Gunnar Kanold has announced the 2026 rendition of the Homeputerium Annual BASIC 10-Liner Programming Contest. Running through the 22nd of March with the winners announced on the 3rd of April 2026. The contest is open to users of all 8-Bit platforms.
This year’s rules and categories are as follows:
15th Edition of BASIC 10 Liner Contest
Legal systems:
All 8-bit computer systems
This explicitly includes, for the first time this year, systems that have only an 8-bit-wide data bus:
- – Texas Instruments TI 99/4A
- – IBM PC Model 5150/5160
- – IBM PCjr
- – Tandy 1000/2000
- – Sinclair QL
- – Olivetti M20
Authorized BASIC dialects:
All line orientated BASIC dialects are allowed with a restriction in the category “PUR-80”
Since the judges do not have the original hardware of all approved systems, all systems must have an available emulator. Authors must provide a recommendation for an emulator and a brief description of how to run the game. They must also include a screenshot in jpg or png format or an animated screenshot in gif format.
Category “PUR-80”: Program a game in 10 lines (max. 80 characters per logical line, abbreviations are allowed). Attention: In this category, only factory built-in BASIC variants are allowed.
Category “PUR-120”: Program a game in 10 lines (max. 120 characters per logical line, abbreviations are allowed)
Category “EXTREME-256”: Program a game in 10 lines (max. 256 characters per logical line, abbreviations are allowed)
Category “SCHAU”: Code a program in 10 lines (max. 256 characters per logical line, abbreviations are allowed). The program can be a demo, a tool, or an application.
Category “PLUS”: Code a program in 10 lines (max. 256 characters per logical line, abbreviations are allowed). It is still permitted to load background graphics, title images, and accompanying music from external storage media.
Additional rules for the above categories are a follows:
- 1. Loading data or program parts from mass storage devices is not allowed. Exception: Category ‘PLUS’.
- 2. The 10 lines must not contain machine programs.
- 3. Programs may be compiled (source must still be submitted).
- 4. All code must be visible in the listing: no self-modifying code or hidden initializations are allowed.
- 5. POKEs are allowed.
- 6. Deadline for submissions: Sunday, March 22, 2026, 18:00 CET
- 7. Awards Ceremony: Friday, April 3, 2026
- 8a. Jury voting
- 8b. Special “Public’s Choice” award on bunsen.itch.io (based on different interactions)
- 9. The program must be submitted on a disk or tape image suitable for the system.
- 10. The program must be listable (the LIST command must produce a readable program listing).
- 11. Include the following in a ZIP file with your submission: The program (on disk or tape image file); a text file with the program description and instructions; a short description of how to start the game using the emulator; a screenshot in jpg or png format (or an animated screenshot in gif format); a program listing that proves the program does not have more characters than allowed for the category.
- 12a. For program descriptions and code explanations there can be up to 0.5 bonus points in the rating.
- 12b. If anything is missing (image, screenshot, proof), up to 0.5 points can be deducted.
- 13. Contestants agree to the publication of their programs, descriptions and instructions by the Organizer.
- 14. Send to GKANOLD-at-GMAIL dot COM.
- 15. If the game is controlled with the keyboard, use “O” for left, “P” for right, “E” for up and “D” for down if possible; this takes into account the most important keyboard layouts (no disadvantages for emulator users with QWERTZ, QWERTY or AZERTY keyboards)
A detailed overview of the submitted programs can be found at bunsen.itch.io. The information is presented in a reduced form on the homepage www.basic10liner.com. Submitted programs are normally published no later than five days after submission. At the author’s request, publication can be postponed until the end of the contest.
Submitted programs that do not follow the rules will be placed in the “WILD” category. Only one program per person is allowed in the “WILD” category
