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In 2022, Palm OS developer Aaron Ardiri released source code for a collection of games, libraries and utilities written for the now-obsolete PDA platform. The publication spans 12 GitHub repositories and includes nine named game projects, a Game Boy emulator library and graphics code, giving developers a practical way to study—and potentially port—software designed for extremely limited hardware.
What Aaron Ardiri released
RetroRGB reported the release on May 28, 2022; Devtalk covered it on June 15, describing the software as more than 20 years old. The repositories contain both source and compiled binaries for the games, but they do not all use one common license.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Palm TX Handheld | $119.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Palm Tungsten E2 Handheld | $119.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
PalmOne m105 Handheld | Buy on Amazon | |
| 4 |
|
Palm Z22 Handheld | Buy on Amazon |
Nine game projects
- Phire (Fire!)
- Parashoot (Parachute)
- Oktopus (Octopus)
- Maryobros (Mario Bros)
- Lemmings
- Hoards of the Deep Realm (Lode Runner)
- Hexxagon (Ataxx)
- DKung (Donkey Kong – Dual Screen)
- DKJR (Donkey Kong Jr)
The release also includes a Game Boy emulator library and a graphics library. Source for Phire, Parashoot, Oktopus and DKJR was additionally published for the VTech Helio PDA. The Lemmings repository used a different licensing arrangement from the other projects, which had custom licenses, so users should read the terms in each repository before redistributing code or binaries.
The Tool Desk
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The Lemmings repository contained eight level packs when RetroRGB reported the release. That was a snapshot, and the report said additional packs were expected; it should not be treated as a permanent total.
#1 Best Overall
- Sleek, stylish handheld with 128 MB of flash memory and big 320x480 screen
- Built-in wireless connectivity via Wi-Fi (802.11b) and Bluetooth
- Easily manage email on the road or access files on your office desktop PC
- Expansion slot that supports MMC, SD, and SDIO memory cards
- Palm Desktop Software for Windows and Mac
Why this Palm OS source code matters
Palm OS devices had little memory and processing power by modern standards. Making the original C code—and the assembly-language optimizations used where performance demanded them—available lets developers inspect how complete games and emulation components were built under those constraints.
Ardiri described the preservation and portability idea this way:
Rank #2
- 320x320 Transflective TFT color display with touchscreen, supports more than 65,000 colors
- Built-in Bluetooth technology for connecting to compatible wireless devices, such as mobile phones, laptops, and printers
- Powerful, yet affordable, with 32 MB of memory (26 MB actual storage capacity)
- Create and edit Word, Excel, Adobe PDF, and PowerPoint compatible files
- Supports SD, SDIO and MultiMediaCard expansion-cards to add extra memory, features or content
“Palm OS had a thriving gaming scene; with the likes of emulators and implementations/clones of classics such as LodeRunner, Lemmings, and the classic Game and Watch. written mainlyin C and optimizations in assembler — maybe these games will make their way to the various Arduino like micro-controllers out there; designed for low memory, low processing power environments they would port perfectly.”
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A microcontroller port is therefore a possibility suggested by the developer, not a completed port demonstrated by the 2022 reports. The concrete achievement is preservation: software created for a discontinued PDA ecosystem is now inspectable and available for adaptation.
Rank #3
- 8 MB memory--stores thousands of addresses, phone numbers, appointments, and to-do items
- Includes HotSync serial cradle to back up data to your PC or Macintosh
- Comes with e-mail and Mobile Internet Kit software and desktop software for both PC and Mac
- Link to Microsoft Outlook (Windows only)
- Customizable with optional snap-on faceplates
Three ways to experience the classic Palm games on GitHub
| Route | Authenticity | Setup effort | Portability | Legal and practical notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original Palm hardware | Highest; uses the actual display, controls and operating system | Requires a working handheld, compatible cable or card, and a way to transfer files | Limited to the devices and accessories you own | Use the repository’s compatible compiled binaries and check its specific license |
| POSE64 Palm OS emulator | Emulates the original environment rather than reproducing physical hardware | Requires a desktop build and compatible Palm OS ROM images | Runs on modern 64-bit desktop systems supported by the project | Most listed device profiles are explicitly untested; ROMs and binaries have separate legal considerations |
| pilot-link with hardware or an emulator | Depends on the underlying device or emulator | Requires a Unix-like system, connection setup and Palm databases | Useful for repeatable backups and file transfers | It is a separate synchronization toolkit, not part of Ardiri’s source release |
Running the software with POSE64
POSE64 describes itself as a native 64-bit port of POSE 3.5, the original Palm OS Emulator from 2001. Its README says it can boot Palm OS 2.0 through 4.1 ROMs and includes device skins, session management, clipboard synchronization, Gremlins input testing, and PRC, PDB and PQA database management.
Basic setup sequence
- Install a POSE64 build for your desktop operating system.
- Obtain a Palm OS ROM image you are legally entitled to use; the emulator does not supply a universal ROM for every device.
- Create a session and select a compatible device profile and Palm OS version.
- Boot the session with the ROM, then use POSE64’s database-management features to import the game’s compatible PRC or PDB files.
- Launch the application inside the emulated handheld and adjust the device skin or session settings as needed.
The README lists profiles for Palm Pilot, Palm III variants, Palm V and Vx, m100, m130, m500, m515, Handspring Visor and other models, while warning that most are untested. A profile appearing in the list is not a guarantee that every application will run correctly.
Rank #4
- Cool, affordable handheld with 32 MB of flash memory and bright color screen
- Perfect replacement for your messy paper daily organizer
- Weighing in at just over 3 ounces, this lightweight organizer is about the size of a deck of cards
- Easily connect and synchronize with data stored on your computer; view digital photos
- Palm Desktop Software for Windows and Mac
Moving files with pilot-link
The maintained pilot-link toolkit calls itself “The glue between your Palm and your computer.” On Unix-like systems, its pilot-xfer utility can back up and restore a handheld, install .prc applications and transfer Palm databases. Additional tools handle contacts, memos, to-dos and photos.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches- Connect and identify the handheld or emulator’s configured serial or USB endpoint.
- Run a backup with
pilot-xferbefore installing unfamiliar binaries. - Install a compatible application package with the toolkit’s PRC-transfer function.
- Restore the backup if an application damages the database or causes instability.
pilot-link helps with synchronization and data transfer; it does not change the repository-specific licenses or make incompatible binaries work on every Palm OS version.
Licensing and compatibility pitfalls
- Do not assume one open-source license: Lemmings follows a different arrangement, while the other projects use custom repository terms.
- Separate source from binaries: Permission to inspect or modify source may not grant identical rights to redistribute compiled files.
- Match the platform: The Helio versions apply only to the four projects released for that PDA family; Palm binaries are not automatically Helio binaries.
- Expect emulator gaps: POSE64’s device list includes many profiles, but most are untested.
- Protect your data: Back up Palm databases before transferring applications with pilot-link or experimenting on original hardware.
The preservation takeaway
These 25-year-old Palm OS tools show how much software could fit into a low-resource device and how deliberately developers optimized for it. For historians and hobbyists, the repositories preserve a recognizable Palm gaming scene. For modern developers, they offer working examples of compact game engines, graphics routines and emulation code that can be studied without relying solely on screenshots or abandoned binaries. Running Palm apps on modern hardware is possible through emulation, while original handhelds remain the most authentic option; neither route removes the need to follow each project’s license and compatibility limits.
Quick Recap
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