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The Brixty Four: A Full-Size Working Lego Commodore 64

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Back in the 80s we loved playing with Lego and on our Commodore 64. So what a better way than to mash these two into one and create the Brixty Four – a full-size working Lego Commodore 64, complete with a functioning sprung keyboard, power pack, working LED light and a replica LEGO mobo (Ed: motherboard!) with all of the famous MOS chips, including Bob Yannes’ brilliant SID chip!

If you want Christian Simpson’s (aka: Perifractic) awesome Lego C64 to become mass produced, then go to Lego Ideas and show your support by giving it a vote right now!

source: Perifractic

 

Classic Times at PAX Aus 2018

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There is one undeniable fact about PAX Aus – attendees love reliving their gaming past in the Classic Gaming area!

For the sixth year in a row the ever popular Classic Gaming area returned to PAX Aus – this year brought to you by Ausretrogamer, Bartronica, Bayside Pinball Club, Mr. Pinball, Pinmem, Press Play On Tape podcast, Weird and Retro and Zax Amusements. These groups all brought along their carefully preserved (and awesome) wares to create the magical and nostalgia inducing area.

From the Commodore 64, Amiga 1200, Atari ST and MSX old school computers to the Atari Lynx, Game Boy, WonderSwan, Neo Geo Pocket handhelds and Atari 2600, Vectrex, Sega Master System, NES, PC-Engine, Sega Mega Drive and Super Nintendo consoles (just to name a few!), the Classic Gaming area had your retro gaming covered.

Of course the area didn’t just cater for old school computer and console gamers, it had arcade machines from the golden age like Asteroids, Bad Dudes, Rampage, Double Dragon, Mortal Kombat 2, Rastan, Street Fighter II and a dozen pinball machines, from the new Stern Deadpool to the old High Roller Casino just to tickle your sentimentality without the need of extracting coins from your pocket!

Another section that made a return due to popular demand was the display museum. Standing along the right perimeter of the Classic Gaming area, the glass display cabinets created the perfect backdrop by showcasing carefully curated classic and exotic gaming pieces that invoked strong feelings of intoxicating nostalgia from gaming’s past. This of course was the intention the Classic Gaming team was going for.

With the area proving to be popular as ever, there was never an empty seat or a lonely controller – attendees took full advantage of playing on machines from their childhood and for those with families, it was great to see kids playing games that their parents would have enjoyed when they were their age. With smiles all around and a lot of positive feedback, we can safely say that the PAX Aus Classic Gaming area was a huge success.

So what will we have in store for you all in the Classic Gaming area at PAX Aus 2019? You will have to wait and see, but rest assured, we will definitely be tickling your nostalgic nerve.

 

 

 

2018 Reset C64 Craptastic 4KB Game Competition Results

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This year’s Reset C64 Craptastic 4KB Game Competition was a great success and we would like to thank all of the competitors for their participation and hard work. Also a big thank-you to the judges and competition sponsors: RGCD, Pond Software, Bitmap Books and Protovision.

Every single entry was produced in the spirit of the competition and contained humour, creative ideas, and a demonstration of amazing skills by the developers – which is exactly what Craptastic is all about! Alas, there has to be a winner (even though we are proud of all the entries) and this time it is Paul Koller for his amazing Conga 4096. The arena shooter, based on RGCD’s Pan Dimensional Conga Combat, is definitely a worthy winner and is an amazing achievement by Paul and unbelievable for a 4KB game!

The winner: Conga 4096 by Paul Koller

Judges’ comments and more details will be published in a special Craptastic Reset mini-issue which will be out soon. Until then, enjoy the games which can be downloaded from the 2018 Craptastic page, and congratulations again to all of the entrants.

PLACINGS

  1. Conga 4096 by Paul Koller (28.86)
  2. WTF by Misfit (26.71)
  3. Snake-a-Space (aka Molly) by Jamie & Molly Fuller, Wave Hero by Geir Straume (26.57)
  4. Chef Quest by Pond/Privy Software, Orbs by Raffaele Formato/Raffox (26.43)
  5. Dustin’ Pond/Privy Software (26.14)
  6. by James (24.57)
  7. Kalle Kloakk 4k by Megastyle (24.43)
  8. Trump Tower by Megastyle (24)
  9. Endless Worlds by Derek, Mach-Tank by Malcontent (23.43)
  10. Space Poker by Karol Stasiak (23)
  11. Elevator Eric by Derek (21.43)
  12. Rabid Robots 4k by Richard Bayliss/Alf Yngve (21.14)
  13. Mind the Mines by Derek (21)
  14. Freaky Fish by Chris Page (20.43)
  15. Toxic by Richard Bayliss/Shaun Pearson (19.43)
  16. Memory Safe by Jamie Fuller (19.29)
  17. Parking Assist Chicken (PAC) by Goerp (17.58)
  18. 4kventure by Endurion (16.57)
  19. Sheeps! By Matthew Clarke (16.29)
  20. Roll Roll Roll by Cout (14)
  21. G7000 Racer by Igmar Coenen (13.71)
  22. I Found A Moon Rock In My Nose by Cout (12.57)
  23. Plunko by Cout (12.43)
  24. $100 Box by Cout (11.14)

Out of the comp: Shinobiden Gaiden by @_fou_lu.

Chef Quest

Dustin’

Snake-a-Space (aka Molly)

Orbs

Wave Hero

WTF

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Unkle K / Reset C64
Father, husband, teacher and retro gaming/computer enthusiast! Editor of Reset… C64 magazine.

Follow Reset C64 on Twitter

 

 

2018 Reset64 4KB Craptastic Game Competition Preview

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Development for the 2018 Reset64 4kb ‘Craptastic’ game comp is in full swing. Deadline is fast approaching (June 30th) so we thought we’d give you all a quick look at what some of the devs are up to for the comp.

Best of luck to all the competitors and we can’t wait to try your craptastic creations!

Title: Rabid Robots 4K – Out of Control

Credits: Code & Sound Effects by Richard Bayliss, Graphics by Alf Yngve.

This is a score attack game, consisting of 8 levels. You are a schoolboy, who was playing outside his house with his dog. Suddenly out from nowhere comes a rampage of robots. Your quest is to protect yourself or your dog from incoming robots. For every robot shot with your water pistol, you will score points. If you or your dog makes contact with any of the robots. You’ll run away from the street and the game is over. The robots will be appearing from both sides of the screen. You can only fire left or right. Good luck.

Programmed using CBMPRGStudio by Arthur Jordison.

Title: Shinobiden Gaiden 

Author: @_fou_lu

Shinobiden Gaiden is a short survival adventure game where you are a ninja who must collect a few magical items from a maze-like map before you die or time runs out. You’re pursued by undead the whole time, and all you can do is throw shurikens to stun them. The idea was to practice C64 assembly coding (using a Mac) and enter a silly prologue game to a more serious title I intend to make into the 4kB competition. I only have about 600 bytes left after compression; luckily all that’s left besides filling in the map is game loop and game over logic.

Title: Orb

Author: Annina Games

The game is a demake of Duet, which is a game developed for android/iphone that fits well on the c64. The goal is to manoeuvre two balls in sync, avoiding blocks by rotating either clockwise or counter clockwise. The engine is 90% complete. At the moment the level design is the more difficult stage.

Title: Wave Hero

Author: Geir Straume

How far can you go on your personal watercraft, without hitting any rocks or reefs?
You start off slowly, but the speed automatically increases as you reach various distance milestones. The watercraft is controlled using the fire button only.

Title: G7000 Racer!

Credits: Code by Igmar Coenen, Charset by David Almer

Drive your car as long as possible without crashing into other cars. Try to get 10000+ points to finish the game. You can choose the level of difficulty (easy or hard). The longer you drive the harder it gets (up to three levels).

Interesting info: My first c64 machine language game coded ever. Inspired by the race game on the Philips Videopac G7000 game console. First game I played (besides Pong of course).

Title: Neptune’s Oil

Author: Oziphantom

You are an oil mining company harvesting oil from Neptune, however the Plutonians are not happy and want it for themselves, so they have sent multiple attack drones. Your job is to defend the pumps in this side scrolling blast’em up.

Title: Snake-a-Space

Author/Credits: Designed by Molly Fuller, Coded by Jamie Fuller

Get up on a poorly, planetary-protecting-snake and defend IT for a change!

A simple run-and-jump joystick-mashing bit of craptastic fun! All the ideas for this game came from the imagination of Molly Fuller, my 6 year old daughter, who also helped with some of the graphics and play testing.

Title: Freaky Fish

Credits: Programming by Chris Page, Graphics and Sound by Chris and Brent Page

Freaky Fish has the ability to blow bubbles and must protect himself and his friends over 30 levels from the redneck who is fishing from his boat with dynamite!

This is our first Commodore 64 project since the early 90’s. At the time of writing the game is almost code complete with 88 bytes free when compressed, but space is at a premium and every addition now has to be weighed and optimized. At one point the game looked great but it blew out to a bit over 5k without some “essentials” such as collision detection so we had to spend a few weeks rewriting, cutting features and paring the graphics down. Given the 4k limits, there are lots of sprites, sound effects, music and code that didn’t make the cut so there is the possibility of an enhanced version after the competition.

For development used Kick Assembler, Visual Studio Code, Exomizer 3, VChar64 and Spritepad and we have also used our home grown SFX Editor on the C64.

Title: Kalle Kloakk 4k (Megastyle)

Credits: Code by Docster, Graphics & Music by Rotteroy

The game is about an old man who get stuck in the bathroom on the shopping mall and his struggle to pick up toilet paper that he can stack under the window and climb up and escape. It’s a plattformer with a twist; first you have to set all plattforms, then you have to complete the level. Memory eating music made in Goattracker!

Title: Trump Towers (Megastyle)

Credits: Code by Docster, Sprites by Rotteroy, Graphics by FX

Control the president around in his tower, grab the pussy when you can to get extra points.
No screenshot to be shown yet, Docster just started working on the engine.

Title: Fire (Megastyle)

Credits: Code by Docster, Graphics by FX, Sprites by Rotteroy

Game and watch go C64 4k!

Title: WTF

Credits: Code, Graphics & Audio by Mika “Misfit” Keränen

Bouncing ball has own intelligence. The player only manages the scrolling and the desperate ball tries to keep itself in the middle of the screen.

The main logic and graphics are finished. Needs audio and more levels. I’m very pleased. This game is so frustrating that players will hate me.

Title: CONGA4096

Author: Paul Koller

Game will be an arena shooter with a twist. Game is practically finished. I am currently working on getting some music and sfx into the game. I’ve added a teaser screenshot, which doesn’t show too much, to keep the surprise high.

Title: Dustin’

Author: Graham Axten/Pond Software

Credits:  Code & Graphics by Graham Axten, Music and SFX by Vanja Utne

Dustin the robot has been tasked with cleaning the dust from the precious innards of the world’s best 8-bit computer! Guide him around and help him clean up the dust particles, but watch out for electrical pulses that move across the circuit, they will fry him!

Title: Fire Rescue

Author: Syed U Rizvi

Well to describe the game, I guess you could say the name sums it up but to be honest. It’s a simple rescue mission whereby the ambo guys with a stretcher have to save people jumping from a burning building! And then make sure they make it to the ambulance without falling. Simple eeh!

The progression? So far, so good! I would say the game is 60 percent complete and I am currently working on collision detection and score updating. The rest would be straight forward with setting character graphics on the screen (burning building and other graphic objects).

Title: Chef Quest

Author: Anthony Stiller/Pond Software

Credits: Code & Graphics by Anthony Stiller, Music & SFX by Vanja Utne

Oh no! Chef is out of ingredients so it’s time to venture into the restaurant’s dungeon to restock the larder with delicious monsters. Chef Quest is a tiny, action-oriented RPG and will almost certainly be ready by the deadline.

Title: Elevator Eric

Author: Derek

It’s not a game that’s going to shatter any records of quality, rather just a bit of fun that I knocked together over last day and a half whilst off work.  I haven’t really done much with the C64 for coming on 30 years now I guess it must be (and it shows! lol – I’m about as good or should I say bad now as I was back then!). The game concept is based on games such as Nifty Lifty and Wack Waiters.

Title: $100 Box

Author: Cout

This one is based on a mathematics game theory problem for 100 people, but the game simulates the problem with just one player. The computer selects a random number from 1 to 100 as your lucky number. You will need to guess which box from 00-99 where the lucky number is hidden. The game allows you to have up to 50 guesses, but it’s not easy to win as it sounds!

Title: I Found A Moon Rock In My Nose

Author: Cout

Title Reference: The title comes from a line from the character Ralph Wiggum which is seen on The Simpsons from the episode This Little Wiggy from Season 9, Episode 18.

About the Game:

The object of the game is to pick your nose to find ‘moon rocks’.
You can pick from either your your left or right nostril at anytime.
The more you pick the more points you score!
However, don’t pick too much or you will get a nosebleed!

Includes:

PETSCII Nose Graphics and SID Sound Effects!

About the Author:

Created from the developer of I Ate the Purple Berries from the 2016 Reset ‘Craptastic’ 4kb Game Comp and My Cat’s Breath Smells Like Cat Food which was developed back in 2003. Cout Games creates unique games from some of The Simpsons most popular quotations.

Title: Plunko

Author: Cout

This game is based off one of the pricing games from the US version of The Price Is Right. The player is given 10 flat discs which are released one at a time from the top of the board.  The game board consists of a number of pegs which bounce the disc randomly around. As the disc falls to the bottom, it is impossible to determine where the disc might end up. At the bottom of the board, the disc stop and lands in a money slot the player can win.

I put the game through 100,000 rounds and it is theoretically possible to get the top amount from anywhere the disc is dropped from on the board. However, you do have a greater chance of winning money from the middle, it is also twice as likely that you will get nothing as well. Statistics are available upon request.

Title: Role Role Role

Author: Cout

Roll Roll Roll is a dice game where you roll a single six sided dice where you can win money.

On the first roll, you have the option to keep your roll as cash or roll again. Similarly, on the second roll, you have the same two options again. On the third and final roll, you keep whatever you roll (whatever the outcome). There are 10 rounds to a game.

This is based on a mathematics problem with worked out from the averages of rolling three dice in the hope of scoring the most points. The aim of the game is to beat the average (3.5) or optimally (4.66 for 3 rolls).

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Unkle K / Reset C64
Father, husband, teacher and retro gaming/computer enthusiast! Editor of Reset… C64 magazine.

Follow Reset C64 on Twitter

 

 

Review: THEC64® Mini Computer

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The wait is finally over! If Nintendo can roll out their NES and SNES Mini consoles, then surely the greatest 8-bit computer deserves to have a Mini of its own. Roll out the red carpet, cause here comes THEC64® Mini!

So why would we want this C64 Mini when we already have ten original Commodore 64 computers and hundreds of games on tape and 5.25″ floppy disks? Well, the main reason is the convenience. The convenience here is that we can plug and play THEC64® Mini on our new Sony Bravia TV without concerning ourselves with tuning issues and also finding extra power outlets for the computer and disk drive. Yeah yeah, we know people will argue the “build your own Raspberry Pi with a 3D printed case”, but that sounds like a lot of effort to us.

Packaging:
Our first impressions of this unit is exactly the same impressions and feelings we had when we first got our Commodore 64 America’s Cup Family Pack edition in 1986 – “Holy Guacamole, this is ace! Look at the box and check out the cool games and stuff on the back!”. The added bonus here is that there is no John Laws caricature on the box, which is a damn good thing (Ed: Only Australians of a certain vintage will understand). You can tell you have a premium product by the quality of the packaging – and THEC64 Mini is packaged so good you won’t want to take it out.

So what’s inside the box you ask? Since you asked nicely, here you go:

  • THEC64® Mini
  • 1.5m wired USB joystick (with added function keys for game specific modes
  • USB charging cable (1.2m)
  • HDMI cable (1.2m) allowing full compatibility will all modern TVs
  • Quick Reference Guide

Build Quality:
Make no mistake, THEC64 Mini is on par, actually, it is even of a better build quality than Nintendo’s Minis! Yep, it is that good. THEC64 Mini main unit feels strong and durable, and it just looks like a shrunken C64 breadbin – it is super cute and detailed. There are no lose bits or wonky interfaces or shoddy buttons that feel like they will break at the slightest touch – everything feels polished and rock solid. This Mini should last just as long as the original C64 computers from 1982. Oh yeah, the bundled Competition Pro (CompPro) joystick is just as good, with a plethora of buttons to interact with the carousel menu and play games with. Thankfully the joystick is not microswitched, meaning you can play quietly while everyone is asleep (the fire buttons are a tad loud though). We just wish it was a TAC-2 instead of the CompPro – but that ain’t a biggie.

Entertainment:
THEC64 Mini comes with, surprise surprise, 64 built in games! Granted, there are a number of missing classics, like The Last Ninja, but hey, there is still enough awesome licensed games to satisfy even the most die-hard retro gamers.

Instead of getting all huffy about the games that are missing, let’s concentrate on the games that are in this cute little breadbin – we have, Armalyte, Creatures, Cybernoid I & II, Hawkeye, IO, Impossible Mission I & II, Nebulus, Paradroid, Uridium, Pitstop II and the awesome ‘Games’ series from Epyx, to name just a few. Oh yeah, there is an online keyboard which you can use for games that require keyboard input or you can attach an external USB keyboard to make things easier. And there are four save / load game slots per game, so use them wisely!

What we can say is that each of the 64 games are classics in their own right, with each of them getting favourable review scores back in the day. So instead of getting upset of what’s missing, enjoy what’s on offer! And if you really really want to add your own programs or games, then you can do so here, but be warned it is quite a cumbersome process.

Features & Flexibility:
Sick of playing the built games? No worries, if you prefer to type in your own programs, then THEC64 Mini has you covered. Just connect an external keyboard via USB and start typing in your BASIC listings – try doing that with your NES or SNES Classic Minis.

With the addition of the two USB ports, THEC64 Mini allows flexibility of connecting an external PC keyboard and also the bundled CompPro joystick. As mentioned previously, you can also load your own programs (or games) via this process.

The display is pretty much pixel perfect on any new TV. The Mini also has CRT filters and aspect ratio modes if you are longing for that true nostalgic look and feeling. The carousel menu is also intuitive and easy to navigate with the joystick with its functional buttons.

Unlike the original C64, the makers of THEC64 Mini have given their assurance that there will be future software / firmware updates via a USB flash drive. Future proofing such a device gives us confidence that THEC64 Mini will only get better.

Overall:
Without a shadow of a doubt THEC64 Mini has hit the mark. For those craving a mechanical C64 keyboard, then buy yourself an original Commodore 64, but if you look past this and connect an external PC keyboard to type in your BASIC programs, then you will enjoy this Mini. There are enough pre-installed games on this thing to keep even the most discerning retro enthusiasts happy.

If you prefer your original Commodore 64 computer, then keep playing it. For everyone else, check out this little convenient C64 beast, you won’t be disappointed.

The 8-bit micro-computing king is back, baby!

Released: March 29 2018
Available: JB Hi-Fi and EB Games
RRP: From $149

THEC64® Mini was kindly supplied by Five Star Games for this review.

 

Bear Beware!

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We don’t have to convince you that interest in retro games has never been higher. Take John Darnell’s Bear Beware! (previously known as Sleepwalker) for instance – it was released on the Commodore 64 in April 2017 which quickly became a fan favourite amongst retro  gamers.

Fast forward to 2018 and John Darnell (Another Fine Mess) is about to release Bear Beware! on Android, iOS, PC and Mac so it can be enjoyed on modern systems, not just on the old trusty C64. There is even a hint that Bear Beware! will be coming out later for the Nintendo Switch – which is absolutely awesome news!

So what’s this Bear Beware! game all about you may ask? Well, it’s origins date back to 1984! Yes, 1984! Back then John Darnell (working for Software Projects in Liverpool developing Kane 1 & 2, Dragon’s Lair, Escape From Singes Castle, Star Paws and Jet Set Willy 2) had conceived Bear Beware! but the game was lost to the mists of time. Luckily for us John hadn’t forgotten about the game he came up with all those years ago, re-coding his original idea from scratch, delivering a fantastic arcade adventure that fans of classic retro games like Jet-Set Willy will love!

Bear Beware! revolves around the heroic efforts of the protagonist Security Guard Hero rescuing his little sleepwalking Funfair Buddy and getting him back to bed before he wakes up. Sounds easy aye? Welllllll, you must traverse 25 levels infested with all kinds of nasty peeps that are hellbent on stopping your Buddy getting back to bed.

Bear Beware! will be available free to play in the comings weeks (March/April 2018). You can follow the exploits of Bear Beware! on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

image source: Bear Beware! by AFM

 

2018 Reset64 4KB ‘Craptastic’ Game Competition

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We’re excited to announce the 2018 Reset C64 4KB game coding competition. This year’s competition theme is once again…. Craptastic!

“What the bloom’n heck does craptastic mean?”, I hear you ask.

It certainly doesn’t mean crap, although it can! Craptastic can mean ludicrous, bonkers, outrageous, funny, wacky, far out, and silly. The theme simply implies that the compo is just for a bit of fun, not a serious coding competition. You are more than welcome to make an excellent game to submit for the compo. Your game may contain some humour or silliness to fit more with the theme, but it doesn’t have to!

2016 Craptastic Comp Winner: Goblin by Vanja Utne / Pond Software

In the 2016 competition, some entries were truly excellent, others excellent but silly, others truly awful but funny! It’s just a chance for people to do something a little different if they wish and explore ideas/concepts that wouldn’t normally work well in a more serious compo.

Please remember that this competition is limited to 4KB. Yes, any entry submitted can be no more than 4KB when compressed. If your game is more than 1 file, then all the files put together must not exceed the 4KB limit.

We want craptastic game entries! Remember, the key word here is fun! We want both coders and players alike to have fun and enjoy this comp!

Submit your entries to RESET (via email) by 30th June, 2018 (23:59 GMT).

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
RULES

Basic rules are as follows:

  1. The competition deadline is 23:59 GMT on the 30th June, 2018. All entries to be submitted to [email protected])
  2. All entrants must register at [email protected]
  3. Entrants are free to preview screenshots and videos of their game(s) to other publications/websites.
  4. The competition will only begin when there are at least 5 registered entrants.
  5. All submitted games MUST be 4KB or less, compressed, and executable on a stock C64 on either or each of tape, disk and cartridge. Your submission may have a separate docs file (either as a C64 executable or a txt file, which doesn’t count towards the 4KB cap).
  6. The games must be previously unreleased and your own work, whether that be by yourself or as part of a collaboration.
  7. PAL must be supported, with additional NTSC support optional (but encouraged).
  8. Participants may submit multiple entries, either as an individual or within a team. Team entries must be registered by an individual, and any potential prizes will be sent to the registered individual only.
  9. All applicants that submit a valid entry will be featured within the next issue of RESET magazine.
  10. Entries should be submitted exclusively to RESET by the competition deadline. Please feel free to share as you wish after the competition has ended (after the compo deadline has passed).
  11. There will be a panel of judges (TBA), and entries will be scored on a point distribution basis across several criteria. The decision of the panel is final.
  12. Judges *CAN* enter games themselves, but cannot self-vote (award points to their own release).
  13. Games must be submitted as freeware.
  14. Games will be published (not necessarily exclusively) on a future Reset Mix-i-disk for the whole world to enjoy, after the competition has concluded, and may be included on a future cartridge compilation.

4th place in the 2016 Craptastic Comp: Bonkey Kong by Graham Axten / Pond Software

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SCORING SYSTEM

The scoring rules are very simple. Depending on the number of entries, the judges will award points to each game over several criteria (as discussed below). If there are 6 entries, 6 points go to the best, then 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 to the worst.

If a panel member has entered a game themselves, then the number of points that they can award will be adjusted (in this example, to 5) and they will not score their own release.

The criteria that each game will be evaluated on are:

Originality – New idea or “rip off”? Off the wall ideas encouraged.
Concept – Quality of game design, is it fun, is it bonkers, is it craptastic?
Execution – Execution of design, taking into account controls, NTSC/GS compatibility.
Presentation – Quality of graphics, audio and overall presentation. Supremely bad can be seen as a positive in some cases!
Gameplay – A measure of how enjoyable the game is to play.
Lasting Appeal – replay value, addictiveness.
OMG factor – when you see it, do you think “wtf!?” This is the true measure of craptasticness!

When the panel has scored each game accordingly, the totals for each criteria will be divided by the number of judges to produce a mean average. These averages are then added together for each game to give a final score.

CSDB will not be used for voting. Also, entries should not be uploaded to CSDB, or elsewhere until after the competition has closed. Feel free to post screenshots or info though.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PRIZES

A craptastic gaming comp requires craptastic prizes, right? Actual prizes and more sponsors will be announced soon!

For now, a big thank-you to the following sponsors for their support.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • Keep an eye on the Reset64 Facebook page for more information.
  • If you would like to sponsor a prize, please get in touch!

So, what are you waiting for? Get coding, and remember, have fun!!

Previous competition (to help you get inspired): http://csdb.dk/event/?id=2483

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Unkle K / Reset C64
Father, husband, teacher and retro gaming/computer enthusiast! Editor of Reset… C64 magazine.

Follow Reset C64 on Twitter

 

 

2SER Radio Chat: The Commodore 64 Returns

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“In a world of fun and fantasy, and ever changing views
And computer terminology, Commodore is news
Are you keeping up with the Commodore?
‘Cause the Commodore’s keeping up with you“

If you remember this (in)famous 80s jingle, you’ll know that it was for a particular 8-bit micro computer.

If you were curled up in bed this morning and missed the chat about all things Commodore 64 (and the comeback with the new THEC64 Mini) on Nic Healey’s 2SER Breakfast show, then you are in luck – go and listen to it over here!

Let the C64 legacy live on!

 

THEC64® Mini: Coming on March 29!

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The World’s best-selling Home Computer on sale from 29 March 2018

The fully licensed re-imagining of the 80’s bestselling home computer – THEC64® Mini – will be released on the 29 March 2018!

Developed by Retro Games Ltd – and distributed by Koch Media – THEC64® Mini is half the size of the original C64 and is a fully functioning home computer that connects directly to your television and comes with two USB ports for the joystick and a keyboard.

Launched in 1982, the C64 home computer went on to dominate the home computer scene throughout the 1980s. Millions of units were sold across the world and have a special place in the hearts of its former owners.

36 years later and it’s back as the reimagined THEC64® Mini.  Plugging into any modern TV via its HDMI port, users can play any one of the 64 licensed classic pre-installed  games.  This includes games from developers like Epyx, Gremlin Graphics, Hewson and The Bitmap Brothers boasting titles such as California Games, Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe, Paradroid and Impossible Mission among many others.

Also included is the classic puzzler Boulder Dash®. The game sees ‘Rockford’ cavern crawling in search of gems while trying to avoid creatures, cave-ins and gas explosions. Stephan Berendsen, President of BBG Entertainment GmbH said: “Retro Games and BBG brought back together what has always belonged dating back to 1984 – the C64 and Boulder Dash®.”

Most of these games were rated over 90% by leading publications of the day, with many winning coveted awards. From sports to shooters, platforms to puzzles, there is a plethora of titles to keep the most discerning retro enthusiast happy!

“We are delighted to bring to retail THEC64 mini and let both original fans of the machine, and all-new generations of games players discover this amazing system, as well as maybe even have a go at programming it for themselves!”, said Paul Andrews, Retro Games’ Managing Director.

What’s in the box:

  • THEC64® Mini
  • 1.5m wired USB joystick (with added function keys for game specific modes
  • USB charging cable (1.2m)
  • HDMI cable (1.2m) allowing full compatibility will all modern TVs

Other features include:

  • Pixel perfect display with US/Europe display modes
  • CRT filter options
  • Save game function
  • Plug a standard PC keyboard into one of the two USB ports and use as a classic C64 to type in those old BASIC computer listings
  • Future software updates can also be assured by firmware revisions via USB flash drive.

image source: THEC64® Mini

PRESS RELEASE supplied by Koch Media

 

Reset64 Magazine 2017 Commodore 64 Game of the Year Award

By

It really seems that each subsequent year for modern C64 game development improves on the previous, and 2017 has been no different! On behalf of the staff at Reset Magazine, I would like to congratulate all of you who have been involved in C64 gamedev in 2017, whether as an individual or as part of a team. 2017 has been nothing short of stunning, beginning with The Bear Essentials (released digitally in 2016, but physical version with a 2017 © stamp released later), and finishing in style with the long awaited Sam’s Journey on Christmas Eve (with a few releases making it out before the new year, too). In between, well, we were spoilt for choice.

The physical releases from the likes of Protovision, RGCD, Psytronik and Poly.Play also impressed, with each distributor/publisher raising the bar for the presentation of their physical releases – perfectly complimenting the outstanding quality of the games themselves. So much thought went into the packaging, artwork, labels, instruction booklets etc. to keep us collectors more than happy!

We will look at 2017 as an amazing year for Commodore 64 games of a quality that could arguably challenge many of the years during the computer’s heyday. It was great to see so many of the contemporary developers remaining so active, old timers returning as well as a host of first time coders, artists and musicians joining in all the fun. Make no mistake, gamedev on the C64 is a challenging and time consuming task, and we are truly appreciative of the efforts and hours that everyone involved has put in.

So to sum it all up, although there can only be one game awarded GOTY, we truly believe that you all deserve to be congratulated (whether or not your game or crew is mentioned within this article), and we take our hats off to everyone involved in the 2017 C64 games development scene.

Kevin (Unkle K) Tilley, Reset64 Editor.

Kevin Tilley (Editor’s Pick)

– Sam’s Journey (Knights of Bytes/Protovision):
Sam’s Journey is a truly astonishing C64 platformer that, amazingly, lives up to all of its hype! Breathtaking presentation, colourful and fast graphics; Sam’s plays like a high-end Amiga platformer with mechanics and design sensibilities not seen in a C64 game before. Beautiful to look at and fun to play, it’s my GOTY and a truly amazing game from Knights of Bytes. Nailed the physics too, KoB 😉

– Galencia (Jason Aldred/Team Galencia/Protovision):
Jason Aldred came from nowhere to deliver this superb Galaga/Gaplus inspired shooter. Incredibly polished, with wonderful presentation, graphics (the animations are superb) and a suitably stunning soundtrack from Pulse Bot. It’s one of those games that you can come back to again and again and it is incredibly addictive. The physical release from Protovision is stunning, and that box-art by Lobo!! An amazing effort from Team Galencia!

– The Bear Essentials (Graham Axten/Pond Software):
Graham Axten produced a game that tugged right at my nostalgic heartstrings with The Bear Essentials. Bear could easily have been a full price release from Thalamus and contains more than one nod to the games from that legendary Commodore 64 games publisher from back in the day. It’s one of the most charming games I’ve seen on the C64, and the final level blew me away. I’m tearing up right now thinking about it!

Honourable Mentions:
There have been so many other games I would have loved to have voted for. Rescuing Orc is another favourite – it is such a beautifully designed and playable game. I also loved LuftrauserZ, Platman Worlds and John Darnell’s charming Sleepwalker amongst many others. Oh, and then there’s Frogs, which is another absolutely charming multiplayer game from Dr. Wuro Industries. Any of these games could have featured in my top 3, they’re all so good!

image source: Jason Aldred & Protovision

Cameron Davis

– The Bear Essentials (Graham Axten/Pond Software):
I’m thrilled that games like this exist on our beloved micro – it’s just so charming! With plenty of secrets to discover, a wild array of cute (but deadly) creatures to avoid and great platforming action, The Bear Essentials has provided me with more joy than any other recent C64 release I can think of. A world without this Essential game is something I couldn’t Bear to think about. (You’re fired – Ed)

– Planet Golf (Antonio Savona/Aldo Chiummo/Gaetano Chiummo/Ilkka Sjöstedt/Massimilano ‘WiZkiD’ De Ruvo/Psytronik/RGCD):
Planet Golf is the demanding but beautiful girlfriend of Commodore 64 games. You’ll be driven mad with its fiendish level layouts and excruciatingly annoying traps, but when you do everything right it’s the best feeling in the world. I love this game even though it feels like an unhealthy relationship at times!

– Galencia (Jason Aldred/Team Galencia/Protovision):
This modern spin on the Galaga formula is not just a technical marvel – it’s by far the best shmup to hit the C64 in years! The movement of all the ships (oh, so many ships) feels nice and fluid, the blasting action satisfyingly explosion-filled, and there’s a real sense of accomplishment to survive the first few levels! We really are lucky to have games of this calibre grace our system.

Rob Caporetto

– Galencia (Jason Aldred/Team Galencia/Protovision):
Arcade-esque games are totally a ‘been there, seen that’ proposition on the C64 in the homebrew age, where many try to rekindle the feel, but most I’ve felt have always missed that something. Galencia, on the other hand? Nails it. From its old school difficulty curve, its high level of polish, and the overall polish of the package, it’s a labour of love which totally, totally manages to feel fresh, and challenging for 2017!

– LuftrauserZ (Paul Koller/Stein Pedersen/RGCD):
I’m a sucker for games involving air-combat, and working around gravity, both of which are core to this C64 adaptation of the indie hit. What blows my mind away the most though? The fact that the original game has been squeezed over into a C64 cartridge. In full. The pace is even more frantic, the controls flow excellently, and the challenge on offer is intense – for anyone after a fresh twist on arcade action, LuftrauserZ is easily one of the best picks you can go for!

– Rescuing Orc (Juan J. Martinez/Vanja Utne/Poly.Play):
One of the great things with the homebrew community is in seeing less visited genres make an appearance on our favourite micro. Rescuing Orc brings over the tradition of the exploratory platformer, with an old-school difficulty to match. The challenge of course being to locate your friend said Orc, whilst exploring the world, and dispatching the devious hordes who stand in your way. Compared to some of the other releases in 2017, that level of challenge may be a turn off, but despite some misgivings, it’s a throwback release, which is well worth checking out!

Honourable Mentions:
Sam’s Journey (Knights of Bytes/Protovision):
The Knights of Bytes crew have been working on this one for a long time, and it truly, truly shows on so many levels. Compared to many other platformers on the C64, it’s expansive, packed to the brim with levels, and power ups and features. If I’d been able to spent more time with it before submitting this GOTY, I expect it would have made the top 3. But considering I’ve not put anywhere near enough time in, an honourable mention will have to do…

Petunia Pickle’s Pumpkin Preview (Anthony Stiller/Vanja Utne/Pond Software):
Seeing new faces start off with amazing releases is something I always find mighty positive. It might sound a little too biased here, but I had a lot of fun with this little preview, and it being by a good friend is just the icing on the cake.

image source: Knights Of Bytes & Protovision

Paul Morrison

– Galencia (Jason Aldred/Team Galencia/Protovision):
I’ve been playing arcade shmups like Galaxian since the 1970s. I love them, so it always rankled with me that the Commodore 64 didn’t really have any that could truly stand among them. Consider me rankled no more. Galencia is an incredible clone of Galaga which has kept me playing since its release date. I’ve played it more than most of the PC and PS4 games I’ve bought this year, and I’m going to keep playing it. It may have been 35 years in coming, but it’s the best game of its type on the C64, and it’s my Game of the Year.

– LuftrauserZ (Paul Koller/Stein Pedersen/RGCD):
The original PC game was a simplistic but fast-paced shoot ’em up which featured an absolute mountain of extra weaponry to experiment with. That Paul Koller has replicated the game so accurately on the 64 is nothing short of miraculous. I’ve got a pretty sweet crate right now, but I’m looking forward to unlocking more and seeing just how destructive I can become.

– Planet Golf (Antonio Savona/Aldo Chiummo/Gaetano Chiummo/Ilkka Sjöstedt/Massimilano ‘WiZkiD’ De Ruvo/Psytronik/RGCD):
I played Desert Golfing and Stick Golf on my phone for far too long, becoming totally addicted to seeing how far I could progress or if I could whittle down my best scores. Planet Golf captures the feeling of those games emphatically, whilst adding a flavour that could only have come from our beloved C64. It’s hair-tearingly frustrating at times, but that one-more-go factor is in full effect.

Anthony Stiller

– LuftrauserZ (Paul Koller/Stein Pedersen/RGCD):
Paul Koller’s demake of Vlambeer’s aerobatic blaster is a miracle. Somehow Paul has captured the frenetic feel of the original and crammed in almost all of the features. Fast, furious and more fun than a barrel full of barrel rolls. Buy this game immediately.

– The Bear Essentials (Graham Axten/Pond Software):
Graham Axten of Pond Software brought so much joy to my C64 when he released The Bear Essentials. A delightful, highly playable platformer, polished like a shiny red apple, Bear is what C64 gaming is all about. Check out Graham’s dev diary, too, if you get a chance.

– Galencia (Jason Aldred/Team Galencia/Protovision):
Jason Aldred turns run-of-the-mill Galaga up to 11 with the exhilarating Galencia. With superb design, crisp graphics, and faultless gameplay, Galencia is a marvel to behold and has been a firm favourite in the RESET offices. A stellar release!

Honourable Mention:
Rescuing Orc
Juan J. Martinez’s wonderfully named game, Rescuing Orc, is everything I love. An adventurous romp with sword in hand, perilous leaps, varied enemies, deep caverns, and bats! Bats are great and so is Rescuing Orc.

Merman

– Argus (Trevor Storey/Achim Volkers/Saul Cross/Psytronik):
From the moment I saw the preview video on YouTube, I knew this was going to be special. The first-person view of the action is superb, there is a huge and involved quest to complete and Psytronik pulled out all the stops with the amazing Ultimate Edition (cramming loads of extras into the box, including the poster with the all-important map of the land of Argus). A landmark RPG for the C64 and my game of the year.

– Planet Golf (Antonio Savona/Aldo Chiummo/Gaetano Chiummo/Ilkka Sjöstedt/Massimilano ‘WiZkiD’ De Ruvo/Psytronik/RGCD):
Antonio Savona strikes again with a beautifully crafted game. The physics of the golf ball – and the fast-forward option – work really well, but it is the superb presentation that stays with me. The clear sampled speech and the amazing introduction sequence (with digitised graphics) set a high bar for others to reach.

– Galencia (Jason Aldred/Team Galencia/Protovision):
A very polished shoot ’em up, particularly the mutating aliens. It really captures the Galaga style and brings it up to date with great graphics and sound. So glad it was finished.

Honourable Mention:
Just sneaking into 2017 was the digital release of SAM’S JOURNEY. I have only had time to play it briefly but it looks amazing – it could already be my game of the year for 2018!

Richard Bayliss

– Sam’s Journey (Knights of Bytes/Protovision):
I purchased a digital download of Sam’s Journey on Boxing Day 2017. The game has very stunning presentation. The game is really colourful, but when it comes to playing it, I was almost late for work, due to its pure addictiveness. The game has a fun story line, and each world is well crafted. The ideas put into this game really pushed the Commodore 64 to its limits. There are some very colourful maps, cute enemies, which Sam can jump on (or avoid). The power ups are truly amazing. This game gets my vote to be the best ever game of 2017.

– Slipstream (Bauknecht/Psytronik)
I always wondered what the Commodore 64 could spin out for the C64 gaming world. We have seen many C64 demos, and demo coders of big groups today continue to show off their talent. Now what if you had this idea to produce a game, which uses some of the demo effects, such as realtime, vector animation? Bauknecht has proven this by developing something spectacular. The game has stunning presentation, along with some very amazing animated effects. The concept was quite original. You take control of two different modules through a simulation. This game reminds me a little of Domark’s Star Wars. Slipstream has very slick presentation, thumping soundtracks, and is also addictive to play. I love this game for the originality and addictive game play. It is very difficult to master at first, but you’ll get used to this game after a few attempts. Slipstream is a stunner.

– Galencia (Jason Aldred/Team Galencia/Protovision):
I always loved a good and decent shoot ’em up. Looking at this game. It takes me back in time and reminds me a lot of Galaxians, Galaga, Gaplus blended in together. This game is well designed, has some good bonus rewards for the play. Some alien attack patterns can end up as a little surprise. The Galencia like to transform into different types aliens. There are plenty of in game options, to enhance game play even more. You can even select competition mode, which is a real challenge. This is a really good retro-standard shoot ’em up. Nicely animated sprites, graphics, loading picture, music, etc. I enjoyed this game a lot, due to the quality arcade standard, presentation and excellent music. Some funny boss fights in between. Nice loading and intro graphics. Great series of options.

image source: Psytronik

Damian Caynes

– Planet Golf (Antonio Savona/Aldo Chiummo/Gaetano Chiummo/Ilkka Sjöstedt/Massimilano ‘WiZkiD’ De Ruvo/Psytronik/RGCD):
Antonio Savona’s Planet Golf was not only a very playable game, but had superb production qualities and awesome digital sound. The intros were brilliant, and the game itself was difficult and addictive.

– Galencia (Jason Aldred/Team Galencia/Protovision):
One of my favourite arcade games as a kid was Galaga, and Jason Aldred’s Galencia hits all the buttons. It has bright, colourful graphics and excellent fx, as well as masterful attack waves and bosses. Well worth the asking price, and I can’t wait to get it on cartridge.

– The Bear Essentials (Graham Axten/Pond Software):
I really hate to give this game one point, but there have been so many great games in 2017. Graham Axten’s Bear Essentials has a lot of similarities with the style of Creatures 2, but is an awesome game in its own right. Pond must be very proud of this release

Roy Fielding

– Planet Golf (Antonio Savona/Aldo Chiummo/Gaetano Chiummo/Ilkka Sjöstedt/Massimilano ‘WiZkiD’ De Ruvo/Psytronik/RGCD):
From the moment I first heard of this game, I knew it was one for me. Antonio certainly delivered with a splendid and very professional game. The physical release is sublime with great original artwork by none other than Oliver Frey. Top notch game with oodles of replayability. This game will remain one of my faves, alongside the likes of the Leaderboard range.

– Galencia (Jason Aldred/Team Galencia/Protovision):
A very close second is Galencia. This game came out of nowhere for me and really grabbed my attention immediately. I am a big fan of early arcade shooters like Galaxian/Galaga so this game really ticked my box on that score. The game looks and plays wonderfully and will certainly be a game to return to time and time again. Very high production value and again, we have a super physical release, with lovely original box art by Fleming DuPont. A wonderful game just slightly pipped (for me) by Planet Golf.

– Sam’s Journey (Knights of Bytes/Protovision):
This was a very close call between this and Paul Koller’s excellent Luftrausers demake. I went with Sam’s Journey as it is an original title and has one of the most beautiful scrolling engines I’ve seen on the C64, with such vibrant use of colours. A very playable game, albeit probably not one I’d return to as much as and . It’s still super impressive and delivers on the early promises and smashes away the doubts people had that it was not for real. I cannot comment on the physical release as it wasn’t available at time of writing.

Simon Quernhorst

– Rescuing Orc (Juan J. Martinez/Vanja Utne/Poly.Play):
A very nice and atmospheric game, which I really liked playing through the end!

– Galencia (Jason Aldred/Team Galencia/Protovision):
A perfect arcade game with fun graphics and always good for a round now and then.

– Frogs (Dr. Wuro Industries):
What a fun game when playing with four players… always great to push ’em into the water.

Roy Widding

– Planet Golf (Antonio Savona/Aldo Chiummo/Gaetano Chiummo/Ilkka Sjöstedt/Massimilano ‘WiZkiD’ De Ruvo/Psytronik/RGCD):
I decided to give my top 3 points to Antonio and his addictive and funny golf game! Nice graphics, nice music and addictive. Very addictive!

– Sam’s Journey (Knights of Bytes/Protovision):
I struggled a bit to play the digital version on my real hardware, but except for that, the game is amazing. A brilliant story, a nice plattform adventure, and it is not too hard, so I have kept my interest for this, and I think I still will have that interest when I receive the physical cartridge. (2 points to Chester)

– Galencia (Jason Aldred/Team Galencia/Protovision):
The game is so well made/polished/full of details that you can’t leave it out of a top 3. Even if I’m not such a huge shooter fan, I have played this game several times, and it is not one of the games you try and forget… (1 point to Jason)

Honourable Mentions:
I have bought all commercial releases this year, and kept my eye on all free games too. I might have missed some, but I have placed my votes on the ones I kept coming back too and enjoyed playing. There were some games like Bear, Orc, LuftrauserZ and some other Psytronik titles that I liked too, but I had to leave some out of the top 3 so it ended with these.

image source: Usebox.Net & Poly.Play

Jari Karjalainen

– Sam’s Journey (Knights of Bytes/Protovision):
It definitely came close for not happening in time, but my vote for GOTY goes to Sam’s Journey, without a shred of doubt. It’s not only a logical continuation of new hardware exploitation from Prince of Persia made for EasyFlash, but also yet another thus far missing link between the old C64 games and 16-bit games from all platforms – impressive in every expectable manner, and definitely lives up to its hype.

– Planet Golf (Antonio Savona/Aldo Chiummo/Gaetano Chiummo/Ilkka Sjöstedt/Massimilano ‘WiZkiD’ De Ruvo/Psytronik/RGCD):
If Sam’s Journey hadn’t made it this year, its place would have been taken by Planet Golf, which will now take the spot. I thought the preview already was fantastic, and the full version is definitely one of the most intriguing, impressive and unique C64 golf games of all time. Definitely worth having in anyone’s collection.

– Planet X2 (The 8-Bit Guy):
My vote for was much more difficult to choose, since there were so many fantastic games put out this year – the Bear Essentials, Galencia, LuftrauserZ, Slipstream and Argus to name but a few, each very impressive in their own ways. In the end, I settled for Planet X2, because it represents a genre that hadn’t been explored on the C64 before, and rather well at that, too.

Frank Gasking

– Sam’s Journey (Knights of Bytes/Protovision):
When playing Sonic 1 on the Mega Drive or Mayhem on the C64 that I remember the goosebumps first I had, experiencing something unlike i’d ever seen before. Although a predictable number 1 from me, Sam’s Journey this Christmas has given me just those feelings. Combining some of the best features from various 16-bit platformers, the game is a sight to behold, and it lives up to all the hype it has deservidely had.

– Galencia (Jason Aldred/Team Galencia/Protovision):
I’m a big fan of single screen shooters like Galaga and Gyruss, so Galencia was a very welcome release to see this year. There are some wonderful touches throughout the game and little sub sections which make this one of the best games of its genre on the C64. It’s been great to see yet another ex-C64 developer come back to the platform too.

– Planet Golf (Antonio Savona/Aldo Chiummo/Gaetano Chiummo/Ilkka Sjöstedt/Massimilano ‘WiZkiD’ De Ruvo/Psytronik/RGCD):
An extremely frustrating, but fun game, where any errors are your own fault and not the game. Deviously designed courses with some great gravitational effects on later planets make for a game that will keep you playing for a long time. The added polish of the crisp graphics/smooth animation and speech effects round off a great release.

….AND THE WINNER IS!

It is with great pleasure that we announce Galencia, by Jason Aldred and Team Galencia as the 2017 Commodore 64 Game of the Year, as voted by the Reset Magazine staff & contributors. A worthy winner, Galencia oozes quality from a coding perspective, as well as featuring the highest quality aesthetics and super addictive gameplay. It’s the perfect all rounder. The physical edition from Protovision was stunning and extremely high quality, everything from the beautiful art, labels, feelies, posters and that lovely green cartridge! Galencia also achieved the highest number of individual votes in this count and was a hot topic of discussion on social media and retro gaming forums for much of 2017.

Congratulations to Jason, the rest of Team Galencia and Protovision on your achievement!

image source: Jason Aldred & Protovision

Final Standings:
– Galencia (Protovision)
– Planet Golf (Psytronik/RGCD)
– Sam’s Journey (Protovision)
– LuftrauserZ (RGCD), The Bear Essentials (Pond Software)
– Rescuing Orc (Poly.Play)
– Argus (Psytronik)
– Slipstream (Psytronik)
– Frogs (Dr. Wuro Industries), Planet X2 (The 8-Bit Guy)

Honourable Mentions:
Platman Worlds (Psytronik), Sleepwalker (Psytronik), Petunia Pickle’s Pumpkin Preview (Pond Software).