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VIC-20

Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story is Coming in 2024

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Gridrunner. Revenge of the Mutant Camels. Tempest 2000. Llamatron. In the British gaming universe of the ’80s and ’90s, nobody made games like Jeff Minter.

Revealed in the Day of the Devs showcase, Digital Eclipse’s Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story is an interactive documentary coming to PC and consoles in 2024. Play the history of one of the weirdest, wildest game developers to ever exist — a man who loves shooters and sheep, lasers and llamas!

PS: We are looking forward to playing the (never released) Konix Multi-System – Attack of the Mutant Camels ’89!!

Journey back in time to an era of cassette tapes, photocopied zines, and README.TXT. An era in which a kid with a Commodore VIC-20 and dreams of radioactive sheep could become one of Britain’s best-known game makers. A virtual museum of design documents, playable games, and all-new videos tell the fascinating story of a true independent game designer.

FEATURES

  • Four “interactive timelines” tell the story of Jeff Minter and Llamasoft through archival photos, design documents, playable games, and more historical artifacts.
  • Over an hour of all-new video featurettes from Paul Docherty, director of the upcoming documentary film Heart of Neon.
  • Game library features 42 classic games from 8 different platforms, including the unreleased Konix Multi-System hardware.
  • The all-new Gridrunner Remastered updates the classic game’s graphics and sound, while still running on the original Commodore 64 code for 100% accurate gameplay
  • Two of Jeff Minter’s innovative “light synthesizers,” Psychedelia and Colourspace, are fully playable with all-new console controls.
  • Save, load, and rewind your gameplay at any point, plus other quality-of-life features.
  • Supports English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Japanese.

INCLUDED GAMES

  • Sinclair ZX81
    • 3D3D
    • Centipede
  • Commodore VIC-20
    • Abductor
    • Andes Attack
    • Deflex V
    • Gridrunner
    • Hellgate
    • Laser Zone
    • Matrix: Gridrunner 2
    • Metagalactic Llamas Battle at the Edge of Time
    • Ratman
  • Commodore 64
    • Ancipital
    • Attack of the Mutant Camels
    • Batalyx
    • Gridrunner
    • Hellgate
    • Hover Bovver
    • Iridis Alpha
    • Laser Zone
    • Mama Llama
    • Matrix: Gridrunner 2
    • Metagalactic Llamas Battle at the Edge of Time
    • Psychedelia
    • Revenge of the Mutant Camels
    • Revenge of the Mutant Camels II
    • Rox 64
    • Sheep In Space
    • Voidrunner
  • Sinclair Spectrum
    • City Bomb
    • Headbangers Heaven
    • Rox III
    • Superdeflex
  • Atari 8-bit
    • Attack of the Mutant Camels
    • Colourspace
    • Gridrunner
    • Hover Bovver
    • Turboflex
  • Konix Multi-System
    • Attack of the Mutant Camels ’89
  • Atari ST
    • Llamatron: 2112
    • Revenge of the Mutant Camels
    • Super Gridrunner
  • Atari Jaguar
    • Tempest 2000
  • Reimagined
    • Gridrunner Remastered

image source: Digital Eclipse



THEVIC20: The Wonder ColourComputer of the 1980s Returns

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Did you miss out on getting your hands on full sized  THEC64 micro computer? Well you are in luck, as you now have an opportunity to fill that 8-bit micro colour computer void!

Full sized version of the 1980’s home computer THEVIC20 will be available in October 2020

Well folks, another timeless classic has been given a new lease of life with the launch of a full-sized version of the VIC-20. Developed by Retro Games Ltd. and distributed by Koch Media, THEVIC20 is a fully licensed reimagining of the early 80’s bestselling home computer.

Following its launch in 1981, the original VIC-20 home computer went on to become the first computer of any kind to sell one million units, and even now still holds a special place in the hearts of its former owners. It’s back again almost 40 years later to tickle your nostalgia!


source: THEC64

The full sized THEVIC20 has a full working keyboard, comes with an updated micro switched classic joystick which plugs into one of the four USB ports, and connects to any modern TV via HDMI. It features three switchable modes – boot straight into original VIC-20 BASIC , C64 BASIC or switch to the Games Carousel and play one of the 64 built in games in 50Hz or 60Hz, with optional CRT Filters/Screen modes. 

As well as the classic VIC-20 and C64 BASIC modes, the pre-installed 64 games include such VIC-20 and C64 classics as – Arcadia and Laser Zone (VIC-20), California Games, Paradroid and Boulder Dash (C64); plus all new additions like Metagalactic Llamas, Subspace Striker, Mega Vault and Gridrunner (VIC-20); topped off with the recently released shoot ‘em up Galencia (C64) and classic text adventure Planet of Death (C64) to let you relive the glory days of true keyboard gaming! You can even load and save your own VIC-20 and C64 games via USB flash drive as well as access multi-disc titles.

THEVIC20 Games Menu Carousel

Selectable 50Hz or 60Hz screen refresh and pixel filter options such as pixel perfect, CRT and scanline emulation

THEVIC20 variant of the THEC64 will hit stores on October 23rd 2020 with a suggested retail price of £109.99/€119.99/~AU$199.99.

For those of you wondering what you get in the THEVIC20 box:

  • THEVIC20 ColourComputer
  • 1.5m / 5 foot wired USB micro switch classic joystick (with added function keys for game specific modes)
  • a USB charging cable and USB AC power adapter
  • HDMI cable (1.2m / 4 foot in length)

THEVIC20 INCLUDED GAMES LIST

VIC-20

Abductor, Andes Attack, Arcadia, Bewitched, Blitzkrieg, Brainstorm, Catcha Snatcha, Connect 4, Encounter, Frantic, Frog Chase, Gridrunner, Harvester, Headbanger’s Heaven, Hell Gate, Laser Zone, Martians, Matrix, Mega Vault, Metagalactic, Llamas Battle at the Edge of Time, Psychedelia, Snake, Starquest, Subspace Striker, Tank Battle, Traxx, Wacky Waiters, Zor.

C64
Alleykat, Bear Bovver, Boulder Dash, California Games, Chips Challenge, Cyberdyne Warrior, Cybernoid II, Destroyer, Firelord, Galencia Mini, Gribbly’s Day Out, Heartland, Impossible Mission, IO, Iridis Alpha, Jumpman, Mega Apocalypse, Nebulus, Netherworld, Paradroid, Pitstop II, Planet of Death, Robin of the Wood, Speedball 2, Spindizzy, Street Sports Baseball, Street Sports Basketball, Summer Games II, Super Cycle, Sword of Fargoal, Temple of Apshai Trilogy, The Arc of Yesod, Uridium, Winter Games, World Games, Zynaps.

image source: Koch Media Ltd.

TheC64: The Full Sized Commodore 64 Is Coming!

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Full sized version of the 80’s best-selling home computer available on 5th December 2019

A timeless classic is being given a new lease of life with the launch of a full-sized version of THEC64®. Developed by Retro Games Ltd. and distributed by Koch Media, THEC64 is a fully licensed reimagining of the 80’s bestselling home computer.

The C64 Announcement Trailer on YouTube

Following its launch in 1982, the C64 home computer went on to dominate the home computer scene throughout the 1980s. Millions of units were sold worldwide and hold a special place in the hearts of its former owners.  37 years later and it’s back again!

The full sized THEC64 has a full working keyboard, comes with an updated micro switch classic joystick which plugs into one of the four USB ports, and connects to any modern TV via HDMI.  It features three switchable modes – boot straight into original C64 BASIC, VIC20 BASIC  or switch to the Games Carousel and play one of the 64 built in games in 50Hz or 60Hz, with optional CRT Filters/Screen modes.

As well as the classic C64 and VIC20 BASIC modes, the pre-installed games include such classics as California Games, Paradroid and Boulder Dash; with new additions like Attack of the Mutant Camels, Hover Bovver, Iridis Alpha, and Gridrunner; topped off with the recently released shoot ‘em up Galencia and text adventure Planet of Death to let you relive the glory days of true keyboard gaming! You can even load and save your own C64 and VIC20 games via USB flash drive as well as access multi disc titles.

“We are delighted to be working with Koch Media once more to bring back even more of the most loved retro games ever on two of the most iconic home computers of all time, and which now has a full working keyboard”, said Paul Andrews, Retro Games’ Managing Director. “THEC64 full size is a reimagining of the classic C64 computer and the second in a planned series of products on the way.”

THEC64 will hit the shops on December 5th 2019 with a suggested retail price of £109.99/€119.99/~AU$195.00/US$135.00.

For more information please visit www.thec64.com