There is quite a bit to unpack here, but I’ll start with the part that should be most exciting for this forum: I have ported enough of the DizzyAGE game engine from C++ to JavaScript to run DizzyAGE games directly inside a modern web browser.
The port is bundled with Continuum RX, my free, local-first web platform for retro games and creative tools:
https://continuum.tape-drive.xyz
Continuum RX runs in the browser, but it can create a persistent workspace inside a folder on your computer. Applications and games can be installed from its built-in catalog, while the Q‑RX console interface provides a controller-friendly way to browse and launch them. The project is still a pre-release preview, so expect unfinished features and the occasional rough edge.
The video below shows the DizzyAGE ports in action and also serves as a quick tutorial if you would like to try them yourself: https://youtu.be/p5ukgsOCuwM
So far, I have ported Dizzy and The Other Side and Spellbound Dizzy. The really exciting part is that moving from the first game to the second required surprisingly little game-specific work—primarily replacing the data pack. That suggests the web runtime may already be compatible with many other games created using DizzyAGE.
Does that mean every DizzyAGE game can now become a web app? It is too early to promise that. Different games may rely on engine features, scripts, or edge cases that the current port might not yet support. But the fact that a second game was brought across so easily is a very encouraging sign. I would love to test more DizzyAGE titles and discover where the compatibility limits currently are.
You may also notice the DizzyAGE Editor in the Continuum RX app catalog. Yes, that is another port currently in progress—and no, it is not ready yet! It can be installed and launched, but significant parts remain broken or incomplete. Porting the editor is a much larger challenge than running the games themselves, and there is still plenty of C++ functionality left to translate.
Still, the destination is now visible: DizzyAGE games running instantly in the browser, with their original data and scripts—and, eventually, the tools to open and edit their worlds there too.
This is only the beginning, but Dizzy has already made the jump to the web, for better or worse.
Let me know what you think, which games would I be allowed to port, anything to improve... ;)
