I just released it to the public and decided to write a blog post about it. If you want to try it out, you can download TULT 64 for free from Itch.io.
A Personal Retrospective of the Commodore 64
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
TULT 64 Released!
Hello! Sorry for not posting for almost 3 years. I've been busy making games. Here's one of them:
I just released it to the public and decided to write a blog post about it. If you want to try it out, you can download TULT 64 for free from Itch.io.
TULT 64 on itch.io
I just released it to the public and decided to write a blog post about it. If you want to try it out, you can download TULT 64 for free from Itch.io.
Saturday, December 30, 2023
V
Now for something a bit different: When I got my C64, my very first computer, back in 1989, it wasn't just the prospect of playing games that excited me. The idea of making my own games fascinated me just as much, if not more. At the age of eleven, I had no previous programming experience. But armed with the C64's manual and an almost complete edition of INPUT 64 magazines, I was determined to get this gamedev ball rolling. Or at least nudge the ball a bit, as it were.
About a week later, this was the result:
About a week later, this was the result:
Saturday, January 2, 2021
Game On 05/90
Scantily-clad feminine robots were quite the thing during the eighties, popularized by the Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama's detailed illustrations of gynoids. 1989 saw the release of Blue Angel 69 (geddit?), a puzzle game that contained loads of chrome erotica clearly inspired by Sorayama's work. The game's C64 version was created by members of X-Ample Architectures who also worked on several titles released on CP Verlag's diskmags. It's no wonder then, that the subject matter also made it onto one of their diskmag covers.
The connection is tenuous at best, but the artwork is related to one of this issue's games: In Alien you play a female engineer who has to fight a worm infestation on an alien planet. However, in the game she's not a robot and she's not dressed as if she just got out of bed. I guess some false advertising was taken into account to sell some more copies based on the cover alone.
The artist did a good job reproducing the chrome style, though, and avoided any serious anatomical blunders, compared to previous efforts. Her left arm looks a bit longer than her right. But it's not an actual human anyway, thus unusual proportions could be on purpose.
The background is a bit of a hellscape and seems to be on fire permanently. The environment in Alien is more like a futuristic city and less like a sky texture from Doom. This is probably again a case where the artist only got a rough description of the game and just did their own thing.
Sunday, December 27, 2020
Compunet
Published on Game On 08/90
Today we're looking at Compunet, a puzzle game that heavily borrows from two other puzzle games and makes them slightly worse in the process.
Today we're looking at Compunet, a puzzle game that heavily borrows from two other puzzle games and makes them slightly worse in the process.
Sunday, November 1, 2020
Aidon - The Apocalypse
Published on Golden Disk 64 12/90
Today's game is Aidon - The Apocalypse, a vertical scrolling shooter that is heavily inspired by Jaleco's Valtric (1986).
Judging by the loading screen, this is certainly not your run-of-the-mill apocalypse. In this corner of the galaxy, the end times are heralded by giant metal faces and even larger translucent skulls sporting mechanical teeth. Our hovercraft looks suspiciously like a repurposed Roomba which is rather unfortunate because the ground is currently on fire. At least I think those yellow tentacles are supposed to be flames and not some spiky alien vegetation.
The title screen's music goes on for quite a while, even though it only takes a few seconds until the game asks me to press space to continue. The track is oddly laid back, almost as if the apocalypse were the perfect occasion to relax and take it easy. I guess, if you are in the right frame of mind, the final revelation might indeed be the ideal time to go back to bed. Everyone's existence is about to end anyway and you can't do a damn thing about it. But wait, I hear the game whisper, there is something you can do after all! Simply step into your trusty hover tank and try to save the universe all by yourself!
Today's game is Aidon - The Apocalypse, a vertical scrolling shooter that is heavily inspired by Jaleco's Valtric (1986).
Judging by the loading screen, this is certainly not your run-of-the-mill apocalypse. In this corner of the galaxy, the end times are heralded by giant metal faces and even larger translucent skulls sporting mechanical teeth. Our hovercraft looks suspiciously like a repurposed Roomba which is rather unfortunate because the ground is currently on fire. At least I think those yellow tentacles are supposed to be flames and not some spiky alien vegetation.
The title screen's music goes on for quite a while, even though it only takes a few seconds until the game asks me to press space to continue. The track is oddly laid back, almost as if the apocalypse were the perfect occasion to relax and take it easy. I guess, if you are in the right frame of mind, the final revelation might indeed be the ideal time to go back to bed. Everyone's existence is about to end anyway and you can't do a damn thing about it. But wait, I hear the game whisper, there is something you can do after all! Simply step into your trusty hover tank and try to save the universe all by yourself!
Thursday, May 30, 2019
B-Bobs
Published on Golden Disk 64 12/90
B-Bobs is a single-screen platformer that takes some inspiration from the arcade game Pang and adds a cranial twist to it. Quite fittingly, it eventually becomes a bit of a headache to play.
B-Bobs is a single-screen platformer that takes some inspiration from the arcade game Pang and adds a cranial twist to it. Quite fittingly, it eventually becomes a bit of a headache to play.
Sunday, April 28, 2019
Elite Squad
Published on Game On 07/90
For today's game, Elite Squad, I simply want to show you the loading screen without giving away any details just yet:
Based on the name and this image alone, what kind of game do you expect to play? A vertical or horizontal shooter with an exotic roster of enemies? A platformer depicting the player character's recurring nightmares? An action RPG in an unsettling sci-fi setting?
For today's game, Elite Squad, I simply want to show you the loading screen without giving away any details just yet:
Based on the name and this image alone, what kind of game do you expect to play? A vertical or horizontal shooter with an exotic roster of enemies? A platformer depicting the player character's recurring nightmares? An action RPG in an unsettling sci-fi setting?
Saturday, April 13, 2019
Dynamoid
Published on Game On 07/90
Up until now, I've deliberately skipped over any Pong clones that I came across on CP Verlag's diskmags. Mainly because all of them were either tediously boring and/or made with minimal effort. Dynamoid is different. It's still Pong, but it does its best to hide the simple gameplay behind an outstanding presentation.
Up until now, I've deliberately skipped over any Pong clones that I came across on CP Verlag's diskmags. Mainly because all of them were either tediously boring and/or made with minimal effort. Dynamoid is different. It's still Pong, but it does its best to hide the simple gameplay behind an outstanding presentation.
Saturday, March 30, 2019
Fantasy Designer V.1
Published on Magic Disk 64 05/90
One of the more frequent applications found on Magic Disk 64 were demo/intro creators that allowed C64 users to make flashy intros without requiring any programming knowledge. Fantasy Designer V.1 is a fine example of such a tool, and it comes with a simple, straightforward interface. While its usefulness may be limited, it certainly makes for better screenshots than a spreadsheet program.
One of the more frequent applications found on Magic Disk 64 were demo/intro creators that allowed C64 users to make flashy intros without requiring any programming knowledge. Fantasy Designer V.1 is a fine example of such a tool, and it comes with a simple, straightforward interface. While its usefulness may be limited, it certainly makes for better screenshots than a spreadsheet program.
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Ryshka
Published on Game On 06/90
Vertical shooters belong to my favorite video game genres whose classics I still revisit regularly. There is just something uniquely satisfying about blowing up various enemies raining down from the top of the screen while having to weave through an onslaught of bullets.
It's a pity, then, that the first vertical shooter featured on Adventures in 16 Colors isn't very good. Say hello to Ryshka:
Vertical shooters belong to my favorite video game genres whose classics I still revisit regularly. There is just something uniquely satisfying about blowing up various enemies raining down from the top of the screen while having to weave through an onslaught of bullets.
It's a pity, then, that the first vertical shooter featured on Adventures in 16 Colors isn't very good. Say hello to Ryshka:
Saturday, February 9, 2019
Magic Disk 64 04/90
When I saw this issue at the newsstand, the cover art immediately reminded me of the docking bay from Star Wars: A New Hope. I suppose that was the artist's inspiration, even though it is not an exact copy from the movie.
Compared to last month's facial disaster, this picture is actually pretty good. For one, the perspective is quite accurate with a common vanishing point, and the only people depicted are either very far away or have their face obscured by a helmet. If I want to get extra nitpicky (and that's what I usually do here), I can point out one thing: Assuming the ship in the front is the same model as the ones seen further back, then the pilot in the cockpit must be a giant compared to the people you can see standing around the other ships.
In any case, the cover evidently fulfilled its purpose, as I found it quite captivating. It's a pity, though, that it somewhat oversells what is on the disk. None of the games feature any space stations or ships. One game has a starfield and some moons/planets in the background, but that's about all the similarities I can find.
Saturday, February 2, 2019
Game On 04/90
Looking at this artwork, I just realized that it took me four issues of Game On to finally get to a cover involving a space battle. One would expect the subject matter to be much more prevalent, considering how often C64 games have you shoot lasers at flying enemies in outer space.
It's all the more curious, then, that none of the games in this issue feature any spaceships or anything science-fiction related. Up until now, the cover art always referenced one of the games on the disk. It's possible that the list of games changed at one point or that the artist didn't get enough time to create a fitting cover. In the end, it doesn't really matter, does it?
What matters, however, is me trying to come to terms with this scene's proportions: Either all the ships involved in this epic struggle are exceptionally huge or that planet is extremely tiny. Furthermore, the green moon looks to be so close to the blue planet, it might as well be attached to it. But, to be honest, I always liked this cover, and I still do. I find its colors quite pleasing, as well as the flashy lasers and the non-black space background.
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Orbit
Published on Game On 06/90
In the wake of Tetris, the early nineties became a fertile ground for computer puzzle games. During that period, everyone had to release something that involved dropping and/or removing tiles. Here's a game that not only fits the trend perfectly but it also comes with the added bonus of taking place IN SPACE!
Orbit sure knows how to make a remarkable first impression. Here's the game's title logo, orbiting the title screen. You know, because it's called Orbit. Anyway, the logo is made up of a total of 24 sprites, thus each of the C64's eight hardware sprites gets drawn three times per frame. Actually, strike that, it's five times per frame: The sprites are also used in the upper and lower border to display the scores. That's a lot of multiplexing just for the title screen.
In the wake of Tetris, the early nineties became a fertile ground for computer puzzle games. During that period, everyone had to release something that involved dropping and/or removing tiles. Here's a game that not only fits the trend perfectly but it also comes with the added bonus of taking place IN SPACE!
Orbit sure knows how to make a remarkable first impression. Here's the game's title logo, orbiting the title screen. You know, because it's called Orbit. Anyway, the logo is made up of a total of 24 sprites, thus each of the C64's eight hardware sprites gets drawn three times per frame. Actually, strike that, it's five times per frame: The sprites are also used in the upper and lower border to display the scores. That's a lot of multiplexing just for the title screen.
Thursday, January 24, 2019
Reaction
Published on Magic Disk 64 04/90
If we want to reduce C64 games to their basic essentials, a lot of them come down to a test of reflexes. Reaction is different. It does the reduction for us in advance and simply presents itself as a pure test of dexterity:
You can't accuse the game of false advertising; what it's about can be found right in its name. Admittedly, the iconography surrounding the title logo may be a bit bewildering. Without wanting to spoil too much, I can already confirm that Reaction does indeed contain stars, moons, balls, arrows, blue windy paths, and a disembodied hand doing thumb signals. Unfortunately, that probably makes the game appear more exciting than it ends up being.
If we want to reduce C64 games to their basic essentials, a lot of them come down to a test of reflexes. Reaction is different. It does the reduction for us in advance and simply presents itself as a pure test of dexterity:
You can't accuse the game of false advertising; what it's about can be found right in its name. Admittedly, the iconography surrounding the title logo may be a bit bewildering. Without wanting to spoil too much, I can already confirm that Reaction does indeed contain stars, moons, balls, arrows, blue windy paths, and a disembodied hand doing thumb signals. Unfortunately, that probably makes the game appear more exciting than it ends up being.
Sunday, October 7, 2018
Hypersnake
Published on Game On 04/90
Ever since Snake found its way onto Nokia phones back in 1998, it has become one of the most widespread and well-known game concepts in existence. Long before that, the world was already brimming with Snake variants, and the game I'm playing today is one of them:
Ever since Snake found its way onto Nokia phones back in 1998, it has become one of the most widespread and well-known game concepts in existence. Long before that, the world was already brimming with Snake variants, and the game I'm playing today is one of them:
Monday, October 1, 2018
Alien
Published on Game On 05/90
According to GameBase64.com, 1983/1984 saw the release of no less than seven C64 games that were called Alien. Only one was related to the well-known 1979 sci-fi movie of the same name. In 1990, an eighth Alien game got unleashed on the C64, and it would change the world of gaming forever.
I'm kidding. It's just a game with aliens in it.
According to GameBase64.com, 1983/1984 saw the release of no less than seven C64 games that were called Alien. Only one was related to the well-known 1979 sci-fi movie of the same name. In 1990, an eighth Alien game got unleashed on the C64, and it would change the world of gaming forever.
I'm kidding. It's just a game with aliens in it.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Suprallay
Published on Game On 05/90
Have you ever played Codemasters' BMX Simulator? Would you be interested in a game very similar in style but with worse controls? If so, I have the perfect title for you!
This is Super Rally. I mean, SupraRally. No wait, it's Sup... that can't be right... Suprallay? At least that's what it says in the game menu. The loading picture has a different opinion how the game is supposed to be called:
Have you ever played Codemasters' BMX Simulator? Would you be interested in a game very similar in style but with worse controls? If so, I have the perfect title for you!
This is Super Rally. I mean, SupraRally. No wait, it's Sup... that can't be right... Suprallay? At least that's what it says in the game menu. The loading picture has a different opinion how the game is supposed to be called:
 |
| 'sup, Rally? |
Sunday, May 13, 2018
Space Ace
Published on Game On 05/90
Welcome to Space Ace, an action game where you steer an exceptionally fragile ship through narrow corridors (and space, occasionally).
The intro screen shows promise: Somebody decided to build what looks like a public restroom in space and added giant Tesla coils for dramatic effect. The geometry is purposefully lopsided, presumably to unsettle potential visitors so they don't stay there for too long. I guess there are also showers, and that's a soap ball in the top right corner. While the central spaceship's design is quite awesome, I'm not sure where it fits into the game, as the vessel you get to fly certainly looks nothing like this.
There is something extraordinary weird about the music that's playing here. While it never sounds off-key or outright wrong, it is sorely in need of some proper structure. Throughout the tune, it feels like the musician got bored of whatever melody he was working on and then just switched to something else for a couple of beats. This happens so frequently that the result is a confusing, meandering mess with abrupt transitions and drums that erratically change tempo until they seem to stumble over themselves.
Welcome to Space Ace, an action game where you steer an exceptionally fragile ship through narrow corridors (and space, occasionally).
The intro screen shows promise: Somebody decided to build what looks like a public restroom in space and added giant Tesla coils for dramatic effect. The geometry is purposefully lopsided, presumably to unsettle potential visitors so they don't stay there for too long. I guess there are also showers, and that's a soap ball in the top right corner. While the central spaceship's design is quite awesome, I'm not sure where it fits into the game, as the vessel you get to fly certainly looks nothing like this.
There is something extraordinary weird about the music that's playing here. While it never sounds off-key or outright wrong, it is sorely in need of some proper structure. Throughout the tune, it feels like the musician got bored of whatever melody he was working on and then just switched to something else for a couple of beats. This happens so frequently that the result is a confusing, meandering mess with abrupt transitions and drums that erratically change tempo until they seem to stumble over themselves.
Sunday, April 1, 2018
It's Harp Lifter
Published on Golden Disk 64 04/90
Today's title is a single-screen action/puzzle game with a theme that is plenty puzzling all by itself. It's Harp Lifter!
Wait, actually, it's It's Harp Lifter. I mean, It's is part of its name. It starts with It's.
Let's just move on, shall we?
The somewhat baffling loading screen certainly makes it clear that the game's name is to be taken literally. That is indeed a harp, and there is some heavy lifting going on. To what purpose remains shrouded in mystery, at least for now. I'm not sure if the bearded guy's facial expression is supposed to suggest enjoyment or strain. It could be both, for all I know. Printed on a street poster, this picture could probably masquerade as an advertisement for a gym whose training equipment is weirdly music-themed.
Hopefully, the game can shed some light on what is happening here...
Today's title is a single-screen action/puzzle game with a theme that is plenty puzzling all by itself. It's Harp Lifter!
Wait, actually, it's It's Harp Lifter. I mean, It's is part of its name. It starts with It's.
Let's just move on, shall we?
The somewhat baffling loading screen certainly makes it clear that the game's name is to be taken literally. That is indeed a harp, and there is some heavy lifting going on. To what purpose remains shrouded in mystery, at least for now. I'm not sure if the bearded guy's facial expression is supposed to suggest enjoyment or strain. It could be both, for all I know. Printed on a street poster, this picture could probably masquerade as an advertisement for a gym whose training equipment is weirdly music-themed.
Hopefully, the game can shed some light on what is happening here...
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Golden Disk 64 11/90
For the second time, Golden Disk 64 sports a medieval siege scene on its cover. Compared to issue 08/90, this one is a bit more grounded in reality. For one, it doesn't feature any trolls. Instead, there is a collection of actual siege weapons, like catapults and a mobile tower. Also, this castle's drawbridge is up which should help tremendously to keep enemies out.
The two knights in the foreground are in similar positions as the two knights seen in the 08/90 cover, and the one on the left is even wearing the same helmet, just without the historically inaccurate horns. The way he's waving his axe and shield at nothing makes me imagine that he's running down the hill and shouting something akin to "RRAAARGH!".
I'm not very impressed with the people defending the castle from within, though. Just look at the chaos of spears that poke out of the battlements at random angles. It's as if nobody in there knows how to hold their weapons. On the other hand, the occupants' siege tower is on fire, so the defenders must've done something right. Either that or the attackers severely misjudged the aim of one of their own catapults.
Once again, the cover suffers from perspective issues. However, many medieval illustrations display similar problems with architecture, so let's just say that the artist was trying to emulate that particular style.
The artwork obviously refers to the text/graphics adventure The Yawn, which is the only game on the disk that takes place in a medieval setting. There is no siege going on in The Yawn though, and the game is way goofier than this depiction of castle warfare might suggest.
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