Owning an Amiga microcomputer is an experience that leaves a lasting mark—much like shaking hands with a Shoggoth! It’s been thirty-two years, yet Neil from The Retro Collective finds himself haunted by memories, especially of BlitzBasic 2, the intriguing programming language he never got around to mastering. So why not embark on a journey to create an Amiga game in the promising year of 2025?

Neil takes us down a nostalgic path where BlitzBasic may not have reigned as the primary programming language for the Amiga, but it certainly held its own, boasting a notable legacy, including contributions to the hit game Skidmarks in 1993. Contrary to what the name suggests, BlitzBasic is far from a slow, interpreted language. It is, in fact, a compiled language that rivals even C in speed and efficiency on the Amiga platform.

Neil is not alone in his reverie—there's a thriving community still engaged with the Amiga and its beloved BlitzBasic. You can explore AmiBlitz3, a version available on GitHub, maintained by Sven (alias honitas), featuring an upgraded integrated development environment (IDE). This version breathes new life into the language, making it easier than ever to dive in. A fascinating video walks viewers through the history of this open-source gem and provides the fundamentals to kickstart your programming journey.

For the adventurous vibe-coders among you, Neil shares a game-changing tip: leverage Language Learning Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT when tackling niche programming languages. Instead of merely asking for code snippets—which may yield little without specialized training—you can ask for techniques and pseudocode. With this approach, you can adapt it into your game-building process. Neil himself found these systems invaluable in enhancing his pixel art workflow, showing just how modern tools can invigorate classic programming experiences!