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Best Demoscene & retrocomputing videos, as recommended on Hacker News

107 videos about demoscene & retrocomputing that Hacker News commenters keep recommending, mentioned between 2009 and 2026. Mostly demo, documentary, talk. Channels that come up most: RetroDemoScene, The 8-Bit Guy, CuriousMarc, Demoscene High-Quality Videos (Annikras). Sorted by how consistently HN recommended them over the years.

The most recommended is elevated by Rgba & TBC | 4k intro (FullHD 1080p demoscene demo): Held up as the landmark demoscene production and a counterpoint to software bloat.

• demoelevated by Rgba & TBC | 4k intro (FullHD 1080p demoscene demo)Demoscene High-Quality Videos (Annikras) · 7 HN recommenders · 2013–2025
• talkThe Ultimate Game Boy Talk (33c3)media.ccc.de · 10 HN recommenders · 2017–2026
• demoA Mind Is Born (256 bytes)lftkryo · 8 HN recommenders · 2017–2025
• talkCppCon 2016: Jason Turner “Rich Code for Tiny Computers: A Simple Commodore 64 Game in C++17”CppCon · 13 HN recommenders · 2016–2024
• talkCompiling C to printable x86, to make an executable research papersuckerpinch · 8 HN recommenders · 2018–2023
• documentaryTrackers: The Sound of 16-BitAhoy · 7 HN recommenders · 2021–2026
• tutorialI painted a Landscape with MathematicsInigo Quilez · 7 HN recommenders · 2022–2025
• demoElevated by RGBA and TBCBUTTONTANG · 7 HN recommenders · 2009–2025
• documentaryApollo Guidance Computer Part 1: Restoring the computer that put man on the MoonCuriousMarc · 8 HN recommenders · 2019–2024
• talkHow we fit an NES game into 40 KilobytesMorphcat Games · 6 HN recommenders · 2019–2026
• documentaryMoleman 2 - Demoscene - The Art of the Algorithms (2012)Vakondok (Moleman) · 6 HN recommenders · 2015–2023
• explainerCGA Graphics - Not as bad as you thought!The 8-Bit Guy · 6 HN recommenders · 2016–2024
• tutorialAmiga Hardware Programming 1 - Use the Assembler and wait for left clickScoopexUs · 4 HN recommenders · 2015–2024
• demoUsing a 1930 Teletype as a Linux TerminalCuriousMarc · 4 HN recommenders · 2020–2025
• demoThe Black Lotus - Eon - Amiga Demo (50 FPS)RetroDemoScene · 4 HN recommenders · 2019–2026
• tutorialI made a NES emulator in 15 minutesBisqwit · 3 HN recommenders · 2013–2022
• documentaryDoomed: The Embers of Amiga FPSAhoy · 4 HN recommenders · 2015–2017
• demofr-08: .the .product by farbrausch | 64k intro (2000) (720p HQ demoscene demo)Demoscene High-Quality Videos (Annikras) · 2 HN recommenders · 2016–2020
• documentaryHow Prince of Persia Defeated Apple II's Memory Limitations | War Stories | Ars TechnicaArs Technica · 5 HN recommenders · 2020–2026
• demoIntrinsic Gravity by StillTiXL · 3 HN recommenders · 2019–2026
• demo.kkrieger - The FPS Game in 96KB (Full Gameplay)Daniel Hands · 3 HN recommenders · 2013–2026
• talkThe Making of: ROM City Rampage (Retro City Rampage)VblankEntertainment · 4 HN recommenders · 2014–2022
• demo"Memories" - 256 byte MSDOS introHéll Mood · 4 HN recommenders · 2020–2022
• demoTiTAN - Overdrive 2 (RGB 50fps) - SEGA Mega Drive - Revision 2017 (1st Place)Oerg866 · 2 HN recommenders · 2017–2026
• demoBytebeat: Experimental music from very short C programsVille-Matias Heikkilä (viznut) · 4 HN recommenders · 2014–2023
• talk"An approach to computing and sustainability inspired from permaculture" by Devine Lu LinvegaStrange Loop Conference · 4 HN recommenders · 2023–2024
• demoMy old BBC Micro systemmikeselectricstuff · 3 HN recommenders · 2017–2022
• demoFarbrausch - fr-041: debris. [HD]kb · 4 HN recommenders · 2010–2026
• documentaryThe REAL Story On Why Space Cadet Pinball Was Removed (ft. Windows on Itanium)NCommander · 4 HN recommenders · 2021–2024
• talkPRACTICE 2018: Joseph WhiteNYU Game Center · 2 HN recommenders · 2018–2022
• demoThe Commodordionlftkryo · 3 HN recommenders · 2022–2025
• musicZX Spectrum 1-bit music: Agent X (Tim Follin, 1985)aki__ · 3 HN recommenders · 2015–2026
• demoChaos Theory - Awesome 64k Intro! [720p HD]Lounger · 3 HN recommenders · 2011–2024
• talk25c3: The Ultimate Commodore 64 TalkChristiaan008 · 3 HN recommenders · 2011–2025
• talk27c3: Reverse Engineering the MOS 6502 CPU (en)Christiaan008 · 2 HN recommenders · 2014–2021
• demoFuture Crew - Second Reality (1993) [60fps]DemosceneVids · 3 HN recommenders · 2020–2023
• talkNVScene 2015 Session: How to Create Content with Signed Distance Functions (Johann Korndörfer)NVScene · 3 HN recommenders · 2017–2018
• demo8088 MPH by Hornet + CRTC + DESiREJim Leonard · 3 HN recommenders · 2017–2024
• demoXAYAX - Bang! (ATARI VCS 2600 demo)MEGA - Museum of Electronic Games & Art · 2 HN recommenders · 2014–2019
• musicRazor1911Dubmood · 3 HN recommenders · 2026–2026
• talkBSidesLV 2013 3 2 7 Sixteen Colors Archiving the Evolution of ANSI and ASCII Art Doug Moore BrenAdrian Crenshaw · 3 HN recommenders · 2015–2022
• tutorialI wrote a Raytracer for DOS, 16 VGA colorsBisqwit · 2 HN recommenders · 2019–2021
• explainerHow "oldschool" graphics worked Part 1 - Commodore and NintendoThe 8-Bit Guy · 4 HN recommenders · 2015–2019
• documentaryThe Only Famous MotherboardCathode Ray Dude - CRD · 3 HN recommenders · 2025–2025
• demoThe rigs we've created for chipsynth MD's emulation.plgDavid · 3 HN recommenders · 2022–2023
• explainerEmulating the DX7 the HARD wayplgDavid · 3 HN recommenders · 2021–2024
• musicFarbrausch & Neuro - Masagin (HD Stereo)Leonard Ritter · 3 HN recommenders · 2010–2023
• demoHartverdrahtet - Akronyme Analogiker | 4k Revision 2012Demoscene High-Quality Videos (Annikras) · 2 HN recommenders · 2012–2024
• demoCan you fit a whole game into a QR code?MattKC · 2 HN recommenders · 2020–2025
• demoSecond Reality by Future Crew (pc demo)Michael Huth (Elianda) · 2 HN recommenders · 2015–2023
• talkDEF CON 18 - Jason Scott - You're Stealing It Wrong! 30 Years of Inter-Pirate BattlesDEFCONConference · 2 HN recommenders · 2014–2025
• demoMars DOS demo by Tim Clarke (1993)Sean Barrett · 2 HN recommenders · 2016–2025
• documentaryApollo Core Rope Memory (Apollo Guidance Computer Part 30)CuriousMarc · 2 HN recommenders · 2023–2026
• documentaryElite: "The game that couldn't be written"Alexander the ok · 2 HN recommenders · 2024–2025
• explainerWhy Are Emulators Legal? Dolphin vs. Nintendo, and the Fate of Emulation [Great Emu War Pt. 1]Moon Channel · 2 HN recommenders · 2023–2024
• demoExcel 97 Easter Egg - Flight SimulationTom.K · 2 HN recommenders · 2013–2024
• documentaryThe Story of Another World on the Amiga | MVGModern Vintage Gamer · 2 HN recommenders · 2022–2023
• demoSymbOS MP3MSX Demostrationkarloch · 2 HN recommenders · 2014–2018
• demoRobotic Liberation by PWP (VIC-20)Ville-Matias Heikkilä (viznut) · 2 HN recommenders · 2010–2015
• otherVampire 2 Review - The Fastest Amiga Ever?!Dan Wood · 2 HN recommenders · 2016–2019
• demoCygnusEd Professional in Action on an Amiga 2000Casey Muratori · 1 HN recommender · 2016–2023
• documentaryMaking of Second Reality / Future CrewMika Tuomi · 2 HN recommenders · 2011–2024
• demoThe IBM 1401 mainframe runs "Edith"CuriousMarc · 2 HN recommenders · 2020–2023
• demoZarch (1987) Gameplay for BBC Acorn Archimedes High QualityPhoenix Risen · 2 HN recommenders · 2016–2020
• documentaryCommodore 64—25th Anniversary CelebrationComputer History Museum · 2 HN recommenders · 2012–2016
• demoOnslaught - Bad Apple 64 - C64 DemoRetroDemoScene · 2 HN recommenders · 2018–2026
• explainerHow a Laser-Shot Disk Defeats Hackers & Pirates (Coding Secrets)GameHut · 2 HN recommenders · 2018–2024
• demoSGI Indigo2: An $86,000 Workstation from 1995LGR · 2 HN recommenders · 2019–2024
• demoArea 5150 by CRTC & Hornet (Party Version) / IBM PC+CGA Demo, Hardware Capturex86VileR · 2 HN recommenders · 2022–2024
• documentaryRockafire Explosion DocumentaryRye & Cole · 2 HN recommenders · 2023–2024
• demoAmiga Samplers : Budget dance music in 1990debuglive · 2 HN recommenders · 2020–2022
• interviewFatboy Slim - The Rockafeller Skank | Het verhaal achter het nummerTop 2000 a gogo · 2 HN recommenders · 2021–2021
• demoAltair 8800 - Video #7.1 - Loading 4K BASIC with a Teletypederamp5113 · 2 HN recommenders · 2021–2024
• explainerRacing the Beam Explained - Atari 2600 CPU vs. CRT TelevisionRetro Game Mechanics Explained · 2 HN recommenders · 2022–2025
• documentaryQuick Start, Episode 7: Crimes... And Felonies.Cathode Ray Dude - CRD · 2 HN recommenders · 2024–2026
• demoChain of Fools : Upgrading through every version of windows (HQ)TheRasteri · 2 HN recommenders · 2011–2021
• demo8088 MPH by Hornet + CRTC + DESiRE (final version)andrewmjenner · 1 HN recommender · 2016–2021
• musicBig Ideas: Don't get any -- by James HoustonJames Houston · 1 HN recommender · 2011–2022
• documentaryAmiga Story | Nostalgia NerdNostalgia Nerd · 1 HN recommender · 2018–2022
• demoFreespinMatthias Kramm · 1 HN recommender · 2021–2026
• demoAmiga Boing Ballamigang · 1 HN recommender · 2016–2026
• explainerThe 1988 VIDEO Floppy Disk Camera: Canon Xap Shot RC-250LGR · 1 HN recommender · 2018–2025
• documentaryThe History of 3D Graphics on the Gameboy Advance | minimmeminimme · 1 HN recommender · 2022–2023
• demoSpaceballs - State of the Art - Amiga Demo (HD 50fps)RetroDemoScene · 1 HN recommender · 2015–2024
• tutorialSGI's $250,000 Graphics Supercomputer from 1993 - Silicon Graphics Onyx RealityEngine²Dodoid · 1 HN recommender · 2018–2024
• demoColor Maximite 2 - ARM CPU that runs BASIC!The 8-Bit Guy · 1 HN recommender · 2020–2021
• demoThe Fastest Apple Mac is an Amiga - Fact or Fiction?The Retro Collective · 1 HN recommender · 2018–2021
• demoDark Castle (1986) - Original Macintosh Version!Classic Mac Gaming · 1 HN recommender · 2012–2022
• tutorialPolyend Tracker // Review and Full Tutorial from Sample to Songloopop · 1 HN recommender · 2020–2022
• demopuls (256 bytes)JanRrrolaKadlec · 1 HN recommender · 2011–2014
• demoThe Black Lotus - Starstruck - Amiga Demo (AGA)RetroDemoScene · 1 HN recommender · 2016–2025
• demoThe weeCee: A Tiny New MS-DOS & Windows Gaming PC!LGR · 1 HN recommender · 2022–2023
• musicDavid Hasselhoff - True Survivor (from Kung Fury)DavidHasselhoffVEVO · 1 HN recommender · 2019–2024
• demoDEC LAB-8/e (PDP-8/e) playing musicPhilipp Hachtmann · 1 HN recommender · 2018–2020
• commentaryBuilding my dream computer - Part 1The 8-Bit Guy · 1 HN recommender · 2019–2023
• demoBeOS Demo Videomikeboss · 1 HN recommender · 2016–2024
• tutorialHow a Character LCD works Part 1The 8-Bit Guy · 1 HN recommender · 2018–2022
• demoCanon CatStoria Informatica · 1 HN recommender · 2016–2024
• documentaryThe Computer Programme (1): It's Happening Now (Introduction to Computing)Jesús Zafra (Lobogris) · 1 HN recommender · 2014–2025
• demoKefrens - Desert Dream - Amiga Demo (HD 50fps)RetroDemoScene · 1 HN recommender · 2016–2021
• demoSORTDEMO.BASfragglet · 1 HN recommender · 2019–2023
• demoSpaceballs - 9 Fingers - Amiga Demo (HD 50fps)RetroDemoScene · 1 HN recommender · 2021–2024
• demoC++ Weekly - Ep 19 C++14 For The Commodore 64C++ Weekly With Jason Turner · 1 HN recommender · 2016–2025
• talkVCF East: Xerox Star vs. Apple LisaVintage Computer Federation · 1 HN recommender · 2023–2026
• demoSonic behind waterfall - RetroArch shader comparisonPenguinWeirdness · 1 HN recommender · 2020–2024
• demoBytebeat: Music from very short programs - the 3rd iterationVille-Matias Heikkilä (viznut) · 1 HN recommender · 2013–2024
• musicAmiga music: Captain - Space DebrisKuokka77 · 1 HN recommender · 2018–2022