The poll for the 2nd annual RetroGamerNation (RGN) Commodore 64 Gamers’ Choice 2019 Award will be open on 15 December 2019 at 12:00am (UTC) and set to close on 21 December 2019 at 11:59pm (UTC)
This year’s award are open to all games (including ports & remakes) made available to the general public between 15 December 2018 and 14 December 2019.
The 20 finalists of this year’s award have been curated by RGN, however, the winner of the C64 Gamers’ Choice is to be determined by popular vote where every C64 gamer is able to select up to 5 games as part of their vote.
Results will be announced within a week of the poll closing.
This year’s Award is sponsored by Rhayader Computers, your one stop shop for all your retro themed merchandise.
Here are the 20 finalists:
Age of Heroes (Icon 64 / Psytronik Software)
A hack and run style game that attempts to replicate the Rastan Saga experience with various success. The game features nice graphics, plenty of enemies, and a non-linear progression path but game play may bit a bit slow for some.
Bruce Lee: Return of Fury (Megastyle)
Hard to resist this fan made sequel of the Bruce Lee game that utilises all of the first game’s engine and assets to create a game with brand new levels while retaining the feel of the original title.
Chopper Command (Savona / Day / Cross / Snable)
The adaptation of the Chopper Command across features some great control handling, graphics refined to suit the C64 and some great music and sound effects. The game play is a faithful to the original as can be but as a result is some what limiting. Fun in short bursts.
Precinct 20: Dead Strange (Alf Yngve / Psytronik Software)
Alf Yngve stretches the modified SEUCK engine to its limits to produce a highly atmospheric and gritty looking horizontal scrolling shooter with branching paths. Glitchy at times, Precinct 20 does a good effort to provide something a little different to the C64.
Dice Skater (Gier Straume)
Who would have thought that skating around on a die and colouring in the dots on all six sides would result in a highly addictive semi-puzzle type game. Dice Skater features good die rotation and engaging game play as you try to obtain optimum control of your sliding skater to cover all dots on the die.
Digiloi (Dr. TerrorZ)
Released in the final week of 2018, Digiloi is a run and gun game that stands out with its sole use of PETSCII for its graphics. The large chunky characters give the game a very unique look but there is very little to the actual game play.
Doc Cosmos (Simon Jameson)
A breath of fresh air to the stale flick screen platform genre, Doc Cosmos introduces the seamless shifting of timelines (current day vs 1982) that changes the graphical style of the game along with the way it is played with many puzzles requiring switching between the two timelines. The result is one of the best original C64 releases for 2019.
Endless Forms Most Beautiful (Rikib80)
The objective of Endless Forms is to grab all of the imps and bonuses on screen to clear a stage while avoiding enemies. You can navigate from one platform to another via the many teleporters found on each level or alternatively, exiting the screen to the left ascends a level while exiting to the right descends a level. A fun game.
Frantic Freddie II (Oziphantom)
This is more of an upgrade to the original rather than a true sequel. Frantic Freddie II provides that old school arcade experiences that is sure to bring about a lot of nostalgic feelings. The game is greatly enhanced by its wonderful music soundtrack.
Get Witchy ( Majikeyric / Digital Monastery)
Simple to play, difficult to master. An endless flyer game that requires you to collect as many halloween candies as possible while avoiding ghosts and pumpkins. Nice style graphically, interesting control mechanism and overall very addictive.
L’abbaye Des Morts (Tony Savona & Saul Cross / Double Sided Games)
An arcade style flick screen platform game that draws inspiration from classic titles such as Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy. This port is simply a work of art. Highly responsive controls, a wonderful graphic style and 8 different music tracks all blend together so well. The only downside is that it only 24 screens long.
Mancave (Megastyle / Psytronik Software)
This anti-political correctness single screen platform game has a lot of old school arcade charm as you guide your character around a house to collect adult magazines before his rising stress level reach the level where it will result in fatal consequences. The game is too short though as it only features 5 levels.
Neutron ( Sarah Jane Avory)
A high quality vertical scrolling shooter featuring 9 stages containing over 18 different enemy types each with their own attack patterns. A very satisfying shooter experience with its silky smooth scrolling, responsive controls and detailed ship characters.
Run Demon Run (Icon 64 / Psytronik Software)
An endless runner featuring a large and well animated demon character who enjoys running. Often compared to C64anabalt, Run Demon Run adds a bit more depth to game play with the ability to position your character, collect bonus icons and turn into a jet fighter plane. Good casual game.
Sizzler (Icon 64 / Psytronik Software)
Developed in 2018 for the original Zzap!64 Annual Kickstarter, Sizzler obtain a general release in 2019. Visually impressive flick screen platform. Game play is very challenging and will turn many off from returning to the game.
Super Goatron (Misfit / TFW8b)
Single screen shooter with the simple objective to destroy all enemies on screen. Your ship moves around the perimeter of the game screen, along with being able to thrust up for a short period and teleport to the opposite side of the screen. Hard but addictive.
Super Mario Brothers (ZeroPaige)
Technically impressive port even with the spots of stuttering game play on stock C64 machines. Did we really need this for the C64? Well this depends on whether you think that Super Mario Brothers is one of the great games of the old generation or simply an over-hyped average platformer?
Tenebre Macbre (Majikeyric / Digital Monastery)
A flick screen platform game with puzzle elements that differentiates itself by limiting the field of vision of each screen so that the majority of the game layout is in darkness, only being illuminated when lightning strikes briefly or when you locate a candle on each of the screens. A good port with an interesting twist.
Wolfling (Lazy Cow)
A ‘Metroidvania’ game with the ability to transform between human and wolf with each form having their own specific unique strengths that need to be utilised in order for you to make progress. A very enjoyable game with plenty to see.
Vegetables Deluxe (Mike Richmond / Double Sided Games)
A match 3 style game with multiple modes to keep game play some what interesting. A well produced and enjoyable casual game with a limited audience.
Ahem: the proper title of my game is “Precinct 20: Dead Strange”, not “Dark Strange”.
LOL..can’t believe I messed that one up. Fixed.
The Mario screenshot in the collage is of the old Giana Sisters hack, not of the ZeroPaige’s port.
Good pick up. Now that I look at it, of course its the hack version. Picture has been updated. Thanks
I find it strange that you give some games here a negative review, which will obviously affect the voting. Why not stick to the positives and let every game have an equal chance in the voting process?
Interesting way of interpreting the commentary, which in some context is valid but we do have to remember that this is not a list of the 20 games released by rather the top 20 games (albeit in my view) for the year so each game has merit. Irrespective of the intention, your feedback is worth noting for future polls.