approved before it appears in the child’s library.

Notes from the workshop

How the arcade is taking shape

A running record of the useful, testable pieces behind the playful screen.

  1. 05
    Now building

    Controller-first confidence

    Next up: persistent controller profiles, friendly input testing, per-game mappings, and recovery flows Abby can understand.

    In progress
  2. 04
    System expansion

    Eleven classic platforms, one shelf

    Connected DOS, Amiga, N64, GameCube, NES, SNES, Atari 2600, Genesis, C64, Apple IIe, and Apple IIgs through replaceable adapters.

    Complete
  3. 03
    Play experience

    A reliable path back to the arcade

    Added lightweight game chrome, mouse-accessible controls, keyboard return actions, supervised exits, favorites, and per-game settings.

    Complete
  4. 02
    Library & safety

    Games enter through a grown-up gate

    Added validated manifests, staged folder imports, test launches, isolated storage, health checks, and strict emulator allowlists.

    Complete
  5. 01
    Foundation

    A doorway made for Abby

    Built the whimsical pink-and-purple launcher, keyboard navigation, child library, parent area, and the first hardware-agnostic application shell.

    Complete
  6. 06
    On the horizon

    From playing to creating

    Package the arcade for Linux and macOS, add speech input, then grow a guided agentic studio for making small original games.

    Planned

Where the path leads

From retro library to creation studio

The long-term goal is not only playing games—it’s helping Abby imagine and create her own.

  1. 01
    Arcade foundation

    Whimsical launcher, managed library, safe imports, and supervised emulator exits.

  2. 02
    Controller-first polish

    Persistent profiles, per-game mappings, appliance mode, and kid-friendly recovery.

  3. 03
    Portable deployment

    Packaged macOS and Linux installers with first-run checks and backup tools.

  4. 04
    Agentic game maker

    Speech-assisted ideas transformed into small, editable games Abby can call her own.