6502/6510/8500/8502 Opcode matrix:

imm = #$00
zp = $00
zpx = $00,X
zpy = $00,Y
izx = ($00,X)
izy = ($00),Y
abs = $0000
abx = $0000,X
aby = $0000,Y
ind = ($0000)
rel = $0000 (PC-relative)

  x0 x1 x2 x3 x4 x5 x6 x7 x8 x9 xA xB xC xD xE xF
0x BRK
7		 ORA
izx 6		 KIL SLO
izx 8		 NOP
zp 3		 ORA
zp 3		 ASL
zp 5		 SLO
zp 5		 PHP
3		 ORA
imm 2		 ASL
2		 ANC
imm 2		 NOP
abs 4		 ORA
abs 4		 ASL
abs 6		 SLO
abs 6
1x BPL
rel 2*		 ORA
izy 5*		 KIL SLO
izy 8		 NOP
zpx 4		 ORA
zpx 4		 ASL
zpx 6		 SLO
zpx 6		 CLC
2		 ORA
aby 4*		 NOP
2		 SLO
aby 7		 NOP
abx 4*		 ORA
abx 4*		 ASL
abx 7		 SLO
abx 7
2x JSR
abs 6		 AND
izx 6		 KIL RLA
izx 8		 BIT
zp 3		 AND
zp 3		 ROL
zp 5		 RLA
zp 5		 PLP
4		 AND
imm 2		 ROL
2		 ANC
imm 2		 BIT
abs 4		 AND
abs 4		 ROL
abs 6		 RLA
abs 6
3x BMI
rel 2*		 AND
izy 5*		 KIL RLA
izy 8		 NOP
zpx 4		 AND
zpx 4		 ROL
zpx 6		 RLA
zpx 6		 SEC
2		 AND
aby 4*		 NOP
2		 RLA
aby 7		 NOP
abx 4*		 AND
abx 4*		 ROL
abx 7		 RLA
abx 7
4x RTI
6		 EOR
izx 6		 KIL SRE
izx 8		 NOP
zp 3		 EOR
zp 3		 LSR
zp 5		 SRE
zp 5		 PHA
3		 EOR
imm 2		 LSR
2		 ALR
imm 2		 JMP
abs 3		 EOR
abs 4		 LSR
abs 6		 SRE
abs 6
5x BVC
rel 2*		 EOR
izy 5*		 KIL SRE
izy 8		 NOP
zpx 4		 EOR
zpx 4		 LSR
zpx 6		 SRE
zpx 6		 CLI
2		 EOR
aby 4*		 NOP
2		 SRE
aby 7		 NOP
abx 4*		 EOR
abx 4*		 LSR
abx 7		 SRE
abx 7
6x RTS
6		 ADC
izx 6		 KIL RRA
izx 8		 NOP
zp 3		 ADC
zp 3		 ROR
zp 5		 RRA
zp 5		 PLA
4		 ADC
imm 2		 ROR
2		 ARR
imm 2		 JMP
ind 5		 ADC
abs 4		 ROR
abs 6		 RRA
abs 6
7x BVS
rel 2*		 ADC
izy 5*		 KIL RRA
izy 8		 NOP
zpx 4		 ADC
zpx 4		 ROR
zpx 6		 RRA
zpx 6		 SEI
2		 ADC
aby 4*		 NOP
2		 RRA
aby 7		 NOP
abx 4*		 ADC
abx 4*		 ROR
abx 7		 RRA
abx 7
8x NOP
imm 2		 STA
izx 6		 NOP
imm 2		 SAX
izx 6		 STY
zp 3		 STA
zp 3		 STX
zp 3		 SAX
zp 3		 DEY
2		 NOP
imm 2		 TXA
2		 XAA
imm 2		 STY
abs 4		 STA
abs 4		 STX
abs 4		 SAX
abs 4
9x BCC
rel 2*		 STA
izy 6		 KIL AHX
izy 6		 STY
zpx 4		 STA
zpx 4		 STX
zpy 4		 SAX
zpy 4		 TYA
2		 STA
aby 5		 TXS
2		 TAS
aby 5		 SHY
abx 5		 STA
abx 5		 SHX
aby 5		 AHX
aby 5
Ax LDY
imm 2		 LDA
izx 6		 LDX
imm 2		 LAX
izx 6		 LDY
zp 3		 LDA
zp 3		 LDX
zp 3		 LAX
zp 3		 TAY
2		 LDA
imm 2		 TAX
2		 LAX
imm 2		 LDY
abs 4		 LDA
abs 4		 LDX
abs 4		 LAX
abs 4
Bx BCS
rel 2*		 LDA
izy 5*		 KIL LAX
izy 5*		 LDY
zpx 4		 LDA
zpx 4		 LDX
zpy 4		 LAX
zpy 4		 CLV
2		 LDA
aby 4*		 TSX
2		 LAS
aby 4*		 LDY
abx 4*		 LDA
abx 4*		 LDX
aby 4*		 LAX
aby 4*
Cx CPY
imm 2		 CMP
izx 6		 NOP
imm 2		 DCP
izx 8		 CPY
zp 3		 CMP
zp 3		 DEC
zp 5		 DCP
zp 5		 INY
2		 CMP
imm 2		 DEX
2		 AXS
imm 2		 CPY
abs 4		 CMP
abs 4		 DEC
abs 6		 DCP
abs 6
Dx BNE
rel 2*		 CMP
izy 5*		 KIL DCP
izy 8		 NOP
zpx 4		 CMP
zpx 4		 DEC
zpx 6		 DCP
zpx 6		 CLD
2		 CMP
aby 4*		 NOP
2		 DCP
aby 7		 NOP
abx 4*		 CMP
abx 4*		 DEC
abx 7		 DCP
abx 7
Ex CPX
imm 2		 SBC
izx 6		 NOP
imm 2		 ISC
izx 8		 CPX
zp 3		 SBC
zp 3		 INC
zp 5		 ISC
zp 5		 INX
2		 SBC
imm 2		 NOP
2		 SBC
imm 2		 CPX
abs 4		 SBC
abs 4		 INC
abs 6		 ISC
abs 6
Fx BEQ
rel 2*		 SBC
izy 5*		 KIL ISC
izy 8		 NOP
zpx 4		 SBC
zpx 4		 INC
zpx 6		 ISC
zpx 6		 SED
2		 SBC
aby 4*		 NOP
2		 ISC
aby 7		 NOP
abx 4*		 SBC
abx 4*		 INC
abx 7		 ISC
abx 7

"*" : add 1 cycle if page boundary is crossed.
add 1 cycle on branches if taken.


 Logical and arithmetic commands:
Opcodeimpimmzpzpx zpyizxizyabsabx abyindrelFunction NVBDIZC
ORA $09$05$15  $01$11$0D$1D $19  A:=A or {adr} *    * 
AND $29$25$35  $21$31$2D$3D $39  A:=A&{adr} *    * 
EOR $49$45$55  $41$51$4D$5D $59  A:=A exor {adr} *    * 
ADC $69$65$75  $61$71$6D$7D $79  A:=A+{adr} **   **
SBC $E9$E5$F5  $E1$F1$ED$FD $F9  A:=A-{adr} **   **
CMP $C9$C5$D5  $C1$D1$CD$DD $D9  A-{adr} *    **
CPX $E0$E4     $EC     X-{adr} *    **
CPY $C0$C4     $CC     Y-{adr} *    **
DEC  $C6$D6    $CE$DE    {adr}:={adr}-1 *    * 
DEX$CA             X:=X-1 *    * 
DEY$88             Y:=Y-1 *    * 
INC  $E6$F6    $EE$FE    {adr}:={adr}+1 *    * 
INX$E8             X:=X+1 *    * 
INY$C8             Y:=Y+1 *    * 
ASL$0A $06$16    $0E$1E    {adr}:={adr}*2 *    **
ROL$2A $26$36    $2E$3E    {adr}:={adr}*2+C *    **
LSR$4A $46$56    $4E$5E    {adr}:={adr}/2 *    **
ROR$6A $66$76    $6E$7E    {adr}:={adr}/2+C*128 *    **


Move commands:
Opcodeimpimmzpzpx zpyizxizyabsabx abyindrelFunction NVBDIZC
LDA $A9$A5$B5  $A1$B1$AD$BD $B9  A:={adr} *    * 
STA  $85$95  $81$91$8D$9D $99  {adr}:=A        
LDX $A2$A6  $B6  $AE  $BE  X:={adr} *    * 
STX  $86  $96  $8E     {adr}:=X        
LDY $A0$A4$B4    $AC$BC    Y:={adr} *    * 
STY  $84$94    $8C     {adr}:=Y        
TAX$AA             X:=A *    * 
TXA$8A             A:=X *    * 
TAY$A8             Y:=A *    * 
TYA$98             A:=Y *    * 
TSX$BA             X:=S *    * 
TXS$9A             S:=X        
PLA$68             A:=+(S) *    * 
PHA$48             (S)-:=A        
PLP$28             P:=+(S) ** ****
PHP$08             (S)-:=P        


Jump/Flag commands:
Opcodeimpimmzpzpx zpyizxizyabsabx abyindrelFunction NVBDIZC
BPL             $10branch on N=0        
BMI             $30branch on N=1        
BVC             $50branch on V=0        
BVS             $70branch on V=1        
BCC             $90branch on C=0        
BCS             $B0branch on C=1        
BNE             $D0branch on Z=0        
BEQ             $F0branch on Z=1        
BRK$00             (S)-:=PC,P PC:=($FFFE)   1 1  
RTI$40             P,PC:=+(S) ** ****
JSR        $20     (S)-:=PC PC:={adr}        
RTS$60             PC:=+(S)        
JMP        $4C   $6C PC:={adr}        
BIT  $24     $2C     N:=b7 V:=b6 Z:=A&{adr} **   * 
CLC$18             C:=0       0
SEC$38             C:=1       1
CLD$D8             D:=0    0   
SED$F8             D:=1    1   
CLI$58             I:=0     0  
SEI$78             I:=1     1  
CLV$B8             V:=0  0     
NOP$EA                      


Flags of the status register:

The processor status register has 8 bits, where 7 are used as flags:

N = negative flag (1 when result is negative)
V = overflow flag (1 on signed overflow)
# = unused (always 1)
B = break flag (1 when interupt was caused by a BRK)
D = decimal flag (1 when CPU in BCD mode)
I = IRQ flag (when 1, no interupts will occur (exceptions are IRQs forced by BRK and NMIs))
Z = zero flag (1 when all bits of a result are 0)
C = carry flag (1 on unsigned overflow)


Hardware vectors:

$FFFA = NMI vector (NMI=not maskable interupts)
$FFFC = Reset vector
$FFFE = IRQ vector


 Illegal opcodes:
Opcodeimpimmzpzpx zpyizxizyabsabx abyindrelFunction NVBDIZC
SLO  $07$17  $03$13$0F$1F $1B  {adr}:={adr}*2 A:=A or {adr} *    **
RLA  $27$37  $23$33$2F$3F $3B  {adr}:={adr}rol A:=A and {adr} *    **
SRE  $47$57  $43$53$4F$5F $5B  {adr}:={adr}/2 A:=A exor {adr} *    **
RRA  $67$77  $63$73$6F$7F $7B  {adr}:={adr}ror A:=A adc {adr} **   **
SAX  $87  $97$83 $8F     {adr}:=A&X        
LAX  $A7  $B7$A3$B3$AF  $BF  A,X:={adr} *    * 
DCP  $C7$D7  $C3$D3$CF$DF $DB  {adr}:={adr}-1 A-{adr} *    **
ISC  $E7$F7  $E3$F3$EF$FF $FB  {adr}:={adr}+1 A:=A-{adr} **   **
ANC $0B            A:=A&#{imm} *    **
ANC $2B            A:=A&#{imm} *    **
ALR $4B            A:=(A&#{imm})/2 *    **
ARR $6B            A:=(A&#{imm})/2 **   **
XAA² $8B            A:=X&#{imm} *    * 
LAX² $AB            A,X:=#{imm} *    * 
AXS $CB            X:=A&X-#{imm} *    **
SBC $EB            A:=A-#{imm} **   **
AHX¹       $93   $9F  {adr}:=A&X&H        
SHY¹         $9C    {adr}:=Y&H        
SHX¹           $9E  {adr}:=X&H        
TAS¹           $9B  S:=A&X {adr}:=S&H        
LAS           $BB  A,X,S:={adr}&S *    * 


¹ = unstable in certain matters
² = highly unstable (results are not predictable on some machines)
A = Akkumulator
X = X-Register
Y = Y-Register
S = Stack-Pointer
P = Status-Register
+(S) = Stack-Pointer relative with pre-increment
(S)- = Stack-Pointer relative with post-decrement


Combinations of two operations with the same addressing mode:

SLO {adr} = ASL {adr} + ORA {adr}
RLA {adr} = ROL {adr} + AND {adr}
SRE {adr} = LSR {adr} + EOR {adr}
RRA {adr} = ROR {adr} + ADC {adr}
SAX {adr} = store A&X into {adr}
LAX {adr} = LDA {adr} + LDX {adr}
DCP {adr} = DEC {adr} + CMP {adr}
ISC {adr} = INC {adr} + SBC {adr}

note to SAX: the A&X operation is a result of A and X put onto the bus at the same time.


Combinations of an immediate and an implied command:

ANC #{imm} = AND #{imm} + (ASL)
ANC #{imm} = AND #{imm} + (ROL)
ALR #{imm} = AND #{imm} + LSR
ARR #{imm} = AND #{imm} + ROR
XAA #{imm} = TXA + AND #{imm}
LAX #{imm} = LDA #{imm} + TAX
AXS #{imm} = A&X minus #{imm} into X
SBC #{imm} = SBC #{imm} + NOP

note to ANC: this command performs an AND operation only, but bit 7 is put into the carry, as if the ASL/ROL would have been executed.
note to ARR: part of this command are some ADC mechanisms. following effects appear after AND but before ROR: the V-Flag is set according to (A and #{imm})+#{imm}, bit 0 does NOT go into carry, but bit 7 is exchanged with the carry.
note to XAA: DO NOT USE!!! Highly unstable!!!
note to LAX: DO NOT USE!!! On my C128, this opcode is stable, but on my C64-II it loses bits so that the operation looks like this: ORA #? AND #{imm} TAX.
note to AXS: performs CMP and DEX at the same time, so that the MINUS sets the flag like CMP, not SBC.


Combinations of STA/STX/STY:

AHX {adr} = stores A&X&H into {adr}
SHX {adr} = stores X&H into {adr}
SHY {adr} = stores Y&H into {adr}

note: sometimes the &H drops off. Also page boundary crossing will not work as expected (the bank where the value is stored may be equal to the value stored).


Combinations of STA/TXS and LDA/TSX:

TAS {adr} = stores A&X into S and A&X&H into {adr}
LAS {adr} = stores {adr}&S into A, X and S

note to LAS: is called as "propably unreliable" in one source.


Bit configuration does not allow any operation on these ones:

NOP = has no effects
NOP #{imm} = fetches #{imm} but has no effects
NOP {adr} = fetches {adr} but has no effects


KIL = halts the CPU. the data bus will be set to #$FF


Aliases used in other illegal opcode sources:

SLO = ASO
SRE = LSE
ISC = ISB
ALR = ASR
SHX = A11 (A11 was a result of only having tested this one on adress $1000)
SHY = A11
LAS = LAR
KIL = JAM, HLT


The 6502 bugs:

Zeropage index will not leave zeropage when page boundary is crossed:

LDX #$01
LDA $FF,X

...will fetch from adress $0000 and not $0100 as indexed.


Indirect adressing modes are not able to fetch an adress which crosses the page boundary:

Four examples to illustrate this:

LDA ($FF),Y

LDX #$00
LDA ($FF,X)

LDX #$FF
LDA ($00,X)

... will all fetch the low-byte from $00FF and the high-byte from $0000

JMP ($12FF)

... will fetch the low-byte from $12FF and the high-byte from $1200


The N, V and Z flags do not work correctly in BCD mode:

N will always carry bit 7.
V will always be ((U eor N) nand (U eor V)) (while U is bit 7 of operand 1, V is bit 7 of operand 2 and N is the N flag after the ADC is performed).
please note that SBC is truly ADC with an inverted operand!
Z will be 0 when the non-BCD operation WOULD have resulted in $00, no matter what value the result of the BCD operation is.

example to Z:

SED
CLC
LDA #$80
ADC #$80

... results in A=$60, but the Z flag is 1.


BCD and non BCD values:

Since only nibble values from 0 to 9 are valid in BCD, it's interesting to see what happens when using A to F:

$00+$0F=$15 (an easy way to convert a hex-digit into BCD...)
$00+$1F=$25 (can be claimed as being "ok" since 10+$0F=25)
$10+$1F=$35 ("ok")
$05+$1F=$2A (a non-BCD result, still somewhat "ok" since 5+10+$0F=20+$0A)
$0F+$0A=$1F ("ok", since $0F+$0A=$0F+10)
$0F+$0B=$10 (now, this is plain bullshit!)


Different versions of the 6502:

In the C64/C128 series of computers, slightly modified versions of the 6502 were used. The modifications did not affect the functional part of the processor itself. Only a so-called processor port was added. This port, in combination with an external PLA, was used to map ROM and I/O areas into the 64KB RAM of the C64. Also, some bits of the port were used for the legendary Datasette.

The port can be accessed through memory adresses $0000 and $0001, while $0001 is the port itself, and $0000 is the data direction register for it.

Explanation for the bits of $0001:

7 - unused (Flash 8: 0=8MHz/1=1MHz)
6 - unused (C128: ASCII/DIN sense/switch (1=ASCII/0=DIN))
5 - Cassette motor control (0 = motor on)
4 - Cassette switch sense (0 = PLAY pressed)
3 - Cassette write line
2 - CHAREN (0=Character ROM instead of I/O area)
1 - HIRAM ($E000-$FFFF)
0 - LORAM ($A000-$BFFF)

If HIRAM or LORAM is set, the I/O area is mapped to $D000-$DFFF.

$0000 should always be set to $2F (%00101111)

Note to bit 6: This bit is used to select either the ASCII or the DIN character ROM of a C128. When data direction is set to INPUT, the charset is selected externally with the ASCII/DIN key.

CPU versions:

6502: NMOS, used in Commodore disk drives, PET, various other 8 bit computers
6502C: 6502 with additional HALT pin, used in Atari 8 bit computer range
6510: 6502 with additional processor port, used in C64
8500: CMOS version of the 6510, used in C64C and C64G
8502: 2 MHz version of the 8500, used in C128
7501: HMOS-1 version of the 6502, used in C16/C116/Plus4
8501: HMOS-2 version of the 6502, used in C16/C116/Plus4

All of these processors are the same concerning the software-side.

Some processors of the family which are not 100% compatible:

65C02: Extension of the 6502.
65SC02: Small version of the 65C02 which lost a few opcodes again.
65CE02: Extension of the 65C02, used in the C65.
65816: Extended 6502 with new opcodes and 16 bit operation modes.


Zeropage/Stack:

The first 256 bytes of adressable memory are called Zeropage. The 6502 processor family offers a wide selection of adressing modes to work with this part of the memory, which generally results in shorter and (even more important) faster code.

Following the Zeropage, the next 256 bytes (located at $0100-$01FF) are used as processor stack. The stack function of this part is defined as it is in most other CPU's: Writing to stack will automatically decrement the stack pointer, while reading from it will increment it.


© 2002-2012 Graham. Last change on 03.11.2012.

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