Compute!’s Gazette Issue 3 lands with a clear theme and sharp focus. SepTANDY Gazette Highlights sums it up well. The September 2025 digital issue celebrates Tandy history, teaches modern skills, and ships with fresh code you can type today. It sells for $6.95 as a digital download and is labeled Volume 1, Issue 3.
Tandy Takes Center Stage
This issue celebrates SepTANDY from front to back. The cover story tracks Tandy’s path from leather goods to the “1977 Trinity.” It walks through rivalries, innovation, and today’s active community that still builds and hacks. SepTANDY Gazette Highlights start right here.
Next comes a wild build: the “1.21 Jigawatt CoCo.” Danniielle O’Connor fits a Color Computer 3 into a TRS-80 Model 4 shell. The machine drives a custom, laser-powered flux capacitor. Yes, there is time-travel flavor. No plutonium required.
The Tandy thread continues with “A World in 20k.” Jim Gerrie explains the MC-10’s tight limits and clever tricks. It’s a lesson in writing small, smart programs on minimal hardware.
Music fans get a surprise. Meet Downpoly, who performs live with TRS-80 systems and the Orchestra 90 add-on. The piece shows how these machines still groove on stage.
Tutorials, Tools, and Columns
The magazine’s teaching streak stays strong. “Some Assembly Required” returns with part two of a 6502 series. This month focuses on memory addressing modes, explained clearly for practical use.
Networked retro is here, too. The “FujiNet Report” guides Color Computer users through setup and C programming. You get the basics, then steps to write network-aware software on the CoCo.
Jerry White anchors “The Atari Outpost.” He shows how to code sound in Atari BASIC with a dice game and a Flintstones theme. He also asks the community to help locate his animated demo, “Jerry’s Kids.”
History buffs get a time capsule. “Today in Retro History” revisits September 1980, 1985, and 1990. VIC-20’s arrival, the 16-bit software battles, and the CD-ROM gold rush all get concise context.
Games, Listings, and Playable Code
Type-in fans are spoiled this month. “Memory Match” arrives as a cross-platform BASIC game for the CoCo, C64, and Commander X16. The full listings are included, so your keyboard earns its keep.
Next is a clever nostalgia twist. “Reviving The Code” looks at the Micro Adventure books that mixed fiction and BASIC. The feature adds a new short story, “Operation Black Cipher,” plus a C64 decoder program you can type yourself.
Andrew Fisher returns with “Lost & Found.” Two C64 recoveries take a bow: Nigel Mansell World Championship from 1993 and Dominion from 1988. The column shows the scene’s ongoing work to rescue nearly-vanished titles.
Hungry for hidden releases? “Games You (Probably) Missed” surveys overlooked C64 gems from the 1990s and 2000s, including Solar Jetman, Daffy Duck, and Alien 3. It’s a neat shopping list for your next session.
There’s more code beyond Memory Match. You get an MC-10 conversion of COMPUTE!’s classic “Mindbusters.” The Commander X16 picks up “Snaker,” a fresh take on the snake formula with a friendly listing.
What Makes This Issue Click
This issue blends curiosity, craft, and community. The Tandy features honor past machines, then show new builds that punch above their weight. The tutorials help readers apply ideas the same day. The code listings keep hands on keyboards. SepTANDY Gazette Highlights run across every section, making the theme feel cohesive and fun.
Format and Access
The September 2025 edition is a digital release for $6.95 on the Compute!’s Gazette shop. It sits under Digital Magazines and is labeled as Volume 1, Issue 3. Buying the download gives instant access, so you can start reading and typing today.
Should You Grab It?
If you enjoy TRS-80, CoCo, Atari 8-bit, or the C64, this one lands neatly. The mix of features and listings invites both learning and play. The 6502 lesson stands out for practical depth. The FujiNet guide makes networked CoCo projects feel within reach. The recovered C64 games add a dash of discovery. And yes, the flux capacitor gag earns a grin.
Finally, the cross-platform listings make a strong case for trying multiple systems this month. Pick a machine, type a program, and share the result. That’s the Gazette spirit, right there.
