1982 · Commodore Business Machines · US · computer
Commodore 64
The undisputed king of 8-bit home computers.
Also called C64
Essential Trivial to run Needs a keyboard ▶ Watch on YouTube ↗
The undisputed king of 8-bit home computers. With its dedicated VIC-II graphics chip and Bob Yannes’ iconic SID sound synthesizer chip, the C64 blew away all competitors in sound, colors, and game software.
Commodore vertically integrated chip manufacturing via MOS Technology, allowing them to slash prices down to $199 and crush TI, Atari, and Sinclair in American and European retail stores.
Under the hood
- CPU
- MOS 6510 @ 1.02 MHz (NTSC) / 0.985 MHz (PAL), 64 KB RAM
- Sound chip
- MOS 6581 / 8580 SID (Sound Interface Device) — 3 polyphonic synthesizer voices with filters & ADSR
- Graphics
- MOS 6567/6569 VIC-II, 320 × 200, 16 colors, 8 hardware sprites
- Media
- Commodore 1541 5¼" Floppy Disk & Datasette Cassette
What it cost
about 16% of a month’s pay in 1984 · about $601 today
| US August 1982 list price ($595, machine only) |
$595 (1982)
about half a month’s pay · about $1,934 in today's money |
|---|---|
| Mass-market department store price ($199) |
$199 (1984)
Jack Tramiel's price war drove competitors out of the market. |
| Units sold | 17,000,000 17 million units sold (the best-selling single computer model in history). |
Why it mattered
Commodore vertically integrated chip manufacturing via MOS Technology, allowing them to slash prices down to $199 and crush TI, Atari, and Sinclair in American and European retail stores.
Emulating it today
| Emulators | VICE (x64sc), Denise, CCS64 |
|---|---|
| Setup effort | Trivial to run (1 on this site's scale) |
| Controls | Many games use a mouse, while setup screens and computer software still expect a keyboard. |
| Runs on a handheld | Yes |
Handled effortlessly by RetroArch VICE (x64sc) core. Most games support standard gamepad controls (mapped to Port 2 joystick), with virtual keyboard available for Space/Run. The emulator names above are starting points, not a promise that every title or accessory behaves identically. Computer platforms usually add model selection, disk handling and keyboard setup even when CPU emulation itself is mature.
Firmware
This system needs no firmware file. Install an emulator, open a game, and it runs.
How many files you need: none to go and find. No separate firmware file is needed for an ordinary setup.
Firmware details checked 2026-08. Emulator requirements change — see Libretro documentation for the current list.
Where the software is
TOSEC catalogues computer disks and tapes broadly, including many revisions. It is useful for preservation, while a smaller curated selection is usually easier to play.
Copyright: Commercial software remains copyrighted unless its owner explicitly released or relicensed it. Homebrew, public-domain programs and current reissues should be treated separately from abandoned commercial titles.
This site names preservation projects and explains what they are. It does not link to ROM downloads.
Where to start
- The Last Ninja Isometric Action Adventure
Stunning multi-load cinematic martial arts adventure with iconic Ben Daglish SID music.
- Turrican II: The Final Fight Action Platformer / Run & Gun
Chris Hülsbeck’s magnum opus score and huge sprawling non-linear maps.
- Impossible Mission Platform Action / Puzzle
"Stay awhile... stay forever!" Legendary digitized speech and secret agent search.
- Maniac Mansion Graphic Adventure
Ron Gilbert created the SCUMM engine on the C64.
- Pirates! Open-world Action Strategy
Sid Meier’s timeless Caribbean swashbuckling simulator.
- Boulder Dash Action Puzzle
Dig through dirt collecting diamonds while managing falling boulders and butterflies.
- International Karate + (IK+) Martial Arts Fighting
3-fighter simultaneous martial arts with Rob Hubbard’s legendary soundtrack.
- Elite 3D Space Trading / Combat
Wireframe 3D galaxy navigation and dogfighting in 64 KB.
- Wizball Shooter / Color Painter
Sensible Software’s hypnotic, high-skill bouncing orb shooter.
- California Games Extreme Sports
Surfing, halfpipe, BMX, and footbag with the peak 1980s summer vibe.
The verdict
The commercially prominent single computer model in history with over 10,000 games. Phenomenal SID synthesizer music, vibrant European demo/game scene, and legendary platformers, RPGs, and…
The strongest software can be rewarding, but original controls and setup assumptions may matter more than screenshots suggest.
- Worth it if
- Players curious about commodore 8-bit home computers and willing to learn how the original machine worked.
- Not for
- Anyone who wants a large, instantly accessible library and no model, firmware or control decisions.
Scored 5/5 for fun today and 5/5 for historical importance. Those two scores decide the label at the top — a machine can matter enormously and still be no fun.
Read more & watch
This page is 75% complete against the facts we try to record for every system. Gaps are shown as gaps.