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retrospecs.bsky.social
Retrospecs
@retrospecs.bsky.social
1.6K followers 210 following 62 posts
A pixel art image processing app for iOS

https://8bitartwork.co.uk/

Retrospecs lets you convert images and video clips so they appear as they would on a variety of home computers and consoles from the 70's, 80's and 90's.
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retrospecs.bsky.social
Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Nov 22
Some recent custom conversions. (Yes, I’m still a sucker for the character engine.) 😀

Generated in #Retrospecs for #iOS - 8bitartwork.co.uk
An abstract character image consisting of a large number of characters over a bright blur of rainbow colours. Most of the characters are the hash/pound symbol. A pixel art conversion of an image from the excellent The Mitchells vs the Machines animated movie where the dog is sticking its head out of a car window. An abstract character based image in bright 3-bit RGB primary colours. The overall effect is of a smear of colour. A conversation of the original Doom title screen into a custom character set and palette. The “characters” consist of chunky squares and diagonals in varying sizes. (You can sort-of recognise that it’s Doom, if you know Doom.)
retrospecs.bsky.social
Where the streets have limited resolution

(IBM EGA, Bayer 4x4 dithering.)

Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - 8bitartwork.co.uk
A deserted street scene with two rows of buildings disappearing into distance. The image is rendered in low resolution in the IBM EGA sixteen colour palette, with obvious pixels and dithering visible.
November 9, 2025 at 9:17 PM
retrospecs.bsky.social
You can now unlock the full version of Retrospecs for £1.99/€1.99/$1.99

In addition to the full suite of system and mode presets, the full version contains custom emulation, font and palette editors as well as additional features such as the emulation mutator.

Find out more at 8bitartwork.co.uk
An image of Peter Finch as the newscaster Howard Beale in the 1976 film Network. It depicts a man in his late middle age standing in front of multiple clocks with his hands in the air, shouting in frustration.
October 17, 2025 at 7:00 PM
retrospecs.bsky.social
The machine must be maintained at all times

(Apple Macintosh, Atkinson dithering.)

Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - 8bitartwork.co.uk

#retrospecs #ios #pixelart #8bitart #8bitartwork #macintosh
A still from the film Frankenstein’s Island, showing a man wearing a beanie and oversized 70’s sunglasses wiping the side of two machines with prominent dials. It’s rendered in black and white, at it would appear on the original Apple Macintosh.
October 14, 2025 at 6:53 AM
retrospecs.bsky.social
Who dis?

(PICO-8 (Secret palette), Bayer 8x8 dithering.)

Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - 8bitartwork.co.uk

#retrospecs #ios #pixelart #8bitart #8bitartwork #puppy #minischnauzer
A Salt and Pepper (Black & white) Mini Schnauzer pup sitting on a patch of grass, staring at the camera. It’s rendered as it would appear on the PICO-8 virtual console, and hence is low resolution, and heavily dithered.
October 3, 2025 at 6:01 PM
retrospecs.bsky.social
There should be a new version of Retrospecs trundling out in the next week or two.

Nothing particularly exciting in terms of new features, but the Dragon 32 presets have been overhauled and should now be correct.
A screen from the Retrospecs iOS app, showing a heavily dithered, two colour image of a dog in orange and black above a series of menu options.
July 12, 2025 at 5:07 PM
retrospecs.bsky.social
The first version of Retrospecs was released in the App Store eleven years ago today.

To celebrate the anniversary, you can unlock the full version for $0.99 / £0.99 / €0.99 for the next week. 🥳

Feel free to spread the word.

8bitartwork.co.uk
A heavily dithered and pixelated image of a purple balloon against a yellow background.
June 13, 2025 at 6:47 AM
retrospecs.bsky.social
Sad to hear of the passing of Bill Atkinson, one of the key software developers on the Macintosh, from the QuickDraw system thru to era-defining applications like MacPaint and HyperCard.
A black and white, heavily dithered image of Bill Atkinson, pictured here in early eighties. He has a large moustache and wire-framed glasses, beneath a large mop of curly hair. Rendered using Atkinson dithering algorithm.
June 7, 2025 at 6:46 PM
retrospecs.bsky.social
Incidentally, it’s Retrospecs 11th birthday on the 13th of June.

Based on what’s happened in previous years, I’d say it’s likely that there’ll be a special price to unlock the full version.

Total speculation, you understand. 🤔
June 5, 2025 at 4:54 PM
retrospecs.bsky.social
Hatched

(Custom per-pixel emulation using Nintendo Gameboy (Daylight) palette. 60x240, 4∶1 pixel ratio.)

Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - 8bitartwork.co.uk
An abstract image consisting of light and dark green areas of checkerboards horizontal lines of varying density. The image is low resolution and heavily pixelated.
June 5, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Reposted by Retrospecs
jazrignall.bsky.social
Back in 1991, snitches got the riches... 🤣
June 1, 2025 at 9:41 AM
retrospecs.bsky.social
[ Gingerly opens Xcode. ]
June 1, 2025 at 10:36 AM
retrospecs.bsky.social
Whilst I can’t in all honesty condone his jelly habit, these are excellent value products at full-price, let alone when there’s a sale on…
futurewas8bit.bsky.social Rod Hull @futurewas8bit.bsky.social · Apr 25
Heads up.. Due to me running out of cash for Green Flavoured Jelly. I've panicked and put a bit of a sale on. So why not grab yourself a bargain before I go broke!😉

Penultimate+2 £47.99 / Penultimate+3 £69.99
Kung-Fu-Flash £29.99 / Fastload Cart £9.99
SD2PET £62.99 / DesTestMax £14.99
www.tfw8b.com
Penultimate+3 for the Commodore VIC20 (Micro SD Card Slot) Kung-Fu-Flash cartridge for the C64 SD2PET for the Commodore PET DesTestMax diag cart for the Commodore 64
April 26, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Reposted by Retrospecs
keefstuart.bsky.social
Hello! I an launching a little video game email newsletter with excellent people Christian Donlan and @florencesn.bsky.social! It’s called The Bathysphere and it’s about games we like and interesting books, films and events about games-adjacent stuff! You can subscribe at buttondown.com/Bathysphere
The Bathysphere
A weekly deep dive into video games from Christian Donlan, Florence Smith Nicholls and Keith Stuart. No hot takes, no news, no reviews. Just short essays, recommendations and other nice things.
buttondown.com
March 24, 2025 at 12:05 PM
retrospecs.bsky.social
Embrace

(Custom per-pixel emulation using Desert palette. 136x128, Bayer 8x8 dithering.)

Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - https://8bitartwork.co.uk

#retrospecs #ios #pixelart #8bitart #8bitartwork #abstract #dithering
An abstract image consisting of light and dark red areas of what appears to be a folded piece of material. The image is low resolution and heavily pixelated, with very obvious signs of dithering.
March 4, 2025 at 8:21 PM
retrospecs.bsky.social
Experiencing further degradation

Hope you’re all surviving out there. 🫡

(Custom per-pixel emulation using custom palette. 320x240)

Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - https://8bitartwork.co.uk

#retrospecs #ios #pixelart #8bitart #8bitartwork
An image of a skull, rendered in pixel art in an off-white colour against a dark background. Sections of the image are missing or appear to be corrupted.
February 27, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Reposted by Retrospecs
greyalien.bsky.social
NEW GAME ANNOUNCEMENT!

A 1995 CD-ROM. A game buried for a reason. You flip a card. The screen glitches. Something is watching.
Forbidden Solitaire—a dungeon horror from the creators of Ancient Enemy and Home Safety Hotline.

store.steampowered.com/app/3414580/...

With @slicknicklives.bsky.social
February 3, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Reposted by Retrospecs
egvroom.bsky.social
CAVE DAVE is out NOW for the Game Boy Color. 💨
Spelunk through retro console themed caves in search of Dave’s beloved PSP. 💣
No two games are ever the same.
Available NOW on @itchio.bsky.social -> thalamusdigital.itch.io/cave-dave-ga...
#GameBoy #GBStudio #GBDK2020 #indiegame
January 31, 2025 at 1:09 PM
retrospecs.bsky.social
Monkey, puzzled

(Custom character emulation using Circlex character set and Nintendo Gameboy Color T1 Reverse palette. 256x192.)

Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - https://8bitartwork.co.uk

#pixelart #8bitart #8bitartwork #abstract #abstractart
An abstract image composed of letters from a custom character pixel font consisting of various low-resolution geometric shapes and checkerboards. The overall impression is of a mass of yellow and black mechanical parts sitting on the left-hand side of the foreground against the backdrop of a clear, teal coloured sky.
January 18, 2025 at 2:33 PM
retrospecs.bsky.social
“It’s so freeing, it’s beautiful in a way, to have a great failure, there’s nowhere to go but up.”
- David Lynch
A headshot of David Lynch rendered in a blue tinted duotone.
January 16, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Reposted by Retrospecs
retrospecs.bsky.social
Some recent custom conversions. (Yes, I’m still a sucker for the character engine.) 😀

Generated in #Retrospecs for #iOS - 8bitartwork.co.uk
An abstract character image consisting of a large number of characters over a bright blur of rainbow colours. Most of the characters are the hash/pound symbol. A pixel art conversion of an image from the excellent The Mitchells vs the Machines animated movie where the dog is sticking its head out of a car window. An abstract character based image in bright 3-bit RGB primary colours. The overall effect is of a smear of colour. A conversation of the original Doom title screen into a custom character set and palette. The “characters” consist of chunky squares and diagonals in varying sizes. (You can sort-of recognise that it’s Doom, if you know Doom.)
November 22, 2024 at 8:13 PM
retrospecs.bsky.social
Tree ‘n shit. Innit.

Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - https://8bitartwork.co.uk.
A decorated Christmas tree, with presents around the base, presented in chunky low-resolution, with very large, obvious pixels.
December 23, 2024 at 9:48 PM
retrospecs.bsky.social
PRODUCT SALES AT AN ALL TIME LOW.

BUY MORE PRODUCT. BUY MORE PRODUCT. BUY MORE PRODUCT. BUY MORE PRODUCT.

PLEASE THANK YOU BYE.
December 11, 2024 at 8:02 PM
Reposted by Retrospecs
retrospecs.bsky.social
A Wild Skullington appears

(Custom character emulation and palette, using VIC-20 character. 480x320)

Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - 8bitartwork.co.uk
An image of a skull (minus jawbone) composed from the Commodore VIC-20 character set, rendered in cream against an off-black background.
August 11, 2024 at 4:52 PM
Reposted by Retrospecs
retrospecs.bsky.social
Lil’ babby doom

(Custom per-pixel emulation using Grafxkid Oil 6 palette. 120x80, Bayer 8x8 dithering.)

Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - 8bitartwork.co.uk

#pixel #pixels #pixelart #8bit #8bitart #computerart #digitalart #designart #art #graphics
A low resolution rendering of the Doom title screen, in a minimal palette consisting of lavender tinted shades.
August 25, 2024 at 12:27 PM
Reposted by Retrospecs
delphix4855.bsky.social
I made :admirAAAAA: as #pixelart on my #NES using CrossPaint demo (by @cuttercross.bsky.social)!
I used Retrospecs (@retrospecs.bsky.social) to convert the image to a custom emulation - 128x128 with four shades of green - then used that as a reference. It took three hours over two days.
Photo of a green phosphor CRT displaying CrossPaint, with a pixel art of :admirAAAAA: emoji on the canvas. Same shot as before, just zoomed out to show the entire front of the CRT and an NES controller. Same again, but displayed on a colour CRT TV, which results in :admirAAAAA: being grey rather than green. The original :admirAAAAA: image.
November 29, 2024 at 7:28 AM