[TOOL] Make 8-bit video game sounds with cfxr/sfxr

One of the first profound gaming experiences I had, not just as a player but a creator, came through the Commodore 64's Shoot'Em Up Construction Kit. I never had the patience to complete an entire game, but dabbled with the pixel editor — ah, the glory of having 4 colors per sprite, eh?

On the audio side, there was a rather easy-to-use module that let you make all the familiar noises, from white noise whoosh explosions to sawtooth "You're gonna die!" warnings. Some years ago, I managed to relive this through an emulator and record the sound stream for sampling.

Today, there's an easier way. sfxr, or cfxr as it's known in a Mac Cocoa port with a more "standard" UI, is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. How's that for bringing back good ol' vidgame soundz to multiplatform enthusiasts? (3 platforms isn't a lot when you consider all the home microcomputers that warred in the 1980s.)

As I show you in the above video, it's really easy to get started making sounds. Your mind will warp to the Mushroom Kingdom! The original sfxr UI looks, well, more retro, but is pretty straightforward too. When you've got something pleasing, you can export it as a standard WAV.

Here's an audio demo from DrPetter, the maker:

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Loads of fun.