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⌂ ∞ ▽ Elite on the BBC Micro and NES

Playing 8-bit Elite in the 21st century

There are lots of different versions of Acornsoft Elite, and here's how you can play all these different 8-bit wonders on modern computers.

The easiest way to play Elite is online. The "play online" links below will simply run the game right here in your browser, using JSBeeb or Electroniq. You can find full instructions for the game on Ian Bell's website.

If you want to play the game on a real vintage computer or in an emulator, there are links below to the relevant SSD disc images, as well as UEF tape images for some versions. To play Elite with an SSD disc image, load the disc image into drive 0 and press SHIFT-BREAK. To play Elite with a UEF tape image, load the image into the cassette player and enter CHAIN "ELITE".

As well as the official releases, there are plenty of unofficial and hacked versions of Elite, so I've included a selection of those. In particular, the flicker-free versions are worth checking out, and if you are interested in exploring modern versions of the game, such as Teletext Elite or the Elite Universe Editor, then check out the other notable releases

Note that this list is not comprehensive; it's a list of recommended versions to try out. For a full list of contemporary versions, see the different variants of each version, or click the "more information" links below to see details of all the different variants for a particular version.

The Elite Compendium
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The Elite Compendium is a collection of the very best of Acornsoft Elite, updated with as many hacks and enhancements as I've been able to fit in. If you're looking to play 8-bit Elite, then this is a pretty good place to start.

Original releases
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The following versions are recommended for fans of the original 1980s Elite experience.

Flicker-free Elite
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Elite has been updated to reduce the amount of flicker, and these versions are recommended if you want a slightly more refined experience than the original. Most versions have both flicker-free ships and planets, though some only have flicker-free ships (as indicated). See the flicker-free Elite section for details.

Other notable releases
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Modern-day developments have taken Elite to a completely new level. If Teletext Elite or the Elite Universe Editor are your kind of thing, then I highly recommend you check out the Elite hacks section for more hacks.