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Apple pulls C64 App after Manomio shenanigans revealed
Come on Manomio, what did you expect? Did you really think Apple would leave your C64 emulator in the App Store after it was revealed that the BASIC interpreter was still in your software, exposed with a little up, up, down, down, left, right trickery? That's a clear breach of the SDK and well, downright sneaky. In a blog post to its site, Manomio claims that it had "no intention of tricking basic into the app" and only left the code in to be remotely activated later should Apple change its policy. Of course, with so much money left on the table, Manomio promptly submitted a new, presumably BASIC-free app for approval. Something we're sure Apple will get right on.[Via The iPhone blog]Read -- Enable BASIC in C64 hackRead -- Manomio's plea for mercy
VC in Brief: California Games (C64)
California Games (C64, 1 - 5 players, 500 Wii Points)We say: Check it out! This week's release is an old favorite: California Games. Featuring an eclectic mix of sports to play (are these games all Californians know and love?), it's a game that many likely remember fondly. Well, in playing it for the first time in, oh, over 10 years, we still found it to be quite fun. Save for the roller skating game. That one is the worst. 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.
Commodore64 iPhone app finished, denied by Apple
If you're hoping to see a few text-filled blue screens or play a few games that have reached the American legal drinking age on your iPhone, you're going to have to wait -- perhaps indefinitely. Mobile developer Manomio (of iPhone Flashback fame), together with Danish studio Kiloo Aps have crafted an eerily accurate simulacrum of the keyboard-equipped hardware on Apple's cellular device -- unfortunately, their submission of the app was recently shot down by the fruit-themed hardware juggernaut.The legally licensed project (which has been in development for over a year) was denied due to a clause in the iPhone SDK agreement which states, "an Application may not itself install or launch other executable code by any means." As the program would allow users to "boot" C64 disks, it violates this clause -- then again, as mobile gaming news site Touch Arcade points out, a few iPhone apps do the same thing, such as Frotz, an app which loads and runs interactive novels.Will the Commodore rise again? Or will the man continue to keep it down? Only time will tell.
VC in Brief: Tower Toppler (C64)
Tower Toppler (Commodore 64, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points)We say: Tough, but unique; puzzle and platforming fans will likely enjoy itThis week, we have one new Virtual Console title to play with: Tower Toppler on the C64. It's an inventive title, and very unique when compared to the usual goodies found on the service, but it's also pretty tough. Progressing past the first tower alone was something I couldn't accomplish, so if you sign up, keep that in mind before you go trying to shatter my world record. 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.
Nintendo / C64 purse is runway-caliber fashion accessory
Look: there are purses, and then there are purses. Well, this one is none of those things. It's a decent looking bag to begin with, but then... well, things get really fantastic. Jeri Ellsworth took it upon herself to cram a Nintendo-on-a-chip and a Commodore 64-on-a-chip (her own creation) into the bag, along with an LCD. Then she connected up some NES controllers, which are velcroed onto the outside of the bag. The result looks awesome, and is also actually useable. We haven't heard anything about these guys being offered for sale, but we're fairly certain that the august House of Dior will probably be ringing her up any day now. Seriously: this thing is a work of art. There's a video of Jeri talking about her creation after the break. [Via Make]
Where Ben Heck's C64 laptop is going, it doesn't need roads
Ben Heck is taking a trip back in time with his latest mod, back to a time when DeLoreans were in production and Teddy Kaczynski was still buying sunglasses and hoodies by the truckload. It was 1982 when the C64 emerged, and Ben Heck's latest laptop mod recaptures the magic of that time's bulky electronics in a new bulky electronics device. Check out some video of this bad boy in action past the break.%Gallery-22424%[Via Engadget]
Ben Heck's Commodore 64 laptop mod: like 1982 without the feathered hair
Benjamin J. Heckendorn seems unusually enthused by his latest hack'n mod, calling the Commodore 64 laptop "probably one of, if not my favorite project I have done." That's saying something from the man who brought the "Benheck" finesse hammer down upon just about every modern and classic PC / game console and accessory you can think of. The C64 lappie features a C64C motherboard, a Gamecube power supply, and special 1541-III DTV device that emulates a floppy drive using a FAT-32 formatted SD card -- all while keeping true to the beige 8-bit spirit of the original. And if we're not mistaken, he's controlling it with an Atari joystick seen in the video posted after the break. Then again, there could be an Xbox 360 controller hiding in that joystick knowing Ben. [Via Nowhereelse]
VC in Brief: Summer Games II (C64)
Summer Games II (C64, 1-8 players, 500 Wii Points)We say: do not downloadSummer Games II features 8 different sports that are just horrible to play. The controls and gameplay just leave a lot to be desired, and the game has not held up well. It's just plain bad, and my time with it will be easily forgotten. Avoid this one, folks. 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.
VC in Brief: Pit Stop II, The Last Ninja, and International Karate
Another Monday means another edition of VC in Brief, which is kind of like a guy talking over some retro games. Actually, that's exactly what this is! Man, when it comes to describing things, we take the cake. And then we eat that cake. And then we have a sugar crash.Head past the break for more detail on these games, or simply watch the video above. Enjoy!
Wiikly Wares: C64 games launch an Onslaught on Wii
Click image for more bug blastin' screens There are plenty of new goodies to check out on Wii this week. including a whole new system on the Virtual Console! We won't bother wasting any more time here typing out words you're going to just ignore, so shoot down for the details you crave.Virtual ConsoleInternational Karate (C64, 1 - 2 players, 500 Wii Points): Features man-vs-man karate fighting to the death. Well, not really, but it is karate sparring. Do you need to know anything else?The Last Ninja (C64. 500 Wii Points): Armakuni is literally the last ninja ever, and takes up a quest to destroy the evil Shogun Kunitoki. You'll have to rely on all of your ninja abilities if you hope to survive this one!Pit Stop II (C64, 1 -2 players, 500 Wii Points): Enjoy split-screen action, or merely play alone in this C64 F1 racer. It's the first game to bring racing to the home computer and features six different tracks to race on, as well as true-to-life pit stop technology.WiiWareOnslaught (Hudson, FPS, 1,000 Wii Points): Hudson's FPS focuses on the war between humans and space bugs. The game features wave after wave of space bug baddies and includes boss fights and leaderboard support via Nintendo WFC. Sadly, though, the game does not include Michael Ironside.%Gallery-43939%
Commodore 64 emulator brings retro joy to Symbian S60
Have a Symbian S60-based handset in your pocket, do you? If you've a fever that can only be cured by more Commodore 64, you're in luck. The FrodoS60 application brings C64 emulation right to your N95, N96 or any other S60 mobile, and the updated version (1.5) even includes accelerometer support. Head past the break for a quick look at how much joy this little app could bring to your life, and hit the read link if you're interested in getting in on it. Which you are, so stop denying it.[Via digitoday, thanks Antti]
MMOGology: The price to play
October 20th marked the 30th anniversary of the very first Multi-User Dungeon (MUD). For those that don't remember MUDs, these text based multiplayer computer games were the precursors of modern MMOGs. I think it's safe to say that multiplayer computer gaming was the exclusive domain of hardcore gamers and geeks back then. People playing MUD1, Elendor MUSH or Pern MUSH were nerds, like myself, that knew computers, knew gaming, and loved roleplaying online. With the advent of online games with graphics, MMOGs like Everquest and Ultima Online began to attract a wider variety of gamers. The gaming demographic began to shift.Modern MMOGs like World of Warcraft ushered in a new era of gaming and a very different demographic of gamer. WoW's colorful, friendly style, easy to use interface and simple gameplay concepts make it very easy to pick up and play. WoW appeals to almost everyone: parents, kids, men, women, and people that might not normally play video games. It's about as close to mainstream as you can get in a MMOG. While the Wii is often credited with finally capturing traditional non-gamers, I submit that MMOGs like WoW did it first and continue to do it well. A key to WoW's success also lies is its low system requirements. Recent MMORPGs like Age of Conan and Warhammer may have more sophisticated graphics, but their higher system requirements work against their success in capturing a broad demographic of gamer. High system requirements are not just problematic for those particular games, but for the health and growth of PC gaming in general. Let's face it, when compared to console gaming, computer gaming isn't as cheap, accessible or simple. In order for MMOGs to continue to thrive, something needs to change at the hardware level. Without competitive pricing and standardization, PC gaming will continue to wither.
MMOGology: The price to play pt. 2
Why do people continue to game on the PC? There are many reasons; some of them obvious. I'm going to mention what I feel are the three most important. The first reason is one I alluded to earlier: versatility. You can do so many other things with a PC besides game. You can surf the web, you can email your friends, you can edit your photographs and mix your own music, you can edit your goofy home movies and upload them to YouTube. These are all things that you can't currently do with a console. For many families, buying a gaming console isn't an affordable option. These folks want one device that does as much as possible. The fact that computers can play games is a nice bonus. There will always be gamers out there that game on the PC because that's the only option they have. As we've seen with the recent boom of cell phone games, people will play games on anything capable of gameplay. The second reason is that consoles don't provide the intimate gaming experience that is only possible through the mouse/keyboard control format. Not only are a computer's controls fluid and pin-point accurate, but using them requires the gamer to sit up close with his computer. It's a very different experience than laying on the couch with a control pad far from the TV. The mouse and keyboard are the ideal control inputs for controlling first person shooters, strategy games and MMOGs. For MMOGs in particular, the PC is really the only option – for now. Some MMOGs like Age of Conan have already decided to release console versions, and other MMOGs have attempted the same in the past with limited success. In any case, the MMOG, FPS and RTS are the few genres that continue to keep PC games on store shelves. They succeed primarily because of their input interface.
Commodore 64 users create perfect nerdstorm
There's nerd and then there's Commodore 64 nerd. Bring them together in a Commodore 64 LAN party and you've got a nerdstorm of mythical proportions. The world's first Commodore 64 LAN party was held in nerdistan Cincinnati last weekend. It consisted of eight C64s with Ethernet cartridges playing NetRacer off a central, Java-based server. So Geeksta it hurts.
MidiBox SID turns Commodore 64 into 4-voice, 8-bit analog synth
The Commodore 64 did a lot of things right: the right price, the right graphics, the right games, and the right 8-bit audio chipset that allowed 12 year-old programmers to POKE and PEEK their way into analog music bliss. Modder and musician "TK" saw an opportunity in all of this for an analog synthesizer, and he went for it. Fitting it with potentiometers, LEDs, and an additional 8 SID sound chips (for a total of 8), he is able to get 4 stereo pairs of sound and 4 voices out of what he calls the Midibox SID. If you hadn't figured from the name, he did add MIDI control to the little beast. And, no, you cannot play Doom on it. Video after the break.
The best thing you'll see today: Guitar Hero for the Commodore 64
After Guitar Hero made its way to mobile phones, this shouldn't come as much of a surprise: The game has (unofficially) made its way to the Commodore 64. Creator Toni Westbrook calls it Shredz64. We call it a ridiculously cool labor of love, and the best thing we've seen today.Far from master tracks, the game only plays SID files, but for the decidedly (and necessarily) retro graphics of the game, it totally works. If you need proof, skip to about 4:30 in to see Toni wail through the Legend of Zelda Overworld theme. There's another equally impressive song after the break if you're interested. And if you're not, we're totally breaking up.
Shredz64 is very real and very shredding
Remember that time when we told you about Shredz64 and we were all excited and stuff? Well, friend, sometimes dreams do come true, and Toni ended up completing his Shredz64 project in style. In case you need a refresher, Shredz64 is all about bringing a Guitar Hero-style experience to the Commodore 64 -- which, in addition to holding much sentimental value, is quite the musical device in its own right. He has a custom-built "PSX64" interface for plugging his PS2 Guitar Hero guitar into the C64, which he's having produced for sale alongside a 5 1/4-inch floppy disk of Shredz64, but the real magic is the software itself. The C64-synthesized songs sound great, and interface is like Guitar Hero or Rock Band without all the annoying fluff. Check out the videos after the break for everything in action.
C64 games coming to Wii's Virtual Console
Just when you think all of your nostalgic fantasies have all been fulfilled, along comes Nintendo with a little extra joy for your retro heart. That "little extra" in this case happens to be Commodore 64 games for your Wii. You read that correctly, people -- C64 games are headed to the system's Virtual Console, starting with International Karate and Uridium, which will run you 500 Wii points apiece. Right now, the rollout appears to be taking place in Europe only, though we suspect it'll head over to our shores sooner rather than later. While you're waiting for that to happen, maybe now is a good time to exercise your digits and polish up on your IK trash talk.[Thanks, Nico]Read - Virtual Console: C64 is back! [Finnish site]Read - C64 on Wii Virtual Console
Turrican remake released, rocks you like a Hurrican
German programmer Poke 53280 has just released a freeware remake of the classic Commodore 64 game Turrican for the PC. The Metroid-esque title (that feels a lot like Contra at times) Hurrican is packed with vast, non-linear levels filled with weapons to find and swarms of enemies to use them on. The control scheme is a bit complex with several button combinations to memorize, but us old-school gamers are used to putting in effort to squeeze more fun out of our games. Download Hurrican (40MB, Windows).
Impossible Mission to stay in Wii Shop Channel... forever!
Impossible Mission is set to be the first downloadable Wii title that doesn't run on the Virtual Console. Eurogamer reports (via Nintendo Power magazine) that the remake of the Commodore 64 platformer will be made available in the online Wii Shop channel, making it the first new(ish) visitor to Nintendo's virtual aisles. Given the inescapable nature of the in-store music, we wouldn't be surprised to see the game stay awhile or indeed, stay foreeeeeverrr.For those unfamiliar with the title and the nefarious Professor Atombender, Impossible Mission will provide a retro mode in addition to the revamped adventure, much like the recent Jetpac Refuelled did on Xbox Live Arcade. Fight robots, keep atoms straight and sell an Xbox 360 in Japan this Summer when the game hits the Wii, PS2, PSP and DS.
