# waterbear

> waterbear is an assembler and disassembler for Dreamcast VMU programs, available as a Rust library and command-line program. Version 0.18.0 can optimize jump and call encodings.

- Type: Tool
- Targets: Firmware
- Category: Native analysis tools
- Relationship: Foundation tool
- Sources reviewed: 2026-11-07
- Added to the catalog: 2026-11-09
- Original resource: <https://github.com/wtetzner/waterbear>
- Primary source: <https://github.com/wtetzner/waterbear/blob/9d7a2536ed7234965417adf2fe619e6301c352a2/README.md>
- Catalog page: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/waterbear/>
- Record JSON: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/waterbear/record.json>
- Chinese version: [简体中文](https://awesomerea.org/zh/resources/waterbear/index.md)

## Requirements & limits

- Assemble with waterbear assemble example.s -o example.vms. Add --optimize-jumps to fold jumps and calls when the target is in range.
- Documentation is at https://wtetzner.github.io/waterbear/.
- The README names no license.

## Primary sources

1. <https://github.com/wtetzner/waterbear/blob/9d7a2536ed7234965417adf2fe619e6301c352a2/README.md>

## More in Native binaries

- [WPP Remover](https://awesomerea.org/resources/ida-wpp-remover/index.md) · Tool
- [ds_disassembly_tools](https://awesomerea.org/resources/ds-disassembly-tools/index.md) · Tool
- [PSRetrox](https://awesomerea.org/resources/psretrox/index.md) · Tool
- [IDR Pascal](https://awesomerea.org/resources/idr-pascal/index.md) · Tool
- [YaraVM](https://awesomerea.org/resources/yaravm/index.md) · Tool
- [DecompPipeline](https://awesomerea.org/resources/decomp-pipeline/index.md) · Tool

## 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.