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The C64 Mini brings its nostalgia to the US on October 9th
You no longer have to toy with importing The C64 Mini if you just have to relive a childhood spent mashing on a Commodore 64's keys. Retro Games has announced that its '80s revival will reach North American retail stores on October 9th. This version still includes 64 pre-loaded titles, including era favorites like Epyx's sports games (such as California Games and Winter Games), Boulder Dash and Speedball II: Brutal Deluxe. You can still add more, and even run C64 BASIC if you plug in a USB keyboard.
A mini version of the Commodore 64 is coming in 2018
It's hard to deny the popularity of Nintendo's retro mini systems. After all, demand far outstripped supply for the mini version of the original console, and the same is expected to happen for today's SNES release. It's not a surprise, then, that other companies are getting in on the action. Retro Games is launching a mini version of the 1982 computer Commodore 64 called the C64 Mini. It will be available in early 2018, with a price point of $70.
The Game Archaeologist: The return of Habitat
After over four years of writing for Massively, I've ceased to be surprised by how bizarre and unexpected this industry can be. However, if you had told me a few weeks ago that, of all things, Habitat would be coming back online, I would have laughed mightily in your face. And yet, that's exactly what's happening. The Museum of Arts and Digital Entertainment has taken up the challenge to restore LucasFilm's Habitat to working condition and then, for the first time ever, open this original virtual world up to the internet to play. Museum staff, former Habitat devs, and volunteers have been wrestling with the old code and hardware to make this happen, and I can think of no better topic for this week's column than to look at how this 28-year-old game for the Commodore 64 will emerge blinking in the light of the modern era. I reached out to MADE's director, Alex Handy, to chat about the project and get clarification concerning what steps will need to be taken between now and the moment the switch is thrown to power up Habitat.
Super Hexagon shrinks to 16kb in Commodore 64 demake
Terry Cavanagh's endlessly vexing action game Super Hexagon travels back a few decades for its latest port, arriving mostly intact on the Commodore 64 via the fan-made tribute Micro Hexagon. Homebrew enthusiasts Paul Koller and Mikkel Hastrup created 8-bit version of Super Hexagon as part of this year's RGCD C64 Cartridge Development Competition, following up on Koller's previous C64 ports of Super Crate Box and Canabalt. It's an impressive piece of work considering the hardware (dig that rotation effect!), and comes complete with a SID rendition of the original game's thumping soundtrack. Micro Hexagon is available as a free download, and is playable on emulators and original C64 hardware.
Vlambeer knows your C64 is in the attic, made Super Bread Box anyway
When we first heard Super Crate Box would get a Commodore 64 version this December, our first question was, "Why?" As Rami Ismail of Vlambeer answers us, it's mostly because he can."When we released Super Crate Box almost two years ago, one of the things we kept on hearing was that the game felt like the classics – the arcade era of old," Ismail says. "We like to think that our games could've been made in the 80s – that they would've worked in some way on a C64 or similar. When Adam Saltsman released C64anabalt, we decided that it could be worth trying to see whether it'd work. We got in touch with the team that developed the C64 version and decided developing a real, actual C64 version was the ultimate test."OK, that's fine, we thought. Developers challenging themselves is a great way to ensure the industry doesn't stagnate. But then we thought of another conundrum. "Who the hell still has a C64?""One of us does have an old one somewhere, although we're not quite sure whether it still works," Ismail says. "We don't know how many people actually have a C64, but we hope that enough people would grab it from their storage to give Super Bread Box a try. Either way, we're mostly doing the project because we want to see whether it is possible."
Metalab wires its Blinkenwall to run from Commodore 64, gives no word on the obligatory Tetris port (video)
We've seen some ambitious Blinkenwalls in our time. Nearly all of the attention is unsurprisingly focused on the wall, however, and not on the often clever hardware and software behind it. Vienna's Metalab wants to shift the limelight by kicking it old school. Instead of the thoroughly modern Arduino and Fonera hotspot that normally light up Metalab's 45-block glass wall, the team's Blinken64 project swaps in a Commodore 64 with a cassette drive and the unusual Final Cartridge III feature extender. Getting lights to strobe requires dusting off more than just hardware -- all the animations have to be written in assembly-level MOS Technology 6510 code that even our nerdy parents might forget. The result you'll see in the video after the break is a far cry from the relatively easy, web-accessible hardware that normally powers such blinkenlight creations, but it's also a testament to how relevant classic technology can remain when it's in the right hands.
Buy your very own copy of Canabalt for C64
Paul Koller's C64 port of Canabalt was already pretty cool (if you're the kind of person who thinks a new Commodore 64 game is cool, a group that we begrudingly recognize doesn't include everyone). Now it's even cooler within that very specific niche, as it's available on a real C64 cartridge. RGCD has the real, physical release of C64anabalt available in limited quantities for around £20, in your choice of two versions: one with a SID conversion of Danny Baranowsky's original soundtrack, or one with the music from the indie game ThrustBurst for some reason.
Commodore USA goes Extreme, stuffs a 2.2GHz quad-core i7 into its C64x
We've loved Commodore USA's C64 computer recreations ever since it began producing them back in 2010. Much to our delight, the company recently outed its third variant, the C64x Extreme. This unit features the '80s flair we've come to appreciate, but supercharged to 2011 spec. Crammed inside its case is a 2.2GHz Intel core i7 quad-core CPU (capable of turbo boosting to 3.3GHz), 8GB of DDR3 RAM, Intel HD integrated graphics and a spacious 2TB HDD. Externally, you'll find a duo of USB 3.0 ports, a triplet of USB 2.0 ports and an eSATA connection, along with HDMI, 3.5mm S/PDIF, VGA and DVI ports for A/V hookups. Best of all, it's loaded with Bluetooth, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, an Ethernet port and even a DVD-RW drive on its side. The C64X-Ex will initially come loaded with Linux Mint 11, and it'll fully support Windows once the company's "retro inspired" Commodore OS Vision becomes available. Of course, the C64x-Ex's blend of vintage looks and modern-day power will cost ya -- to a tune of $1,500. If that's cool by your books, Commodore USA plans to ship orders placed by November 25th before December 15th. Full press release after the break.
Commodore USA begins shipping replica C64s next week, fulfilling your beige breadbox dreams (video)
If you're like us, you've probably been holding your breath in anticipation since Commodore USA announced its replica of the famous C64. It promised a keyboard PC that duplicated the original's retro-beige finish, with an Atom CPU and an NVIDIA Ion graphics card under the hood. But despite numerous announcements, and even after a cross-promotion with Tron: Legacy, they've yet to ship any products. The latest word from the company has pre-orders shipping next week, in five different varieties, from a barebones chassis and card reader to the C64x Ultimate – an $895 machine that includes 1TB hard drive and a Blu-ray player. If you haven't been teased enough over the past year of delays, hit the video after the break for more preview images.
Commodore USA puts the new C64 up for pre-sales, unveils far-less-retrotastic VIC-Slim
Now that Commodore USA has sufficiently piqued your curiosity with a revamped Commodore 64 prototype, it's ready to capitalize on the idea. Quite literally, we might add. $595 buys you the basic basic model with an 1.8GHz dual-core Intel Atom D525 chip, NVIDIA ION 2 graphics, 2GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive -- which it promises to deliver by "early June" -- with hundred-dollar increments adding premium features like an additional 2GB of memory, a Blu-Ray drive, up to 1TB of storage, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth. However, if you're simply looking for a compact keyboard computer (rather than reliving 80's nostalgia) there's another option on tap -- a likely rebadged thin wedge of a machine that Commodore's calling the VIC-Slim. Even at just $395, though, something tells us it won't be the "wonder computer" of 2011.
Commodore USA's all new C64 finds a friend in Tron on the road to availability
Been a bit skeptical of Commodore USA's promise to bring back the venerable Commodore 64 with some up-to-date PC specs? We can't blame you, but the company is now working to change some minds, and is finally proving that it is in fact the real deal. In addition to revealing some pictures of an early prototype a little while back (pictured after the break), the company has also somehow managed to team up with Disney, and it will be promoting the new C64s with an ad included with every copy of Tron: Legacy (pictured above). Still no word of an actual release date, unfortunately, but Commodore USA will apparently be launching a new website tomorrow to coincide with the DVD and Blu-ray release, so hopefully it will have a few more details to share then. In the meantime, you can check out more prototype shots at the link below.
As Apple relaxes App Store rules, C64 emulator for iOS gets BASIC again
If you weren't already convinced that Apple is seriously easing back on some of its more annoying App Store restrictions with the appearance of titles like GV Voice (a Google Voice client), this news might help. After a wild ride of ping-pong approvals and pulls, Manomio's C64 emulator has reappeared in the Store with its BASIC interpreter fully intact, and available for your coding pleasure. We've tested the software and can confirm that you will indeed be able to revisit your youth (provided your youth took place in the early 80's) via the newest version of the software. Of course, it's not super fun to program using the tiny, virtual C64 keyboard provided onscreen, but couple this with a Bluetooth keyboard of your choosing, and you can pretty much go wild. The emulator is available right this moment for $4.99, and obviously it's a free upgrade for those who've already bought in.
C64 creators also bringing Amiga, Atari 2600 emulators to iPhone
I just posted at the end of last week about Manomio's decision to go free with its licensed C64 emulator for the iPhone, but today it let us know that there are even more plans in the works. Given the success in porting C64 games (with official licenses) over to the iPhone, Manomio is working on two more emulators right now, including the Atari 2600 emulator seen above (Frogger! Space Invaders!) and an Amiga 500 emulator as well. Both apps are simply tech demos at the moment, and while Apple generally hasn't been very friendly to emulators on the iPhone, Manomio has put in its dues -- the company sorted out the emulator code in such a way that it's Apple-approved, and it's already worked with C64 license owners to make sure the games can be legally released on the iPhone, some free and some as in-app purchases. Of course, chasing down the Atari licenses might be a little tougher than the more obscure C64 titles, but if it's possible to get these old gaming gems on the iPhone, Manumio will probably pull it off. Stay tuned -- when you can play the original Frogger on your iPhone, we'll let you know.
C64 to stay free, KaleidoVid also free
A little while back, the C64 app in the App Store (a C64 emulator with officially licensed code from some old Commodore 64 games) announced that it was going free for a day with the Free App a Day promotion. That was a few weeks ago, and you might have noticed that the app is still free in the store. We contacted Manomio's CTO Stuart Carnie to ask him if the app was still free, and he confirmed that yes, C64 is staying a free download. The reasoning is pretty interesting -- the way the app works is that you do get some games for free, and then you can buy more using in-app purchases. Carnie tells us that when the app went free, they saw a spike in games being bought -- twenty times what they were selling previously. Making the app free also vastly increased their user base, and since they're constantly trying to get the licenses for older C64 games, going to code owners and saying that they've got almost 1.5 million downloads of the title gives them a lot more attention. In fact, because of the free promotion, Carnie says they've secured rights for International Karate, all the Last Ninja games, and Myth -- those should all be out on the store soon. Very interesting. C64 isn't the only app to go free lately -- David Barnard, the creator of KaleidoVid, an app that our own Dave Caolo enjoyed, has made that app free as well today for "a limited time," though we don't know how long yet. Barnard tells us that sales on the title weren't spectacular, it was designed more for fun than anything else, and that maybe sending the app free for a while will help it pick up some extra attention. Certainly there are apps that work better at different prices, but even if the goal is to make money, selling an app for free sometimes is actually the way to go.
Commodore 64 1.2 released in the App Store with three new free games
The creators of Commodore 64, that emulator app that eventually gained Apple's blessing, emailed to say that they have released a brand new version [iTunes link] with some brand new (old) C64 games to revisit. The gist of this one is that you can buy C64 ROMs to play through in-app purchases, but right out of the gate with version 1.2, three different games are free: Bruce Lee, Laser Squad, and Samurai Warrior. So if any of those ring your nostalgic bell, you can go jump in on the app now -- it's $1.99. If you want to add in some extra games, it'll cost you 99 cents each, but they've now made Alleykat, Uridium, Paradroid, Stormlord and Nebulus all available that way. Unfortunately, not all emulator developers have been able to secure such a deal with Apple, but C64 enthusiasts have to be excited about what's available with this one.
C64 emulator back on the App Store
The C64 emulator that was pulled from the App Store by Apple for leaving a BASIC interpreter intact has now returned, though we presume it's minus the Apple-offending code. But while it will no longer run your own code, it will run some old-school C64 games, including eight for free with the app, and more coming with in-app purchases. It's got everything you'd expect from an emulator, including original sound and graphics, an auto-save, and the option to play in fullscreen portrait or landscape. In fact, the only thing it doesn't have is an interpreter, but of course you know why that is by now: Apple doesn't want anyone running code on their devices that they haven't approved through the App Store. The app sells for $4.99 right now, and they expect to release the in-app purchases sometime this December, with no price announced yet.
iPhone Commodore 64 emulator back on the App Store
Having been rejected, accepted and subsequently removed, developer Manomio has finally gotten its iPhone Commodore 64 emulator back on Apple's App Store. The emulator had originally been rejected by Apple, thanks to its inclusion of a BASIC interpreter. Access to the interpreter was later removed, and the app was accepted, only to be later removed after some users figured out how to hack it and access the interpreter. Now, with further revised code, the emulator has reappeared on the App Store. In addition to the revised code, Casualgaming.biz reports that the application has received a boost in performance as well as three new games, International Basketball, International Baseball, and International Tennis. These new titles join the other bundled games, Dragons Den, Le Mans, Arctic Shipwreck, Jack Attack and Jupiter Lander. C64 ($4.99):
VC in Brief: Wonder Boy III (SMS) and Cybernoid (C64)
This week's Virtual Console update is quite the doozie, giving us one obscure C64 title and one game we've played a billion times. We don't mean to sound bitter, but we're pretty sure there's a baker's dozen Wonder Boy games littering the lands of the Virtual Console. Check 'em out above! Cybernoid (C64, 1 player, 500 Wii Points) Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap (Sega Master System, 1 player, 500 Wii Points) Every week, we like to check out what's new on the Virtual Console. We offer these videos as a sort of taste to help you decide whether or not you would want the game in question. We also toss in our own two cents because we're pushy jerks like that.
C64 emulator un-approved again
The first thing I thought when I saw that the C64 emulator we posted about the other day still had the BASIC interpreter hidden in it was, "Well that won't last." And unfortunately for fans of software emulation on the iPhone, I was right: the software got pulled from the App Store but quick. You can't really blame Apple here -- they've made it pretty clear that they don't actually want people running unlicensed, emulated code on the iPhone, so it's not hard to see why, when it was discovered you could still activate the interpreter, they cleared it out of the store. The good news is that the emulator has been updated to delete the interpreter completely, and the owners of the software have resubmitted it yet again to the App Store. But as much as I enjoy seeing emulators on the iPhone (I've made it very clear I'd love to see an official NES arcade app), I can't say I'd blame Apple for just passing on this one outright. They've had to go through this app at least twice now, and especially since app approval is already taking so long, that's pretty much a waste of time. Mistakes like leaving the BASIC in the app (Edit: My mistake -- they intentionally left it in and hidden, with the expectation that Apple would later allow it. Doesn't seem very likely.) are making it much easier at this point for Apple to just say "no emulators, period," and move on. Hopefully this app will get re-approved, and that'll be the end of it.
iPhone Commodore 64 app removed from App Store
Were you happy to hear that C64, the iPhone Commodore 64 emulator app, had been approved by Apple and finally seen release? We were too. Try to remember that feeling, then, as we tell you that after having been rejected, and then finally accepted, it's been pulled from the App Store.When developer Manomio learned that the C64's BASIC interpreter was the problem the first time, it removed obvious access, but left the interpreter in the software so it could be re-enabled later if Apple changed its mind. However, some users discovered how to access BASIC. Apple found out and removed it before anyone could use the C64's incredible computing power to blow the iPhone platform wide open.Manomio has (re)re-submitted the app, so hopefully it'll actually make it to the App Store and stay there this time.[Via Engadget]
