A Pioneering Survival Horror Game in 8 Bits — Project Firestart, Commodore 64
Published by Electronic Arts and developed by Dynamix (who you may know from their Sierra-published flight sims), Project Firestart made its home on disk-only Commodore 64s in North America in 1989. No loading tunes here, I'm afraid! But what you are treated to instead is a stunning and atmosphere-building cinematic intro that knocked my socks right off the first time I saw it early in 2022. It feels way ahead of its time and even manages to pull off an FMV sequence feel with the use of a digitized pixel head.
Once you're through the intro and its creepy tuneage, the premise is clear: You're taking on the role of Jon Hawking, a seasoned agent working for the United System States. A research vessel orbiting Saturn has suddenly gone radio silent and it's up to you to board the ship, find out what has happened, and recover valuable research data. All within a time limit before the powers-that-be trigger the vessel's self-destruct mechanism. Not super original stuff, but it gets the job done.
The Master of Magic, Commodore 64
Well. Come. Back.
The Master of Magic was the first RPG I ever played on the C64 and
whilst it isn’t as hardcore an example of the genre such as titles like
Wizard’s Crown, The Bard’s Tale and Abandoned Places, it is certainly rock hard
and it contains all of the elements and traits of the usual dungeon delve.
From one of the Darling Brothers: Richard, the man that brought us BMX
Simulator, comes an extremely rich text and graphical adventure that is as
challenging as it is engrossing. One of it’s crowning glories is its unique and
innovative interface. The screen is split into four main sections: an overhead moveable
playing map with ‘fog of war’; a localised graphical depiction in glorious
pixel art detail of interactibles you can currently see; a horizontal “choices”
bar; and the standard dialogue box and GUI. Every action you want to carry out
within the game is available via a “pause” menu with a click of the joystick
button.
POKEing Around In Commodore BASIC - Ep 01 The Missing LOCATE/PLOT Statement
VIC Light Cycles by Fuzzybad
At title screen, press the controls left/right to choose single-player or two-player mode. Press 1, 2, or 3 to set single-player difficulty level.
Player 1 controls: Joystick or keys WASD + Space
Player 2 controls: keys IJKL + Right Shift.
Completing Bubble Bobble, Commodore 64
Well. Come. Back.
You know the tune, it dings and blings around in the back of your head as you vainly search for the yellow sweetie, narrowly missing the flung rolling pin of doom. Bubble Bobble on the C64 was fantastic, but not, as I had once believed, as good as I thought it was.
It’s a great conversion – no doubt there - and the C64 really does well with regard to collisions, colours, sprites and speed and there are even the hidden extras in there, but, well… Myself and a friend, fuelled with beer one evening set out, with our limited credits, to fully complete Bub and Bob’s quest. We loved the game, he didn’t mind playing blue and I PON’d for green. We had all night, no distractions, we were fed and watered and I should point out, around 24 years old and the game was nearly 15 years old (if not more) itself – and we’d never, ever done it, so, we shucked off another can and launched our crusade.
I unequivocally adore this game – the arcade, of course, is nigh sheer perfection (depending upon which difficulty level the board is set on…) and at still only 10p per credit, well, you’re mad for not hitting the arcade under the Palace Pier, Brighton every weekend back in the day; or Dusters in Plymouth way back in the 'olden days, but, with my beloved C64 conversion – I found faults…
Well: fault, really.
You see, we played that fateful night, taking turns to leap levels utilising the EXTEND function, umbrellas and more, we failed a few times around the 70s, sometimes earlier with our limited credits (one credit each – no rebuys), but we continued into the morning hours, relentlessly slogging back through the early levels, relentlessly playing Bubble Bobble on my C64, sitting, cross-legged on my old bedroom floor. Adults.
And..: we did it – we survived the hideous space invaders and the ridiculously evil later level design and we found ourselves facing a bloody super-huge rolling pin-thrower on LVL 100. Having never reached this point, it took a few moments to work out what to do and we struggled and muddled our way through the boss pattern until finally – he just disappeared!
We’d done it – we’d got to the top of Bubble Bobble! For the first time in our lives. Ever.
However, this was a short-lived elation, as even though we knew we had really completed the game, we also knew that we now had to fight our way back down the tower, as in the arcade, to get ourselves and our prizes back home again. We glanced sidelong at our lives/credits tally. Not too good.
Thing is, with the C64, that was that – Game Over.
Michael Finnegan.
Simultaneously one of the greatest achievements and absolute disappointments of my entire life. Second only to realising that they aren’t rolling pins – they are whisky bottles.
Youtube: LogrusUK
Pleiades 3D, A New Game for the Commodore Amiga 1200 by MikketX
Download: mikketx.itch.io
Three New Writers Join CommodoreBlog Website!
If you would like to join the team as a writer, you can contact us here commodoreblog.twitter@gmail.com
Super Delivery Boy, New Platformer Coming to the Amiga
SukkoPera 16UP
Source: github.com/SukkoPera/16up/tree/v3
Source: github.com/ytmytm/TIB-001-Cart/tree/master/src
SukkoPera Plus4Serial
Source: github.com/SukkoPera/Plus4Serial
Ooze: The Escape, Amiga Port Released!
This is a port of the Spectrum version to the Commodore Amiga. Follow the link below for more screen-shots, info and download.
Download: Ooze-amiga.zip
Source: vwguy16.itch.io
Roguecraft Amiga Demo from Badger Punch Games Updated
Source: badgerpunch.itch.io
Website: badgerpunch.com
Stunt Car Racer Commodore Plus/4 Version Released!
Source: Plus/4 World
Forum thread: Plus/4 World
Wipeout, Puls4r Lost Plus/4 Project
Download: wipeout_plus4.prg
Ribbits All Round! Frogger Arcade for your Amiga!
Download: frogger_beta.adf
Tony demo version v1.2, Amiga
Source: aminet
PSSST by Boony Smith, Commodore 64 .TAP version
Grab the .TAP version here: PSSST! [Homebrew].zip
Source: Boony Smith, JudgeDrokk, Richard of TND
Kielbasa Empire, Commodore 64
Download: kielbasaDemo0723_RC3.crt
Source: ordered-chaos-design.itch.io
The Last Dungeon, Amiga
Version 0.7.1C bug fixes:
- Fixed multiple issues with the status panel not displaying the correct number of gold/keys/bombs.
-
Enemies can now display the item they are carrying which will hopefully
make it less likely to miss the key in the first room on the right!
- Fixed a bug where image draw offsets were getting reset to 0 when loading graphics from DAT files.
- Fixed a bug where the auto map would sometimes not draw correctly for the first room.
- Fixed a bug where pushable objects would sometimes draw the tile to the left when restoring background tiles.
-
Fixed a bug where the spinning sword on the title screen would draw in
the wrong colours after returning from the character select screen.
Download: dungeon071.adf
Source: pixelplop.itch.io
The Last Effort, Commodore 64
Download: last effort.d64
Source: alexlogachev.itch.io
Stunt Car Racer Preview. Commodore Plus/4
PSSST by Boony Smith, Commodore 64
Freely available tribute version, this is the "original" disk image .d64.
Download: PSSST_GAME.d64
Mirror: PSSST GAME .d64
Source: Boony Smith JudgeDrokk
Star Bars Atari 2600 Music Editor V1.2
Download: starbars.zip
Star Bars Manual.pdf
Source: CSDb
Bill & Ted's Excellent Game Boy Adventure, Commodore 64
Download: Bill&Ted+1D[EX].d64
CSDb: Bill & Ted's Excellent Game Boy Adventure
Source: https://romwer.itch.io/billandted
Sega Wonderboy, Amiga port updated to Version 1.2.1
Changes: v1.2.1
Fixed bonus screen audio bug
Fixed 2 minor bugs
CD32 iso added
Download: wonderboy_final_v1_2_1.adf
Source: acidbottle.itch.io
Petaxian, New Galaga Style Game for the Commodore 64
Download: Petaxian+2HDG [EX].d64
CSDb: Petaxian
Source: GitHub
Bulbmaster Sokoban-Style Game for the Commodore Amiga
Download: Bulbmaster-demo.adf
Source: neofuturism.itch.io
Arlasoft Unfinished Commodore 64 Game Funfair Inc. Released
Here's a few words from Arlasoft on their website. "This downloadable version is where development stopped a couple of years ago, I just hit a brick wall and the motivation to tackle even the smallest feature or bug disappeared. Unfortunately unless I get into a position where I can do my own thing all day every day I don't see me having the time or energy to finish it, but I will make the code available to anyone who wants to have a go."
Download: funfair_preview.prg
Source: arlagames.itch.io
Dig Dug Revival, Commodore 64
In this version, the playfields are procedurally generated. The game works perfectly on both PAL and NTSC models.
Download: DIGDUGREVIVAL.d64
Source: lowcarb.itch.io
The Last Dungeon (AmiGameJam 2022)
"This is an Amiga Disk File (.ADF) and requires a real Amiga computer to run or through an Amiga emulator! (Amiga 500 ECS 1MB, OCS might be buggy!)
This is my submission to the AmiGameJam 2022.
(I might upload a newer version in a few hours but probably not!)
Development was started in May 2023 after the deadline was extended.
This is not a finished game! For various reasons I ran out of time. There will be bugs!
If people like the game I will continue to work on it after the Jam in the hope of finishing it properly."
Source: pixelplop.itch.io
Tower And Dragon V2.0 Commodore PET
New in V2.0
The game starts with an outdoor adventure!
There are now animated tiles.
All levels are fortified with room decorations.
Game programmed around ROM 1 bugs with the Commodore PET disk drive (IEEE-488), allowing it to work with a disk drive! To get it operating, see project rom1diskmagic.
20% improvement in performance.
As with 1.1, this all runs in only 8K of memory. To make something this complex has been an ongoing battle.
Unfortunately, character save files from version 1.x are not compatible.
Fixed screen corruption on save (only effected tape cassette version in some cases).
As of Version 1.1, supports SNES Game Controller.
Download: TowerAndDragon.zip
Source: hub.inktada.com
Lancess Priya, Commodore 64
Download: lancessp.prg
Source: CSDb
Combian 64 V3.7 released
What’s new in Combian64 V3.7?
It uses Vice 3.7.1 compiled against SDL2 (sources under the ‘opt/src’ folder of the distro)
Enable / Disable TCP over IP allowing you networking with your preferite machine
Added to the menu the possibility to choice “Commodore 128 – 80 Columns to run at boot.
Samba now shares Combian64 folder with your PC/MAC
Sid Wizard 1.8 / 1.9 can be found under the music folder
Download: Combian64 - V3.7.zip
Source: cmaiolino.wordpress.com
LittleSixteen V4, A C16 Clone Board by SukkoPera
It looks like my dreams have finally come true. A brand new C16/Plus/4 compatible clone board is becoming a reality thanks to SukkoPera over at Plus/4 World Forums. According to SukkoPera, he's just ordered the prototypes for version 4 of the board.
Features
* 100% Plus/4 compatible User Port
* 512 kB Hannes-style RAM expansion
*
Onboard SID (either 6581 or 8580+Digifix) + 3rd joystick port (SID
audio is mixed with the TED/Ext audio with configurable volume but
direct dedicated output is also available)
* Joystick swapper
*
Ability to replace keyboard MOS 6529 with 74x273 (so that 6529 can be
recycled for User Port, but that one as well can be replaced with a
74x654)
* Removed FB13 in order to reduce luma/chroma crosstalk and improve video quality (Thanks @TLC!)
* Direct TED output connector (experimental)
* Pin header with all tape signals (think Internal Tapuino)
* Pin header with all IEC signals (think Internal SD2IEC)
Source: plus4world.powweb.com
King Arthur: Rise of the Round Table - New WIP Sword Slasher Coming to the Amiga CD32
Features
Uses a 4 button CD32 controller (but also playable using the keyboard for emulation)
50FPS gory action in glorious AGA
Part of the AmiGameJam 2022
Download: rise.iso
Source: latebit.itch.io
Caravandalf for the Amiga 1200 by Peter & Gordon Mackay
Lunar City by The New Dimension, Commodore 64
Features
Nicely presented loading bitmap with loading music
Front end presentation with Drum 'n Bass style music
End scene presentation
Hi score table with saver (if playing in disk mode)
16 action-packed levels with an increasing level of difficulty
Arcade style sound effects
4 different landscapes
8 different aliens (where newer aliens will appear after completing every fourth level).
Download: richard-tnd.itch.io
Source: The New Dimension
Airwolf Enhanced Commodore 16/Plus/4
New Features
- 16 new screens - taking the total to 25
- 5 more scientists to rescue (now 8 in total)
- Improved controls
- Improved chars and animation, based on C64 release
- New scoring system
- Respawn death bug removed
- Infinite score bug removed
- Cheat modes built in
- NTSC fixed
- All still crammed into 16K!
Download: airwolf_enhanced.prg
Source: plus4world.powweb.com
Flood. 1990, Bullfrog/Electronic Arts.
Hello.. I’m Flood!
Not the most well
known game from EA, Quiffy is a little green dude (What exactly is he?
Starfish, Mutant Frog?) who is on a mission to clear his world of litter
that someone has thoughtlessly left lying around. Quiffy also has to
switch off the leaky taps on each level to stop the water gathering
below, rising up and flooding his underground lair, killing everything
in its path. Hence the game title ‘Flood’
This is one of those platformers which instantly draws you in from the beginning, with its fantastic title music, superb colourful graphics and addictive but sometimes puzzling gameplay. I still own the original boxed version of Flood, although during my Amiga 500 days, we mostly had (cough) a lot of ‘backup disks’. The Amiga had big game piracy issues back in the day, a long story maybe for a future article.
Bad Guys
There are 42 levels on Quiffy’s big
clean up mission and through each level he will come across some
particularly nasty creatures (Hey we never said this would be easy!) One
of the most annoying of all these beasties is Quiffy’s scary ghost
aunt! She will follow Quiffy’s specific path that he has made throughout
the level and if you double back or get near, her deadly touch will
lead you to your demise. Collecting your trash and getting through the
level as quickly as possible is your main priority.
Other baddies you should avoid are freakishly named the following.. ‘Bulbous Headed Vongs’, ‘Plonkin Donkins’, ‘Vacuous Gombos’ and ‘Psycho Teddy’! Psycho Teddy has sharp teeth in his stomach, so be sure to avoid this guy as he’s not your average cuddly toy! However this game isn’t about completely avoiding the enemy, luckily Quiffy has a small arsenal of weaponry at hand to protect himself. Grenades, flame-throwers and dynamite on timers will help him though his adventure to victory!
Flood. An awesome platformer frozen in time when Amiga was the king of gaming.
Download: Flood
Download: Flood_v1.2_0504.lha
Ocean Beach Volley, 1989 Ocean.
I have played a fair few games in my time, but in all honesty, nothing has really stood out for me as far as amazing sports games go. However there is always a first time and this particular title for one reason or another stuck with me during my childhood and I couldn’t stop playing it. I think the first thing that struck me as particularly amazing was the intro, a lovely big Ocean logo with catchy music playing, then a huge golden trophy slowly appears on the screen. Loading up the game for this alone was worth it!
As we all know, Ocean was a big name in the video game industry back in the eighties and nineties and although a lot of games by Ocean were rushed released, (Yes, there are some bad Ocean titles too, Lethal Weapon and Total Recall come to mind) Ocean Beach Volley, for me, was something special.
Ocean Beach Volley is a 2 on 2 game of Beach Volley, go figure..
‘Well that sounds pretty boring!’ I hear you shout, and why would I put this in my top five? For
me (As old games go) this is a very addictive sports title, and one of
the best looking on the Amiga. Ocean have a knack of creating polished
good looking games and the graphics certainly do not disappoint. Sprites
are big and cartoony and the various backdrops depicting each country
you visit are really nice.
Welcome to London!
There are eight different
countries to play against including France, Russia and Egypt, you start
the game in your home country London England. You need to score 7 points
to win a match. Your player has three basic moves, bump, set and smash.
Bump is a move using both forearms to deflect a smash from your
opponent, Set is used for setting up the shot for a smash shot, and
smash is a move you can use if you are serving or if you want to slam
the ball over the net really hard at close range.
You control both players on your team, whatever player you are in control of at the time will be shown by a big hand pointing downwards above you and a blue cursor will show where the ball is going to land, but in my experience this isn’t always accurate and sometimes the cursor shows up after it’s too late, making the game more difficult than it should be. Every match is played against the clock and when you’re close to running out of time, the music changes to a fast rock’n’roll melody to let you know you must hurry if you want to win that quarter million!
Download: Ocean Beach Volley
Download: BeachVolley_v1.0_1249.lha