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[Kabuki Quantum Lover]

So good...

I still hope for the day I can pick one up at a garage sale. I use to play the shit out of the machines during early elementary school.

 

[AlternativeUlster]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcubR1Z2waM

For those that played Barbie.

 

[Project Midway]

ah, there is never too much love for Commodore 64.

Here are some of my favorite games:

Boulder Dash
Wizard of Wor (best co-op ever)
Pitstop II
Henry's House
Pyjamarama
Bruce Lee
Zorro
H.E.R.O.
Decathlon
Jungle Hunt
Commando
Rambo
Impossible Mission
Elite
Kickstart
Airborne Ranger
Seven Cities of Gold
Racing Destruction Set
Last Ninja
Alter Ego
The Way of the Exploding Fist
International Ice Hockey
Football Manager (aah, the joys of loading your saved game from a tape...)
IK+
Turrican
Pirates!
Summer, Winter, World, California games
Gunship
M.U.L.E.

And last but not least....some love for Samurai Warrior: The Battles of Usagi Yojimbo:

Great Samurai Warrior review in Zzap. 91% and Zzap Sizzler!!!11 Did anyone else enjoy this game..?

 

[PepsimanVsJoe]

Really enjoyed this game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evGOSM0R8wg

 

[Petrae]

I was heavy into Accolade's Hardball and 4th and Inches on my C64...

Other memories:

Boot Camp: A conversion of Konami's military take on Track & Field. I used to dump tons of tokens into the coin-op.

Indoor Sports: Boy, did I love this. I became pretty good at bowling, and table tennis was a load of fun.

The Games series: Although I spent the most time with California Games, I really enjoyed all of Epyx's Games titles. Well, maybe except for World Games.

Gorf: Pretty faithful to the coin-op, which I loved.

 

[Project Midway]

The Games series: Although I spent the most time with California Games, I really enjoyed all of Epyx's Games titles. Well, maybe except for World Games.

Yeah, World Games wasnt that good, but I have to admit I really liked weightlifting event, it was great fun.

 

[The_Dude]

And last but not least....some love for Samurai Warrior: The Battles of Usagi Yojimbo

(Pics)

Great Samurai Warrior review in Zzap. 91% and Zzap Sizzler!!!11 Did anyone else enjoy this game..?

I was almost going to include this is my post, too. Awesome game!

Another one that I don't think has been mentioned

Warhawk

Great top down shooter with an awesome Rob Hubbard soundtrack (is there any other kind of Rob Hubbard soundtrack?!).

 

[byproduct]

I literally shoveled shit for 4 months to buy a commodore 64.

My parents said they'd match me dollar for dollar to buy one as a combined birthday/xmas present, so I worked at my Dad's landscape supplies yard after school and on weekends shoveling cow manure (and other stuff) into bags for resale, making 20 cents per bag.

I would also not eat at school so I could save my lunch money. Finally I'd saved up enough for a C64 and disk drive, but decided on the day to get a C128 and tape deck, thinking the C128 would end up being popular and not realising how limiting a tape drive was. Oh well. I was young and stupid. The sprite editor was fun.

Got the machine home on my birthday and went to hook it up to my bedroom black and white tv... to realise I didn't have an RCA connection! I was so crushed!

Then mum went and bought me a colour portable TV - just like that! I couldn't believe it! It even looked like a computer monitor (I only just got rid of that TV last year - 19 years after I got it).

Never had time to work more to buy the disk drive after that because I spent every waking minute playing games. Spent a LOT of time on Wizball, Great Giana Sisters and Slap Fight with a Quickshot Pro, amongst about 200 other games.

The thing I miss most about those days is the game compilations. You used to get packs of 6 or 8 fairly recent games for the price of 1. Ocean and US Gold in particular used to do them. Such awesome value. The industry seems to have put a ban on any company doing them any more. Sure you get compilations of ancient arcade games but you'd never see a Ubisoft or EA pack of 6 games released in the last 2 years for the price of 1 in this day and age.

Jerks.

 

[DDayton]

I thought I read something somewhere about Commodore actually making software deals with third parties, some of which ensured C64 software for a year or so more than the rest of the "8 bit computer" market. Did Tramiel do anything in that field?

 

[Blackbird]

[...]
- Barbarian (first game I encountered featuring choping off heads, I think)
[...]

http://www.gb64.com/Screenshots/B/Barbarian_-_The_Ultimate_Warrior.png

I just realized nobody mentioned this game before. For shame. Best decapitation-simulator ever.

I feel neglected...

 

[TwiztidElf]

My all-time favorite C64 game is a strategy game called The Sentinel (which, for whatever reason, was called The Sentry when I bought it in the US). I've played it on and off for about twenty years (via emulator) and I still haven't beaten it. (Mostly because it has 10,000 stages.)

Laugh at those graphics if you want, but it's the only game I know of on the C64 that was in full 3D. A perfect example of how to let your low polygon count dictate your art style, instead of trying to push more polygons than the machine can deliver.

Describing the gameplay would take more time than I have right now: best to read the Wikipedia entry. Amazing that a person working alone (Geoff Crammond) could make such a quirky and yet commercially viable game in those days.

There were also the 3D games made on the Freescape engine. Driller, Dark Side, Total Eclipse, etc. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freescape

For me: Nebulus (love the references in SMG), Sentinel, Paradroid, CYBERNOID and CYBERNOID2, Katakis (R-Type ripoff), Gianni Sisters, WIZBALL.

 

[Gazunta]

I thought I read something somewhere about Commodore actually making software deals with third parties, some of which ensured C64 software for a year or so more than the rest of the "8 bit computer" market. Did Tramiel do anything in that field?

News to me, and I helped edit:

Which is a fantastic book about the history of Commodore that everyone should buy. (Via the GAF Amazon link of course)
I painted houses for three weeks saving up for a 1541...after three weeks I got my $150 and bought it from a friend...I knew deep down he must have stole it from somewhere but I didn't care

AND SHAME ON THIS THREAD FOR NOT INCLUDING THE GREATEST C64 GAME OF ALL TIME:

In Grade 5 we had a C64 hooked up for educational purposes...someone brought this in and my education pretty much stopped the moment the game over music kicked in. It was later voted best game of the 80's by Zzap! 64.

Oh and there is an absolutely fantastic remake that has just been released: http://retrospec.sgn.net/game-links.php?link=wizball

 

[Panda]

Damn, I remember playing Sokoban and X-Out all day.

 

[Eric_S]

AND SHAME ON THIS THREAD FOR NOT INCLUDING THE GREATEST C64 GAME OF ALL TIME:

...

In Grade 5 we had a C64 hooked up for educational purposes...someone brought this in and my education pretty much stopped the moment the game over music kicked in. It was later voted best game of the 80's by Zzap! 64.

Oh and there is an absolutely fantastic remake that has just been released: http://retrospec.sgn.net/game-links.php?link=wizball

I fondly remember tagging along with my brother to one of his friends once, playing this. I remember that the sound was so so and that gameplay hard, but oh so addicting! (The few minutes they let me play before assigning me the role of passive bystander. A brothers benevolence only goes so far )

 

[Diatribe1974]

hahaha. This is awesome. I'm reliving some of my childhood here! So many awesome games. Graphics were a plus for sure, but the gameplay (i.e. how fun it was) ruled the day. Heck...when ZORK was insanely awesome and it was just text. Watch out for the Grue's. They'll eat you.

 

[Router]

Why the hell didn't I know about a C64 Bladerunner game?

 

[manzo]

I still remember the first C64 game I played in 1985: The Tube.

One of my all-time favourites: Terra Cresta.

 

[DDayton]

News to me, and I helped edit:
http://www.variantpress.com/images/4.jpg
Which is a fantastic book about the history of Commodore that everyone should buy.

I know I read something somewhere, but it could just have been silly speculation tied to the fact that C64 games were still on store shelves long after all the other 8-bit stuff had essentially vanished.

The C64 was a powerful little 8-bit machine... I really wish there had actually BEEN a real update to the Atari line to counter it. The C64 was more powerful generally, but the Atari seemed to have a better interface/language design/DOS system for it. Oh well... maybe I'm just a raging fanboy. Heh.

 

[Matt_C]

Blue Max
Beachhead 1&2
Paradroid
Leader Board Golf
Ultima 2,3 and 4
ELITE
Choplifter

TAC-2 joysticks (T.A.C = Totally Accurate Control).
ICEPICK

Respect!

I just wish there is a way to refurbish them so I can repair my two TAC2, I think there is a problem with the button contacts.

It was a perfect game of it's time and is a head of it's time. Imagine Metroid before Metroid but with a helicopter. I used to play Fort Apocalypse for hours. Shame that there is no modern update for this but Super Metroid is close enough.

 

[MikeB]

Creating my first user generated levels with:

 

[Maximilian E.]

Great thread! Awesome walk down memory lane.

Many have already mentioned lots of classical games, i just wanted to add a few that I also played a great deal.

Leaderboard golf:

This was the best golf game ever. I have never had so much fun with a golf game before.

Ace II

Awesome flight simulator, great 2 player mode, AWESOME MUSIC, the intro music was crazy good!!!

Arkanoid I and II

Classic game, classic gameplay.

Yie ar kung fu

Freakin hard but fun.

Way of the exploding fist

Pure awesomeness

Spy hunter

The car/boat game

Nexus

I never finished this but it was cool, infiltrator like game.

Saboteur

Classic game as well..

 

[jett]

Does anyone remember a game where you are this guy climbing some sort of wall with enemies falling on you? I think it had a sort of similiar art style to karateka. Can't remember the name.

There's also another C64 game I remember playing, you controlled a boat in this sort of venetian-like town, dropping off ducks on different piers. I remember the game being callked QUAK, but I can't find a thing about it online.

 

[itxaka]

Awesome. I never had an 64 (an amiga instead) but im impressed on some of that screens. Raibow islands lokks wonderfull for the machine and gunship is almost the same game as in the amiga.

I love the scene music, any links to c64 mod archives?

 

[neopokekun]

Why the hell didn't I know about a C64 Bladerunner game?

Blade Runner had some creative use of a license. They couldnt get the license to make a game based on the actual movie so instead they got a licence to make a game based on the movie soundtrack. Then the soundtrack "inspired" them to make a game where you are a Blade Runner (not specifecally named Deckard) that hunt replidroids (not replicants).

Uh... while the graphics look great, it still looks like something C64 could be capable of producing. But SID is simply not capable of making music like that. It doesn't sound anything alike.

Yeah the music is not SID, just something the guy who did the movie added.

This MP3 done with Polly-tracker, however, is an example that you can do four channel all sample based mod-style music on a C64 (Here is the sid of it.)

Awesome. I never had an 64 (an amiga instead) but im impressed on some of that screens. Raibow islands lokks wonderfull for the machine and gunship is almost the same game as in the amiga.

I love the scene music, any links to c64 mod archives?

Get the latest version of Sidplay and download The Hight Voltage SID Collection, which features over 30000 SID files.

 

[MikeB]

Awesome. I never had an 64 (an amiga instead) but im impressed on some of that screens. Raibow islands lokks wonderfull for the machine and gunship is almost the same game as in the amiga.

I love the scene music, any links to c64 mod archives?

Surely much better than beeping PCs and beepless Macs of the time... ;-)

Turbo Outrun Title Sound:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=usixkoudBh4
http://youtube.com/watch?v=cQNT9Whg4r4

Monty on the Run:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=DB5dhnvgliM

Commodore 64 Music Tribute
http://youtube.com/watch?v=t5_ZiNXsA5c

Lemon 64 includes a music archive, need to download a SID player first:
http://www.lemon64.com/

 

[Squeak]

The C64 was a powerful little 8-bit machine... I really wish there had actually BEEN a real update to the Atari line to counter it. The C64 was more powerful generally, but the Atari seemed to have a better interface/language design/DOS system for it. Oh well... maybe I'm just a raging fanboy. Heh.

Actually the Atari was more powerful in a few ways. It had a faster processor, and it had more colours (128/256).
It's problems was that sprites wasn't quite as good as on the C64, it had a charming, but not quite as charming as SID sound chip (POKEY), and the standard memory of the first machines was as low as 16Kb. There was bays for RAM expansions and ROM cartridges, but of course most games was made with the lowest common denominator in mind. Only later in the machines life did 48Kb and higher games become viable.
The colours was also hard to use in a real game. Most games ended up with less colours than the standard 16 of the C64

The hardware was designed by the same guy that did the Amiga, Jay Miner. He was a genius, pure and simple. He had a knack for wringing impossible performance out of the current fabbing processes before anyone else. He also had input into the 2600/Stella/VCS.
The Atari 800 was finished in 78 and C64 came out almost five years later. Pretty damn impressive!
Among hardcore Amiga/Atari coders it's know as the little Amiga.
Take a look at the 8bit Atari scene. It's not anything as large as the C64 scene but what the coders are getting out of the hardware, is equally impressive.

 

[MikeB]

Bop 'n Rumble

Funny violent little game within which you finish off handbag armed grandmas and blind people...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fOsKrbqUeLk

 

[Squeak]

Get the latest version of Sidplay and download The Hight Voltage SID Collection, which features over 30.000 SID files.

This is pretty much all you need to know.
Beware though, as with everything in this universe, 95% of it is shit. So you can't just pick around randomly and expect to hear something good. Use some top 100/10 lists at first to get a feel for what you like. All too often you are going to be stuck with the same old tunes by Rob Hubbard that the mass audience has decided is the only thing worth bothering with on the C64. Don't get me wrong Hubbard is good, really good, but not the best. So search around a bit and be (very) pleasantly surprised.
Here are some names of composers whose output have a much higher ratio of good stuff than others, to get you started.
DRAX, Jeroen Tel, Mitch & Dane, Laxity, Reyn Ouwehand, Martin Galway, Peter Clarke, Volker Meitz, Johannes Bjerregaard.

 

[Roat]

Still have one of these around somewhere along with the disk/tape drives and the ancient modem. They were good times.

I used to love going to the library and getting out BASIC books with games you enter yourself and play.

Boulder Dash was great, I remember an old Star Wars fighter simulator among a few others whose names elude me.

 

[deadhorse32]

Rick Dangerous

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1QTUmK0EJE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o6wiL-aCfo

 

[POWERSPHERE]

Awesome thread! My friend receiently found a Commodore 64 Family Pack in an old ladies cupboard UNOPENED! Tape drive, international soccer, 64, joystick, music cartridge with the keyboard overlay, all individually boxed inside, never used! He gave it to me, because he's a champion. So great!

 

[ymmv]

What about this truly excellent game: Uridium.

 

[dream]

Bop N Rumble was SO good.

Same with the wrestling game that wasn't Microplay's WWF title. I wish I could remember the name of it.

Then there's the precursor to the Sims -- Little Computer People.

 

[DECK'ARD]

Uridium was VERY impressive for it's time. Fastest scrolling on the machine to date, lovely little flip animation for the ship when you changed direction, and some cool ideas. Flying over the ship as it destroyed itself behind you was great.

Andrew Braybrook, who also did Paradroid, was on fire at this time.

 

[dream]

Oh yeah!

 

[Squeak]

Uridium was VERY impressive for it's time. Fastest scrolling on the machine to date, lovely little flip animation for the ship when you changed direction, and some cool ideas. Flying over the ship as it destroyed itself behind you was great.

Andrew Braybrook, who also did Paradroid, was on fire at this time.

Don't forget about Gribbly's Day Out that's one sweet game too!

 

[Agent X]

What about this truly excellent game: Uridium.

Uridium was great! It sported some great graphics, with good use of the C64 color palette. It was a challenging game, especially after the first four or five levels, but very enjoyable. I still enjoy playing it!

 

[dak1dsk1]

A quick fix:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C64_Direct-to-TV

 

[DDayton]

The hardware was designed by the same guy that did the Amiga, Jay Miner. He was a genius, pure and simple. He had a knack for wringing impossible performance out of the current fabbing processes before anyone else. He also had input into the 2600/Stella/VCS.
The Atari 800 was finished in 78 and C64 came out almost five years later. Pretty damn impressive!

It's too bad Atari was being run by incompetent babboons in the early 80s. An upgraded 8-bit line with meaningful new power might have done well... or if Atari had just kept with the Amiga project after all.

I like Atari BASIC.

 

[Squeak]

A quick fix:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C64_Direct-to-TV

Those games are mostly crap.
What's really interesting about the C64DTV is that if you are handy with a soldering iron you really get a tiny C64+. It's possible to hook a keyboard and SD card reader to it.
The girl who designed the FPGA is supposed to be some kind of circuit design prodigy, praised even by gods like Wozniak. She was able to sneak in all sorts of neat little hidden features that the DIY community is crazy about.

Edit: Here she is, Jeri Ellsworth:

Not bad for a bona fide geek, eh?! ´

 

[Ogni-XR21]

The C64 had too many awesome games to list, so I'll just post a couple of my favs that I don't think have been mentioned.

Nebulus

Also particularly loved Bruce Lee and Zorro, among many, many others.

OMG, I had totally forgotten about this game, I loved it even though I did not get very far (2 or 3 towers max). I need to try this one again!

 

[Project Midway]

Some more... I just cant stop browsing C64 game databases I guess these arent that wellknown games but maybe I'm not the only one who enjoyed these.

Ace of Aces:

Action Biker:

I played hours this little game trying to find all those...erm...things you needed to find.

Artillery Duel:

One of the best two player games EVER.

Castle Wolfenstein:

This one hasnt aged that well...but hey...back then I thought it was a good game.

 

[TimeKillr]

This one:

Now this was an amazing piece of work.

Despite its limitations the game tried pretty hard in capturing the mood of the movie. You start off with one of the most sweat inducing opening moments in gaming: trying to land your ship on the planet. This segment (3rd pic above) took about 5-10 minutes and caused many broken keyboards. Not to mention the music was fuck awesome! But once you succeed in landing the ship the game that follows is oh so sweet.

There were many different gameplay types. Some of the most memorable involved hunting down lost soldiers, finding Newt and battling the Queen Alien. Such great memories.

This has to be one of the single best movie adaptation games I've played.

Almost every level has different gameplay! That was FREAKY AMAZING.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

Awesome thread! Just noticed it this morning, and it's totally put a smile on my face. I loved my Commodore Vic 20 and later C-64. Great game machines for their time with some classics mentioned in here.

 

[Squeak]

I accidentally stumbled upon this:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1053309060448851979&hl=en
She's actually a very good storyteller. Very entertaining.

 

[maxmars]

There's so much I'd like to throw in but I see a lot has been already covered!

I didn't see Tau Ceti named, though, which is a pity: that was really an incredible game for the time.

It had 3d, shadows, a day/night cycle, a huge open world to explore and you could also connect to terminals and issue commands through a shell. You could take notes in game, which was a very welcome feature as the game spanned several cities.

Here's a couple of images from the speccy version:

 

[Tab0203]

Ah, the memories. Little Computer People, Last Ninja, Summer/Winter Games etc.
We're getting old.

 

[Prospero]

I don't think anyone has listed Neuromancer yet. It was fairly faithful to the book, and a lot of the text was lifted straight from the novel--

 

[140.85]

:lol

 

[RedDwarf]

Bop N Rumble was SO good.

Same with the wrestling game that wasn't Microplay's WWF title. I wish I could remember the name of it.

Then there's the precursor to the Sims -- Little Computer People.

Man, I had forgotten that game! I wasted many hours on that.