Hardware
TI-84 Plus CE Games: What Runs, and How to Install Them
The TI-84 Plus CE has a colour screen and 3 MB of Flash ROM, enough for games written in C or TI-BASIC (Python programs need the TI-84 Plus CE Python edition). Which ones you can actually run depends almost entirely on your operating system version, because TI removed direct assembly execution in OS 5.5. The table below shows what each game needs; the steps show how to get it there.
| Game | Written in | Runs on | Needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snake / Nibbles | TI-BASIC (.8xp) | Every OS version | Nothing — runs straight from [prgm] |
| Flappy Bird CE | C (.8xp) | All CE revisions | Cesium, C libraries |
| Pac-Man CE | C / assembly (.8xv, .8xp) | OS 5.0–5.4 natively; 5.5+ via arTIfiCE | Cesium, C libraries |
| Tetric A (Tetris) | C (.8xp) | OS 5.0–5.4 natively; 5.5+ via arTIfiCE | Cesium |
| Geometry Dash CE | C (.8xp) | OS 5.0–5.4 natively; 5.5+ via arTIfiCE | Cesium, current clibs.8xv |
| Portal Returns | C (.8xp) | TI-84 Plus CE and CSE | Cesium |
| Doom (Osprey CE) | C / assembly (.8xp) | OS 5.0–5.4 natively; 5.5+ via arTIfiCE | Cesium, C libraries, plenty of archive space |
| Your OS version | C and assembly games | TI-BASIC games |
|---|---|---|
| 5.0 – 5.4 | Run natively from the [prgm] menu | Run natively |
| 5.5 – 5.8 and later | Blocked by TI; need arTIfiCE, then Cesium to launch them | Run natively, unaffected |
| Not sure | Check it first: [2nd] + [+] (MEM) → 1: About | — |
Step-by-step
Check which OS version you have first
Press:2nd+1
Everything else on this page depends on this one number. Press [2nd] then [+] to open MEM and choose '1: About'; the operating system version is at the top of the screen. OS 5.0 to 5.4 runs C and assembly games directly, while 5.5 and later does not and needs two extra steps.
Tip: TI-BASIC games such as Snake run on every version, so if that is all you want you can skip straight to step 5.
Install TI Connect CE on your computer
Press:Computer browser
TI Connect CE is the free official transfer program from Texas Instruments, for Windows and macOS. It is the supported way to move files between a computer and a TI-84 Plus CE, and you will need it for every file below.
Choose games built for the CE, not the older TI-84 Plus
Press:CemetechTI-Planet
Download from an established community archive such as Cemetech or TI-Planet, and use the table above to check what each title needs. The colour CE has a different processor and screen from the monochrome TI-84 Plus, so files built for the older model will not run.
Tip: Check the download page names the TI-84 Plus CE specifically. 'TI-84 Plus' on its own usually means the monochrome model.
Send the C libraries (clibs.8xv) before the games
Press:clibs.8xvSend to calculator
Nearly every modern CE game is written in C and depends on a shared library package called clibs.8xv. Send it first: without it the games transfer perfectly well and then quit the instant you start them, usually with no useful message.
Tip: The libraries are maintained by the CE-Programming team and published alongside the games on Cemetech and GitHub.
Transfer the files over USB
Press:USB cableCalculator ExplorerSend
Plug the cable into both the computer and the calculator, open TI Connect CE and choose 'Calculator Explorer', then drag your files in and send them. Set the destination to Archive so they survive a RAM clear rather than filling up RAM.
On OS 5.5 and later: run the arTIfiCE jailbreak
Press:APPSCabri Jr.arTIfiCE
TI removed assembly execution from the PRGM menu in OS 5.5, and kept it out of 5.6, 5.7 and 5.8. The community wrote arTIfiCE to restore it: send arTIfiCE to the calculator, press [APPS], open Cabri Jr. and run arTIfiCE from inside it — that app is the way in. It gives you one launch of a native program, which is what step 7 uses.
Tip: A RAM reset closes the door again, so you repeat this step after any reset — including the memory clear a proctor asks for before an exam.
Use that launch to start the Cesium shell
Press:arTIfiCECesium
Cesium is a program launcher: it lists everything sitting in the archive and starts it for you. Point arTIfiCE at Cesium, and from then on Cesium runs the rest of your games without going back through Cabri Jr. each time.
Tip: Send Cesium across with your games in step 5 so it is already on the calculator when you need it.
Start the game
Press:prgmENTER
On OS 5.0 to 5.4, press [prgm], highlight the game and press ENTER. On 5.5 and later you start Cesium instead and choose the game from inside it. Either way, no cable is needed once the files are on the calculator.
Tip: Want to practise the menus without a cable or a calculator to hand? Our [online TI-84 Plus CE simulator](/) runs in the browser.
Common mistakes
- Not checking the OS version first, then assuming the game is broken when the calculator simply blocks it.
- Downloading a game built for the older monochrome TI-84 Plus, which crashes or refuses to start on the CE.
- Sending files to RAM instead of Archive, which fills RAM and loses everything at the next reset.
- Forgetting clibs.8xv, so games install correctly and then close the moment they are started.
- Playing games during a test, which gets the calculator confiscated and its memory cleared.
Frequently asked questions
What is Cesium, and do I need it?
Cesium is a shell: a small program that lists everything stored in your calculator's archive and launches it for you. You need it for games written in C or assembly, because on OS 5.5 and later those no longer appear in the PRGM menu by themselves. Games written in TI-BASIC do not need it at all.
Do I have to jailbreak my TI-84 Plus CE to play games?
Only on OS 5.5 and later, and only for games written in C or assembly. TI removed direct assembly execution in that release, so the community tool arTIfiCE restores it by launching through the Cabri Jr. app. On OS 5.0 to 5.4 nothing is needed, and TI-BASIC games run on any version without it.
Can installing games damage my TI-84?
No. Calculator games run in sandbox user memory. In the rare event of a freeze, pressing the small reset button on the back restarts the calculator safely without harming hardware.
Why do I get 'ERR: ARCHIVED' or 'ERR: SYNTAX' when running a downloaded game?
On newer TI-84 Plus CE OS versions (5.5+), direct assembly execution is blocked. You must use the 'arTIfiCE' jailbreak and 'Cesium' shell to launch archived C/ASM games.
Are calculator games allowed during school exams?
No! Standardized exams (SAT, ACT, AP) require calculators to be in test mode or memory cleared. Keep games for study breaks and at-home recreation.
How do I delete a game to free up memory on my TI-84?
Press [2nd] + [+] (MEM) → select '2: Mem Mgmt/Delete...' → select '7: Prgm...' → scroll to the game name and press the [DEL] key → confirm with '1: Yes'.