Total 64: The C64 Story

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The C64 Story

Introduction

The commodore 64 is, along with the ZX Spectrum, the most famous home computer. During its production from 1982 to 1994 17 to 22 million of these computer were sold, to put in perspective, that's more than all the Macintoshes in the world. It was one of the first to offer a high quality sound chip and graphic resolution with many colors and sprites.

A great range of peripherals was developped for this computer and can use several of the Vic 20 peripherals. Although professional tools such as word processors could be used this system was most famous due to it's huge selection of amazing games.

The C64

Many versions of the C64 were released.. despite the different looks they were all identical inside except for a small bug in the sid chip on the third design.

The first C64 used the Vic20 case to save money, it was quickly replaced by the bround design known as the breadbin. In 1987 the grey case was introduced. This one has a slightly different keyboard layout and is the lightest design. This version has been planned since 1985, but as the old version sold so well during Christmas '85, its release date was pushed back.

The SX64

Always the trend setter Commodore invented the first ever coloured laptop. It had a 5" screen, a detachable keyboard and a 1541 floppy drive. The SX64 weighed like a brick and the keyboard looks very similar to the Commodore Plus4 one. Sadly, it was not a sucess.

The C64GS

Another bad move on Commodores part was the C64GS. It was a C64 games console released in 1990 to take on the Nes and Master System but The original C64 was already doing this!

It had no keyboard or blue screen. Just a cartridge slot at the top. It didn't do well due to the fact that you could buy a C64 for not much less and the C64GS games would still work on a C64!

It came with a cartridge containing Klax, Flimbos Quest, International Soccer and Fiendish Freddy.

Statistics

Year of birth	1982
Country of origin	U.S.A.
CPU	6510
Speed	0.985 MHz (PAL) / 1.023 MHz (NTSC)
Coprocessors	VIC II (Video), SID (Sound)
Rom	20
Ram	64 KB
Text Modes	40 x 25
Graphic Modes	several, most used : 320 x 200
Colors	16
Sound	3 voices / 6 octaves
I/O Ports	RGB, Video Composite, Joystick (2), Cardridge, Tape, Serial, User Port(RS232 compatible), TV

C64 Facts

Jupiter Lander was the first game released for the C64 back in August 1982. It is one of 5 C64 games (the others being Tooth Invaders, SeaWolf, Choplifter and Kickman) to have a 1982 copyright message. This is also born out by the fact the game has a "601" product code (the 6 meant game in Commodore's classification code).
The disc market for the C64 in the UK was only around 10% of total. Whereas it was a lot higher in the US and Germany. I guess this is because they were almost the same price as the C64 itself! Tapes were the main media here.
Many of the brilliant effects and tricks programmers could do with the VIC and SID chips arose from bugs and flaws in the design of them.
The highest selling C64 games in the Uk were Ghostbusters and Treasure Island Dizzy.
New C64 games are still being released today! You can download them from this very site or order a magazine like Commodore Zone where you can get the games on the cover disk/tape.
Some C64 games were as cheap as 99p and you even got them free with magazines.
These days a console game can cost up to £59.99 although you sometimes get free games with Dreamcast magazines.
Nintendo sued Rainbow Arts for there game The Great Giana sisters as it was a blatant rip-off of Super Mario Brothers.
The stingy company who made Spy VS Spy made all the C64 sites take it down. I guess they thought it would stop people buying the new game boy colour version.