# Cranked: reconstructing the Playdate runtime

> Cranked reconstructs a runtime for Playdate console games by emulating its ARM processor with Unicorn and implementing the Playdate API across native, Lua and C++ calls. Development compares program execution with the official simulator, and the emulator accepts .pdx directories or .pdx.zip archives. The author reports compatibility mainly with SDK demos so far.

- Type: Case study
- Targets: Game
- Category: Independent reconstruction cases
- Relationship: Independent reconstruction project
- Sources reviewed: 2026-11-06
- Added to the catalog: 2026-11-09
- Original resource: <https://github.com/TheLogicMaster/Cranked>
- Primary source: <https://github.com/TheLogicMaster/Cranked/blob/6d29957733641e43cd789b1b1a31f17a0852ac54/README.md>
- Catalog page: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/cranked-playdate-case/>
- Record JSON: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/cranked-playdate-case/record.json>
- Chinese version: [简体中文](https://awesomerea.org/zh/resources/cranked-playdate-case/index.md)

## Requirements & limits

- **Prerequisites:** Provide Playdate .pdx directories or .pdx.zip archives; the Libretro core accepts only .pdx.zip.
- **Limits:** Compatibility is mostly limited to SDK demos, and encrypted Catalog ROMs are unsupported.
- **License:** MIT.

## Primary sources

1. <https://github.com/TheLogicMaster/Cranked/blob/6d29957733641e43cd789b1b1a31f17a0852ac54/README.md>

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## About this entry

The description was reviewed against primary sources.
Original editorial content: MIT. Linked projects, papers and assets retain their own rights and licenses.