#C64 game tunes

[c64screengrabs]

The Arkanoid title track by Martin Galway is still one of the best SID tunes ever written.

[adafruit]

🎄💾🗓️ Day 18: Retrocomputing Advent Calendar - Commodore 64🎄💾🗓️

The Commodore 64, released in 1982, is one of the ones we keep hearing got many people their start in their own computing history. Powered by a MOS Technology 6510 processor at 1.02 MHz and featuring 64 KB of RAM, it became the best-selling single computer model of all time, with an estimated 12.5–17 million units sold. Its graphics were driven by the VIC-II chip, capable of 16 colors, hardware sprites, and smooth scrolling, while the SID (Sound Interface Device) chip delivered advanced audio, supporting three voices with waveforms and filters, making it a lot of fun for gaming and music.

Featured a built-in BASIC interpreter, allowing users to write their own programs out-of-the-box. The C64’s affordability, large software library, lots of games, productivity, and educational applications made it a household name. It connected to TVs as monitors and supported peripherals like the 1541 floppy disk drive, datasette, and various joysticks. With over 10,000 commercial software titles and a thriving homebrew scene, the C64 helped define a generation of computer enthusiasts.

Its impact on gaming was gigantic, iconic titles like The Last Ninja, Maniac Mansion, and Impossible Mission. The C64 also inspired a demoscene, where programmers pushed its hardware for visual and audio effects. The Commodore 64 remains a symbol of computing for the masses and creative innovation, still loved by retrocomputing fans today.

Check out the National Museum of American History, and Wikipedia. https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_334636 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64

And…! An excellent story from Jepler -

== While I started on the VIC 20, the Commodore 64 was my computer for a lot longer. Its SID sound chip was a headline feature, and many of my memories of it center around music. Starting with Ultima III, each game in the series had a different soundtrack for each environment (though each one was on a pretty short loop, it probably drove my folks nuts when I would play for hours). There were music editors floating around, so I tried my hand at arranging music for its 3 independent voices, though I can't say I was any good or that I have any of the music now. You could also download "SID tunes" on the local BBSes, where people with hopefully a bit more skill had arranged everything from classical to Beatles to 80s music.

Folks are still creating cool new music on the Commodore 64. One current creator that I like a great deal is Linus Åkesson. Two videos from 2024 using the Commodore 64 that really impressed me were were a "Making 8-bit Music From Scratch at the Commodore 64 BASIC Prompt", a live coding session (http://www.linusakesson.net/programming/music-from-scratch/index.php) and Bach Forever (http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/bach-forever/index.php) a piece played by Åkesson on two Commodore 64s.

Like so many things, you can also recreate the experience online. Here's the overworld music for Ultima III: https://deepsid.chordian.net/?file=/MUSICIANS/A/Arnold_Kenneth/Ultima_III-Exodus.sid&subtune=1 -- the site has hundreds or thousands of other SIDs available to play right in the browser.

Have first computer memories? Post’em up in the comments, or post yours on socialz’ and tag them #firstcomputer #retrocomputing – See you back here tomorrow!

[retrocomputerandvideogames]

Bubble Bobble, 1987 Firebird

Commodore 64, Cassette

What a fantastic arcade conversion this game is and it has to be one of my favourite 2 player games ever on the C64. For me it is a rare example of a game being better when played with someone else, high praise indeed as I’m a bit of a misanthrope when it comes to any sort of multiplayer games!

Box art is lovely enough but it’s the super cute drawing in the instructions that I really like. Also, how cool are the old logos?!? I have a massive soft spot for the old Taito and BT logo but the Firebird logo is cool as! Bring that logo back, it looks amazing!

I bet you are humming the theme tune by now, right? 

High Res versions are on my Flickr:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/alan_mealor/albums

[nocturius8015ficore]

Get to know your mutuals / Fandom Folks to Get to Know Better

Tagging @ithillia @justanotherdikutsimp I decide to combine both of your inquiry/tag together as some question were in both.

It took me time to answer properly to every question! 😅

What's the origin of your blog name? Is that just your username?

Nocturius is my artist-name since my edgy teenager years. As I still draw Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Steampunk/Horror, I think the name work fine for all that. I tried different things when i was at University but nothing really sticks. It's non-binary, it give a vibe. No one cares. I use Nocturius or Noctaël in most of my online presence.

For 8015Ficore, it's pretty obvious. I've put the 8015 for RC-8015 ''Fi'' in the name to separate from Nocturius. I didn't want a letters salad. ''ficore'' for Fi-Core, which is my coresona on FB and Bluesky.

I hope that my blog name is clear enough it's about that dumb clone and also my artist name being clear for the out-of-character/artist talking, like now.

3 OTP+Ship name/First ship ever/3 Ships I like

Well, I gonna combine those questions because I'm not a shipper. I don't speculate much about couple or potential couples in a story. I don't imagine them with different person than what's in the canon. It's not what drives me in writing fanfictions/drawing fanarts. I'm cool with people doing it tho. Each person their hobbies.

Favorite color

For a long time that was more of a green-leaves. Like this:

But nowadays it's more like teal or turquoise. Those rocks made my brain very happy, especially the greenish ones with some stripes of yellow.

Favorite game:

I would say Stardew Valley is a nice one, but I want to talk about a very underrated one on the NES. A Zelda-like game called Crystalis from 1990.

Song stuck in your head:

Ahh... I have many. Usually some Pokémon themes, Final Fantasy or Kirby.

Last song heard:

I had to find that song about Kirby so...

I would say I like that channel with chipmusic a lot. Not all tunes are good, but it's a great filler for when I draw. Ehmm, yeah, I'm a lot into videogame music. Music with lyrics distract me.

Weirdest habit/trait:

I have some minor form of pica disorder. That might be a offshoot of my general anxiety disorder or in the list of ''Am I autistic?'' traits. Not enough to cause me real problems but it's there. I'm a terrible nails/skins biter. I do other weird stuff that can go under the dermatophagia I won't elaborate here.

When I was in elementary school, I used to often eat paper, fibers, eraser bits and wood. Well, I actually eat a tiny bit of paper just the day before i wrote those words and I use toothpick way too often to say it's totally gone. 😅😰

If you work, what's your profession?

I don't really have a job for now. Mental health is complicated. But I draw and write stuff. Sometimes people support me on Patreon (in French) and Ko-fi (in English) or ask for Art Commission.

Hobbies:

As drawing and writing are kinda my career, I would say hobbies for me is watching shows, reading comics/books and very amateur needle work (knitting/crochet/cross-stiches)

If you could have any job you wish, what would it be?

I just wish I could have enough energy and mental health stability to do my things regularly. If I could draw/write at least 4h/day every day, I would be happy. But someday, the best thing I can do is a cheap meme and I had to learn to accept my limitations and be proud of those small achievements.

Something you're good at:

Brainstorming stuff. I'm a ideas factory.

Something you're bad at:

Respecting deadlines and schedules. That gives me anxiety.

Something you love:

CLONES.

Something you could talk about for hours off the cuff:

Doctor Who. The whole thingy since 1963.

Something you hate:

AI generative stuff and disinformation.

Something you collect:

I used to collect books and comics for a while. Books of sci-fi/fantasy, animals and arts. I liked the idea of having a house filled with a personal library. But moving a lot as a student, flat to flat, made me reconsider my priorities. As I'm full on grown-up person lol, I decide to have a more curated one. Trying to ''KonMarie'' my collection with, still a lots of books, but less of the stuff I will never read. (often books people gave me). Sometimes I give the books that sparkle the less to my local  ''box library'' (public box where you can pick books or leave books)

Something you forget

I don't forget it often, but sometimes I forget to take my meds. It's just stuff for my thyroid but that make me feel weird when I skip it.

What's your love language

I'm a simple person. I like to care about people, making sure they are warm and cozy. Like with a blanket or a hot drink. Offering moral support. Since I created Fi-Core I realized how much I like to make people laugh and lift them up. My closest friends can only be reached online, so my love for them go through drawings and sharing pet pictures. I like to connect with people through art and sharing about life and feelings.

Favorite movie/show:

The Bad Batch

Favorite food:

Sushi and blueberries. Can those be combined? Oh certainly!

Favorite animal:

I love many animals. As a kid I was very fascinated by reptiles and snakes. Nowadays I'm happy with my two cats. I'm also an amateur beekeeper.

What were you like as a child:

I was feisty and nerdy. Didn't get along with the girls as an afab and wasn't accepted by the boys. I was bullied a lot and barely had friends. I had imaginary ones to keep me company. Books and my drawings. I don't have much good memories from my childhood.

Favorite subject at school:

History and later, art history.

Last Favorite subject:

French and English. I'm proud to be bilingual today but it's all my own work. I had a hard time learning English, very hard. French is my main language but the grammar always felt like it make no sense till university where I got actual explanations on some of the stuff.

What's your best character trait?

I don't know. I have the self-esteem of a shoe with a hole in it. I guess my sense of humor is probably in the top 5.

What's your worst character trait?

Way too much self-hatred I have to deal with daily.

If you could change any detail of your life right now, what would it be?

If I was able to have proper restful night, that would be very game changing.

If you could travel in time, who would you like to meet?

Maybe... Mary Shelley? She sound like someone I would get along with.

Favorite Childhood Book:

No idea. I read many things as a kid, but before my teenager years I didn't have a favorite one. I remember I was mostly fascinated by my father's books, atlas, dinosaurs and natural science themed encyclopedia.

Currently Reading:

Republic Commando? Yeah Republic Commando. I always need to dig deeper in it.

Currently Watching:

We watch The Rookie with family, Rebels with my vod Mamuzzy and the Gundam franchise with my friend TIE Brute-Core.

Currently Consuming:

I'm a very sober person. Never get drunk or high.

Currently Craving:

Sushi, always. It took me super long to answer this! Hope people will be interesting with it. 😅 I tried to be as honest as I can. I probably shoudn't. Oh well!

[retrogamingloft]

Pingo is a 1984 Commodore 64 game by Mentiss Software that's unmistakably inspired by Sega's arcade hit Pengo. Just like the original, you control a penguin pushing ice blocks through a maze to crush enemies – with the original 'Sno-Bees' now awkwardly rebranded as 'Snoobies.'

Pengo earned its classic status through charming design, strategic gameplay, and that catchy tune we all remember from the arcade days. This C64 homage keeps the core gameplay intact but makes a few notable changes. You only get 8 stages instead of the original 16, and they removed the border-shaking move that let you stun nearby enemies by slamming into the maze walls.

Despite these differences, Pingo still delivers that addictive block-pushing action that made Pengo such a hit. Warming up in slow mode paid off, so now I’m tackling the fast mode, which felt impossible at first.

[arconinternet]

Cloud Kingdoms (Electralyte, DOS/Amiga/C64, 1990)

You can play it in your browser here.

Tip: The action button is for both jumping and using keys on doors. If given a choice of levels at the start, try the top one first. You'll have to click the crossed-out speak icon to enable sound, at least in the Amiga version.

DOS controls: press K to select keyboard, then define the controls one by one when prompted (e.g. arrows and space).

Amiga controls: click at cracktro, then press F1 when prompter, then use arrows and Shift. P will pause the game (a nice tune will play so you know it's paused).

C64 controls: Space at cracktro, arrows and enter at trainer (cheat) screen, then: press F12, use arrows (including right and left) and enter to navigate to 'Machine settings', then 'Joystick settings', then set 'Joystick device 1' to Numpad and 'Joystick device 2' to None, then exit the menu with F12; controls will then be numpad 84620 (and Tab to skip level if that's selected).

[byamillioniactuallymeanttwo]

80's Dev: So we're making a RoboCop game for Commodore 64--

Johnathan Dunn: Hold my beer.

Another C64 honorable mention: the Myth: History in the Making Loader tune. Apparently even the people who made the rest of the music for that game don't know who made it?? Someone just swooped into their studio like one of god's own angels and dropped this BANGER

japanese game dev in the 90s: hey dude can you make some music for our game about anime girls getting fucked sloppy style

guy who's about to push the PC-98 sound card to its absolute limit and create the most heartachingly beautiful music you've ever heard: Yeah okay

[rejectedbad]

Rejected Bad: Boulder Dash

The following is a rejected script from an early season of Breaking Bad.

INT. METH LAB - NIGHT

The room is dimly lit, filled with the pungent smell of chemicals. Walter White, the once-respected chemistry teacher turned cannibal methamphetamine cook, stands near a table, eagerly biting into a perfectly cooked steak made from a grisly human clavicle.

Walter (savouring the taste):  Mmm, Walter, you've really outdone yourself tonight. This clavicle steak is delicious.

Jesse Pinkman, Walter's young and impulsive meth-making partner, sits nearby, monitoring a batch of blue meth cooking in a large glass container. He looks up, amused by Walter's carnivorous indulgence.

Jesse:  Dude, you're seriously eating a human bone steak again? That's some hardcore stuff, Mr. White. Jesse tries to change the topic to ignore Walter's needs to feast. Jesse: But hey, speaking of old school, did you ever play those old video games?

Walter (chuckling):  Who has time for video games, Jesse? Pac-Man is still fantastic, but I'm far too busy cooking the finest meth this town has ever seen. So go on, indulge me. Which one are you talking about?

Jesse grins mischievously, sensing an opportunity to engage Walter in an unlikely conversation.

Jesse:  Well, do you remember the C64 version of "Boulder Dash"? Just thinking about those retro games brings back memories, you know?

Walter, now wiping his mouth with a napkin, pauses for a moment. The tune from the C64 version of "Boulder Dash" starts playing in his head, and he subtly starts whistling it.

Walter (whistling):  Da-da-da-da-da, da-da-da, da-da-da...

Jesse can't help but chuckle at the sight of Walter, a hardened drug lord, whistling an old video game tune.

Jesse:  Damn, Mr. White, who would've thought you'd be into vintage gaming? But hey, if I had to pick the best-ever 64, it'd definitely be the Nintendo 64. Nothing beats that, man.

Walter's face suddenly becomes serious, his eyes narrowing. He wipes his mouth of cooked blood then puts down his napkin and picks up a nearby crowbar, gripping it menacingly.

Walter (low and intimidating):  Jesse, you know I don't tolerate disrespect in my presence. The Commodore 64 was a true pioneer, and comparing it to the Nintendo 64? That's crossing the line, my friend.

Jesse's amusement quickly fades as he realises the 8-bit-ness of the situation. He nervously looks around, thinking of a way to defuse the tension.

Jesse (backtracking):  Hey, man, I didn't mean anything by it! Just personal preference, you know?

Walter takes a few slow and deliberate steps towards Jesse, crowbar still gripped tight in white knuckled hand, his eyes locked onto him with an intense and menacing gaze.

Walter (menacingly):  Prefer the wrong thing, and you might find yourself experiencing some 'personal preference' too, Jesse.

Jesse swallows hard, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, realising he may have pushed his luck too far this time, but is thankful he didn’t bring up the magenta on Cave B.

FADE OUT.

[retrocgads]

USA 1987

[vigeogames]

Time for a sneak peek of something I've been secretly working on for the last umpteenth months. A tiny, super-short mystery adventure – a love letter to Commodore 64 game “The Detective”. The player takes the role of a Scotland Yard inspector invited to a British countryside mansion to solve the case of a mysterious fatal accident.

Or maybe it was not an accident at all? And did the butler have anything to do with it…?

The game is being created in Unity and the visual style is a consequence of two factors: my deep affection for mixing low-poly 3D with pixel-art and the fact that I'm mostly a programmer, not a graphic artist. Gameplay-wise the game will be rather similar to “The Detective” – the player walks around the mansion and gathers clues by talking to characters, interacting with objects and collecting items. The time will flow in real-time (😅) and there will also be a hard time limit (just like in C64 original). Control scheme is rather simple (movement, action, cancel) and will support both keyboard and gamepad (along with touch-screen controls, hint, hint 😏).

Stay tuned for updates! 🕵️‍♂️

[maverickuk]

CRTs are big, heavy, power hungry, contain hazardously high voltages and flicker in a way that can be quite abrasive to modern LCD tuned eyes. However they also extrude a literal nostalgic glow that to nerds of a certain vintage attracts them like moths to a flame.

I had a cheap Alba 14" CRT for several years which I didn't really use much. When I finally dug it out to take to a SWAG event recently, it threw in the towel and retired permanently. It was only then that I realised I much preferred playing C64 or Amiga games on an CRT over an LED. I had to find a replacement... However the nature of these devices means that although you can find them on eBay, transporting them safely is an expensive and risky business. But as luck would have it, I found that an established TV and audio shop in a local town had decided to part exchange old TVs when they made a sale on a new TV. They'd then put the second hand TVs up on eBay for pickup only. With further luck I found that a 14" Philips CRT in what seemed like solid condition was for sale. I promptly arranged a visit to see it in person and was instantly won over by the clear, crisp image.

After a sensible sum of cash had changed hands, I was the proud owner a solid and portable (in relative terms!) CRT which I've welcomed into my retro gaming attic space. Now the fun can really begin!

[c64screengrabs]

Jeopardy! Was a well made 1987 release by Sharedata that faithfully turned the long-running TV game show into a home computer game that C64, Apple II and DOS users were able to play. Up to 3 human players can compete, or you can play alone against the CPU. You get to enter your own name and even choose the look of your character. The rules are the same as its TV counterpart, wherein there are 3 rounds in which each answer must be posed as a question, and each has a time limit. You can also wager whatever you like for the Daily Doubles and Final Jeopardy. One thing sorely lacking is the recognizable theme song; instead, a “loosely based on the original” tune plays throughout the game, probably due to licensing for the original being too expensive.

The gameplay moves along pretty smoothly, with the only drawbacks being no pause function (if it’s your turn to choose a question you can leave it on the category screen as long as you like, however), and occasionally computer players will buzz in to answer before you even get a chance to read the prompt. Other than that, there is an impressive range of categories and questions, made possible with all the questions being on a second disk. Your final score is saved as well (one of these days I will beat Kevin for first place). It’s sometimes a little unnerving to read prompts in the present tense regarding people who have now long since passed. Speaking of which, this feature is also a nod to the late Alex Trebek who, unfortunately, is not portrayed in the game.

[mendelpalace]

Depends, is there a Max Headroom videogame?

Doing a quick bit of poking around, yeah. Speicifically there’s a ZX Spectrum/C64 action-adventure game based on the 20 Minutes into the Future pilot episode. Not sure how good it is, but the C64 version has some sweet tunes!

Also, I feel compelled to post this little gem from the Monster Party: Let’s Go Again rom hack:

[pigmhall]

Magical Grass(Android Game)

I’ve released this game. It may be fun. Have fun!

Download at Google Play

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.pigmhall.magicalgrass

Enjoy the megadrive tunes and c64 color;)

[kimrom]

This is a 1-hour long compilation of Commodore 64 demos, edited, sorted and beat mixed-ish to Jeroen Tel’s DJ/live set from 2013. His DJ set mostly consists of remakes/remasters of his own SID tunes, the mix also contains tracks from Hubbard and Daglish.

Music: Jeroen Tel

Video: Rom

Captures: c64 Studio

  The video kinda-ish plays like an hour-long c64 demo, some-new-ish demo parts and routines served with incredible Jeroen Tel music. Back when demos had parts. And you just ripped some random game music. 

JT pulls off 60 minutes of the best SID remakes I’ve heard, ever (out of hundreds). The music feels more like a 4 AM DJ set at some underground EDM bunker in London, than a remake of a videogame track.

It’s an hour of old melodies and their distinctive sound reinvented and masterfully crafted with the heavy soundscape and vibrancy of the SID chip. In what “sounds effortless” across an impressively wide range of EDM styles and genres. Jeroen doesn’t really try to replicate “the sound of SID” in these remakes, he playfully reinvents the feeling of a SID tune instead. What a composer. 

And what craftsmanship. You can literally hear the hundreds of hours that went into this hour-long production. It doesn’t sound like a remake, it doesn’t sound like a game, except in that part of the brain that feeds on nostalgia like it was Grade-A Coca plant based Vegan.

Jeroen Tel has claimed the “stadium house” sound for SID tunes, crisp and digital where available. For this mix I added more bass for the Beats by Dre-generation, because more bass is more awesomerer. There are 6-7 versions of JT’s DJ sets out there, unfortunately, neither of them are great recordings.

Demos by: Horizon, MegaStyle Inc, Focus, Fairlight, Bonzai, Camelot, Crest, Oxyron, Triad, Booze Design (so much Booze, holy cow), Censor Design, Shape, Reflex, Extend, Beyond Force, Chorus, Elysium, Hitmen, Shape, Scandinavian Allstars, Byterapers, Albion, Arsenic, Smash Designs, Offense, Onslaught, Contex, Dinmor. 

I felt dirty and savage for gutting demos like this, reducing one piece of digital art to fragments, segments, sometimes just seconds. As an expression of art, creativity, talent, and teamwork every demo in this video deserved better.  This one hour of 8bit visuals represent decades of work. Nerd-chills.

But I still butchered all of it. It’s done. Forever mutilated. Will never be the same.

There are maybe 500 nerds in the world that will understand this post, the rest are lamers.