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Computer program that learns to play classic NES games

suckerpinch · 2.2M views · 2013-04-02 · 16:18

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Overview

Tom7 explains and demos software that learns to play NES games by finding score patterns in memory and then searching for inputs that raise it. It is the video companion to his SIGBOVIK paper.

On Hacker News

Loved on HN as a hilarious, brilliant example of hacker-academic work and cited whenever game-playing AI or fuzzing comes up.

Recommended by 9 HN people across 10 months · HN mentions 2015–2025

Topics

Machine learning & deep learningGame history & retro gamingChess, board games & puzzles
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learnfunplayfuntom7nessigbovikmachine learning

What people said

fartcannon · 2021-02 · Strong recommendation

There was an AI created the absolutely brilliant Tom7 on on his YouTube channel 'SuckerPinch' on April 1, 2013 that paused a game of Tetris instead of losing. In my opinion, Tom doesn't get enough credit for his work. He released his AI a full 8+ months before DeepMind released their Atari playing AI. Watch the whole thing, it's delightful. The AI pauses Tetris right before it loses at around 16mins into the video. [VIDEO] I also recommend his other videos. Brilliant guy. Edit: Here's the paper [LINK]

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learc83 · 2018-02 · Strong recommendation

Thanks for pointing that out. I wouldn't have noticed who that was otherwise. His video on learnfun/playfun is both hilarious and amazing. [VIDEO]

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rdlw · 2025-02 · Recommendation

Not quite what you're describing, but no one has yet linked the classic Tom7 series where he applies deep learning to classic NES games: [VIDEO]

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Sources

Video by suckerpinch, played through YouTube.

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