Many old school gaming fans know their roots, be it Atari 2600, Intellivision and especially the highly regarded Commodore 64, otherwise known as C64. The 8-bit home computer, originally released in 1982, kept video games alive after the infamous crash of 83, delivering a wide variety of classics diehard supporters treasure to this day. Jupiter Lander, International Soccer, Summer Games and Karateka represent a handful of titles to grace the machine.
Bitmap Books celebrates the C64 legacy with its Commodore 64: a visual Commpendium, pieced together by Sam Dyer and Steve Jarratt, which you can buy through UK website Funstock; it’s available for shipping worldwide.
In its 200-plus pages is a wonderful homage to the games that defined the C64, both popular and obscure. Each page features high resolution 8-bit pixel art or visually-stimulating illustrations that perfectly capture this particular era of gaming. In addition, you receive bitesized pieces of info from developers who worked on these games.
The only thing missing, really, is more information on the C64 itself. Growing up Atari, we never had a chance to play, and would’ve preferred to find more in the book instead of Wikipedia.
That said, the authors proudly display the word “visual” in the book’s title, and you certainly get what you pay for. If titles like Law of the West, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Defender of the Crown and Maniac Mansion give you a warm and fuzzy feeling (or you just want to learn about the history of games), Commodore 64: a visual Commpendium is a must own.
Buy it here!