History Platform / Commodore64

* [[UsefulNotes/GraphicsProcessingUnit GPU]]: MOS VIC-II

* ''VideoGame/{{Commando}}''

The system was remarkably powerful for the price. The original design was for an UsefulNotes/ArcadeGame board, and the C64 therefore had unusually good color graphics, sprite support, and sound compared to its competitors (though its 16-color palette was a bit drab). The sound chip is still being used by {{chiptune}} artists today, and the computer supported S-Video output in 1982, five years before S-Video was ostensibly invented. It also had an operating system contained entirely in ROM, meaning that there was close to nothing (shy of physically damaging the hardware) that could corrupt the system, making it a hacker's dream machine. There was even a windowed operating environment with desktop publishing abilities available for it (GEOS), and some code genius even figured out how to do multitasking on it. It was also home of the Quantum Link online service, operated by the company that would become AOL.

In 2018, jumping on the microconsole UsefulNotes/PlugnPlayGame craze started by the NES Classic, [[https://retrogames.biz/thec64-mini/ Retro Games Ltd.]] released a microconsole version of the C64, appropriately called the C64 Mini. Similar to other contemporary microconsoles, the C64 Mini is an ARM-based Linux system using the VICE emulator and comes with 64 games preloaded on the system; however, unlike several microconsoles, users can legitimately load their own games and programs using disk and ROM cartridge images on a USB flash drive and update the firmware to fix bugs, add features, and even add new games to the carousel. The company followed up the C64 Mini with a full-sized version, [[https://retrogames.biz/products/thec64/ simply called the C64]][[note]]unofficially nicknamed the C64 Maxi to differentiate it from its Mini predecessor[[/note]], with a working keyboard[[note]]The keyboard on the C64 Mini is purely decoration, using a virtual keyboard for games that require keyboard input. An external USB keyboard can be plugged in for games and programs that require extensive keyboard input, especially BASIC.[[/note]], additional USB ports, and the ability to switch among the built-in games carousel, C64 BASIC mode, and VIC-20 BASIC mode; in 2020, Retro Games released a variant of the C64 based on the VIC-20.

* ''VideoGame/SpyHunter''

The '''Commodore 64''' was, at one point, the best-selling single ([[Platform/{{PC98}} non]]-[[Platform/SharpX68000 Japanese]]) computer system of all time, with 17 million sold.[[note]]There are, obviously, ''millions'' more IBM-style Intel-centric [=PCs=] made, but they featured a dizzying array of varieties and even self-built systems; the C64 was a single, packaged unit like an Platform/{{NES}}.[[/note]] It was released in 1982 as a low-end computer comparable to the Platform/AppleII and the Platform/Atari8BitComputers, following on Commodore's earlier Platform/VIC20 system. It was as cheap as the Platform/Atari2600 and is, paradoxically, considered one of the finest personal computing devices ever built while also being partially to blame for UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983.

* CoversAlwaysLie: If a game was also released for the vastly more advanced UsefulNotes/{{Amiga}}, screenshots on the box would inevitably be from that version.

The '''Commodore 64''' was, at one point, the best-selling single ([[Platform/{{PC98}} non]]-[[Platform/SharpX68000 Japanese]]) computer system of all time, with 17 million sold.[[note]]There are, obviously, ''millions'' more IBM-style Intel-centric [=PCs=] made, but they featured a dizzying array of varieties and even self-built systems; the C64 was a single, packaged unit like an Platform/{{NES}}.[[/note]] It was released in 1982 as a low-end computer comparable to the Platform/AppleII and the UsefulNotes/Atari8BitComputers, following on Commodore's earlier Platform/VIC20 system. It was as cheap as the Platform/Atari2600 and is, paradoxically, considered one of the finest personal computing devices ever built while also being partially to blame for UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983.

Commodore 64 games have been released for the Platform/{{Wii}}'s UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole. It's also one of the most popular platforms for the {{Demoscene}}. And a generation has learned to associate [[PublicDomainSoundtrack Bach's "Invention #13"]] with this system.

The '''Commodore 64''' was, at one point, the best-selling single ([[UsefulNotes/{{PC98}} non]]-[[UsefulNotes/SharpX68000 Japanese]]) computer system of all time, with 17 million sold.[[note]]There are, obviously, ''millions'' more IBM-style Intel-centric [=PCs=] made, but they featured a dizzying array of varieties and even self-built systems; the C64 was a single, packaged unit like an Platform/{{NES}}.[[/note]] It was released in 1982 as a low-end computer comparable to the Platform/AppleII and the UsefulNotes/Atari8BitComputers, following on Commodore's earlier Platform/VIC20 system. It was as cheap as the Platform/Atari2600 and is, paradoxically, considered one of the finest personal computing devices ever built while also being partially to blame for UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983.

However, the success of the Commodore 64 was also its downfall. Commodore couldn't discontinue it due to high demand in Europe and Australia, and most people in North America had moved on to the UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem for their gaming needs and cheap [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC clones]] flooding the market for general computing by 1990 after clone makers like Compaq, Tandy, Leading Edge, and Packard Bell moved into the mass merchandisers that Commodore previously targeted. VGA graphics and FM synthesis sound cards surpassing the C64's graphics and SID chip around the turn of the decade also prompted a lot of C64 gamers to migrate to the PC. The C64's success also doomed every other Commodore 8-bit project, such as the MAX machine, the Educator 64, [[Platform/CommodorePlus4 the C16, the Plus/4]], [[Platform/Commodore128 the C128]], the C64 Games System, and the C65.

Commodore 64 games have been released for the UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}'s UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole. It's also one of the most popular platforms for the {{Demoscene}}. And a generation has learned to associate [[PublicDomainSoundtrack Bach's "Invention #13"]] with this system.

The '''Commodore 64''' was, at one point, the best-selling single ([[UsefulNotes/{{PC98}} non]]-[[UsefulNotes/SharpX68000 Japanese]]) computer system of all time, with 17 million sold.[[note]]There are, obviously, ''millions'' more IBM-style Intel-centric [=PCs=] made, but they featured a dizzying array of varieties and even self-built systems; the C64 was a single, packaged unit like an Platform/{{NES}}.[[/note]] It was released in 1982 as a low-end computer comparable to the UsefulNotes/AppleII and the UsefulNotes/Atari8BitComputers, following on Commodore's earlier Platform/VIC20 system. It was as cheap as the Platform/Atari2600 and is, paradoxically, considered one of the finest personal computing devices ever built while also being partially to blame for UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983.

** The 1541 disk drive was notoriously slow at 300 bytes per second, and the 1530 Datasette cassette drive was even worse at ''50 bytes per second''. This was because the both 1541 disk drive and the 1530 Datasette were carryovers from the UsefulNotes/VIC20[[note]](in fact, the latter was even ''older'' than the VIC-20, having originated with the Platform/CommodorePET line)[[/note]], and Commodore wanted to maintain backwards compatibility for VIC-20 users who wanted to upgrade.

The '''Commodore 64''' was, at one point, the best-selling single ([[UsefulNotes/{{PC98}} non]]-[[UsefulNotes/SharpX68000 Japanese]]) computer system of all time, with 17 million sold.[[note]]There are, obviously, ''millions'' more IBM-style Intel-centric [=PCs=] made, but they featured a dizzying array of varieties and even self-built systems; the C64 was a single, packaged unit like an UsefulNotes/{{NES}}.[[/note]] It was released in 1982 as a low-end computer comparable to the UsefulNotes/AppleII and the UsefulNotes/Atari8BitComputers, following on Commodore's earlier UsefulNotes/VIC20 system. It was as cheap as the Platform/Atari2600 and is, paradoxically, considered one of the finest personal computing devices ever built while also being partially to blame for UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983.

** The 1541 disk drive was notoriously slow at 300 bytes per second, and the 1530 Datasette cassette drive was even worse at ''50 bytes per second''. This was because the both 1541 disk drive and the 1530 Datasette were carryovers from the UsefulNotes/VIC20[[note]](in fact, the latter was even ''older'' than the VIC-20, having originated with the UsefulNotes/CommodorePET line)[[/note]], and Commodore wanted to maintain backwards compatibility for VIC-20 users who wanted to upgrade.

The '''Commodore 64''' was, at one point, the best-selling single ([[UsefulNotes/{{PC98}} non]]-[[UsefulNotes/SharpX68000 Japanese]]) computer system of all time, with 17 million sold.[[note]]There are, obviously, ''millions'' more IBM-style Intel-centric [=PCs=] made, but they featured a dizzying array of varieties and even self-built systems; the C64 was a single, packaged unit like an UsefulNotes/{{NES}}.[[/note]] It was released in 1982 as a low-end computer comparable to the UsefulNotes/AppleII and the UsefulNotes/Atari8BitComputers, following on Commodore's earlier UsefulNotes/VIC20 system. It was as cheap as the UsefulNotes/{{Atari 2600}} and is, paradoxically, considered one of the finest personal computing devices ever built while also being partially to blame for UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983.

However, the success of the Commodore 64 was also its downfall. Commodore couldn't discontinue it due to high demand in Europe and Australia, and most people in North America had moved on to the UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem for their gaming needs and cheap [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC clones]] flooding the market for general computing by 1990 after clone makers like Compaq, Tandy, Leading Edge, and Packard Bell moved into the mass merchandisers that Commodore previously targeted. VGA graphics and FM synthesis sound cards surpassing the C64's graphics and SID chip around the turn of the decade also prompted a lot of C64 gamers to migrate to the PC. The C64's success also doomed every other Commodore 8-bit project, such as the MAX machine, the Educator 64, [[UsefulNotes/CommodorePlus4 the C16, the Plus/4]], [[UsefulNotes/Commodore128 the C128]], the C64 Games System, and the C65.

** Averted by the C1541 floppy drive which could go out of alignment with a funny look. Every 1541 owner ever knows the "BRAAAAAP" noise of a misaligned drive. Even worse is that some programs come with CopyProtection that will eventually cause this to happen! The later 1571 floppy drive -- designed for use with the UsefulNotes/Commodore128, but still compatible with the C64 -- was a lot better in this regard, as it had actual track sensors, meaning that the drive generally wouldn't go out of alignment unless it received a physical shock.

* ''Skate or Die''

* TheWikiRule: [[https://www.c64-wiki.com/ C64 Wiki]].

* ''VideoGame/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles''

** Despite the legendary reputation of the console's SID sound chip, the implementation (the 6581) that went into most [=C64s=] was actually hastily thrown together from a much more ambitious design, after Commodore threatened to scrap the chip and outfit the system with an AY-3-8910 sound processor[[note]](Something used by virtually every arcade, computer, and home console manufacturer on the market in the early 1980s, with the notable exception of Atari, who used the ''slightly'' more capable POKEY chip on their home computers, and a few others including IBM, Sinclair, and Apple, who just outfitted their systems with simple beepers)[[/note]] unless the development team had a working prototype ready for the start of 1982. The resulting chip therefore had various quirks that weren't what the designers intended, but which composers were able to take advantage of to create even more distinctive music. Notably, the eventual "corrected" version (the 8580) is near-universally considered inferior to its predecessor, as it can't play back samples without modification, and songs which make exotic use of the chip's features usually end up sounding bland. In fact, many SID musicians embrace the flaws of the 6581 variant as features that made the sound chip unique and far more advanced than the rivals like [=SN76489=], POKEY and AY-3-8910.