CPU Comparision with Z80
This article is part of Pan Docs.
Please read more about Pan Docs, and what you can do to improve this article by clicking here.
To view this information in its original context, click here: http://gbdev.gg8.se/files/docs/mirrors/pandocs.html#cpucomparisionwithz80
Contents
[hide]Comparision with 8080
Basically, the gameboy CPU works more like an older 8080 CPU rather than like a more powerful Z80 CPU. It is, however, supporting CB-prefixed instructions. Also, all known gameboy assemblers using the more obvious Z80-style syntax, rather than the chaotic 8080-style syntax.
Comparision with Z80
Any DD-, ED-, and FD-prefixed instructions are missing, that means no IX-, IY-registers, no block commands, and some other missing commands. All exchange instructions have been removed (including total absence of second register set), 16bit memory accesses are mostly missing, and 16bit arithmetic functions are heavily cut-down. The gameboy has no IN/OUT instructions, instead I/O ports are accessed directly by normal LD instructions, or by special LD (FF00+n) opcodes. The sign and parity/overflow flags have been removed. The gameboy operates approximately as fast as a 4MHz Z80 (8MHz in CGB double speed mode), execution time of all instructions has been rounded up to a multiple of 4 cycles though.
Moved, Removed, and Added Opcodes
Opcode Z80 GMB --------------------------------------- 08 EX AF,AF LD (nn),SP 10 DJNZ PC+dd STOP 22 LD (nn),HL LDI (HL),A 2A LD HL,(nn) LDI A,(HL) 32 LD (nn),A LDD (HL),A 3A LD A,(nn) LDD A,(HL) D3 OUT (n),A - D9 EXX RETI DB IN A,(n) - DD <IX> - E0 RET PO LD (FF00+n),A E2 JP PO,nn LD (FF00+C),A E3 EX (SP),HL - E4 CALL P0,nn - E8 RET PE ADD SP,dd EA JP PE,nn LD (nn),A EB EX DE,HL - EC CALL PE,nn - ED <pref> - F0 RET P LD A,(FF00+n) F2 JP P,nn LD A,(FF00+C) F4 CALL P,nn - F8 RET M LD HL,SP+dd FA JP M,nn LD A,(nn) FC CALL M,nn - FD <IY> - CB3X SLL r/(HL) SWAP r/(HL)
Note:
The unused (-) opcodes will lock-up the gameboy CPU when used.
