Retro Games Limited has just introduced an exciting new version of its compact Commodore 64 home computer. This special Black Edition of TheC64 Mini is a limited release, designed to celebrate the incredible talent of developers who continue to create modern games for the classic Commodore platform. It comes preloaded with the original C64 Mini’s impressive lineup of 64 classic 80s games, plus an additional 25 contemporary titles, including highly acclaimed Commodore 64 greats like ‘Sam’s Journey’ and ‘A Pig Quest’.
The C64 Mini Black Edition is available for around $120. While the original C64 Mini launched in 2018 at a lower price, the inclusion of these valuable modern games significantly enhances the Black Edition’s appeal and justifies the price difference. Many of these new games, specifically 19, are typically sold by prominent Commodore 64 publishers such as Psytronik and Protovision. While Psytronik’s titles are generally affordable, Protovision’s releases often command higher prices due to their ambition and quality. For instance, four preloaded Protovision games alone—’Sam’s Journey’, ‘A Pig Quest’, ‘MW Ultra’, and ‘Yeti Mountain’—would typically cost a combined total of approximately $55. ‘Sam’s Journey’, in particular, is an engineering marvel, boasting over 2,000 screens across 30 expansive levels, recognized as one of the finest retro platformers available.
The Black Edition package mirrors the original C64 Mini, including the miniature computer, a classic USB joystick, a USB power cable, an HDMI cable, and an instruction manual. Like most mini consoles, it doesn’t come with an AC adapter, but any standard USB power brick or a USB port on your TV will suffice. The C64 Mini is roughly half the size of the original Commodore 64. Its built-in keyboard is decorative, but you can easily connect any standard USB keyboard to the second USB port if you wish to use the BASIC interpreter or load additional games via a USB stick. For two-player action, a second joystick can also be connected.
Games on TheC64 Mini are displayed in crisp 720p resolution, offering both pixel-perfect and original 4:3 aspect ratios. For an authentic retro feel, you can activate scanline (CRT) filters. All preloaded games feature four convenient save slots, allowing you to pause and resume your progress at any time.
Here is a list of the 25 new modern Commodore 64 games included with TheC64 Mini Black Edition:
- A Pig Quest
- Caren and the Tangled Tentacles
- Galencia
- Good Kniight
- Grid Pix
- Guns ‘N’ Ghosts
- Hessian
- Hunter’s Moon Remastered
- It’s Magic 2
- Joe Gunn: Gold Edition
- Metal Warrior Ultra
- Millie & Molly
- Nixy and the Seeds of Doom
- Ooze: The Escape
- p0 Snake
- Pains ‘N’ Aches
- Planet Golf
- Rocky Memphis: The Legend of Atlantis
- Runn ‘N’ Gunn
- Sam’s Journey
- Shadow Switcher
- Spinning Image
- Steel Ranger
- Yeti Mountain
Beyond the preloaded titles, a vibrant community of developers creates countless other modern C64 homebrew games. If you acquire a ROM from an external source, you can easily load it onto TheC64 Mini via a USB stick.
Both the Black Edition and the original C64 Mini feature a comprehensive collection of 64 classic 80s games. Here’s a look at those timeless titles:
- Alleykat
- Anarchy
- Armalyte – Competition Edition
- Avenger
- Battle Valley
- Boulder Dash
- Bounder
- California Games
- Chip’s Challenge
- Confusion
- Cosmic Causeway
- Creatures
- Cyberdyne Warrior
- Cybernoid: The Fighting Machine
- Cybernoid II: The Revenge
- Deflektor
- Everyone’s a Wally
- Firelord
- Gribbly’s Day Out
- Hawkeye
- Heartland
- Herobotix
- Highway Encounter
- Hunter’s Moon
- Hysteria
- Impossible Mission
- Impossible Mission II
- IO
- Jumpman
- Mega Apocalypse
- Mission A.D.
- Monty Mole
- Monty on the Run
- Nebulus
- Netherworld
- Nobby the Aardvark
- Nodes of Yesod
- Paradroid
- Pitstop II
- Ranarama
- Robin of the Wood
- Rubicon
- Skate Crazy
- Skool Daze
- Snare
- Speedball
- Speedball 2 – Brutal Deluxe
- Spindizzy
- Star Paws
- Steel
- Street Sports Baseball
- Summer Games II
- Super Cycle
- Temple of Apshai Triology
- The Arc of Yesod
- Thing Bounces Back
- Thing on a Spring
- Trailblazer
- Uchi Mata
- Uridium
- Who Dares Wins II
- Winter Games
- World Games
- Zynaps
For those looking for a retro-inspired keyboard to complement their C64 Mini, the 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard: C64 Edition is a fantastic choice. This Commodore-themed wireless keyboard supports 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connections for various devices, including PC, Mac, SteamOS, Android, and iOS, and can also be used in wired mode. It even comes with detachable Super Buttons and an arcade stick for an authentic retro experience. 8BitDo also offers mechanical keyboards inspired by other classic platforms like NES, Famicom, and the original Xbox, providing a stylish and functional homage to gaming history.
Retro Games Limited also produces other mini retro computers, such as The Atari 400 Mini. This console allows you to play a wide array of Atari 8-bit games, covering titles from the 400, 130XE, 800XL, and other home computers, as well as classic Atari 5200 console games.