Back in the 80’s and even in the early 90’s part of the video game war was between the Commodore 64 and the ZX Spectrum. The Commodore 64 is actually quite easy to collect for, but the main problem you are going to have is reliability in both the console and the Commodore 64 games. I know some people out there who have been lucky and still have the same C64 now, that they had when there were kid. However, the fact that the C64 is not know for its reliability, means that good condition Commodore 64 consoles are pretty sought after!
Commodore 64 games can be picked up fairly cheap. There are some exceptions to this, but nothing that is really going to make you broke. One cool thing that the C64 was various gave us, was compilation packs that would have 3 or 5 games in one set and in some cases even 10 games. C64 cartridges are a little more pricy usually than their disc or cassette counterpart.
One cool thing about the Commodore 64 cassette games is just how little space they take up. Also, when you check sites for them, they seem to have survived father time quite well and can often be found in fairly decent condition. Some cassette games however did come in cardboard boxes, but they are actually quite sturdy when compared to the cardboard boxes of the NES for example. The discs and cartridges can be a little harder to find in top condition.
Here is my own personal selection of five good (in my opinion) Commodore 64 games that wont break the bank to get you started:
The Last Ninja- This is a highly ambitious title that really pushed the C64 hardware, it is also a great action game as well.
Maniac Mansion- This is a classic in every sense of the word. A great story and the C64 version has really amazing graphics.
First Samurai- A late release in the C64 life, but this action platform game is great and holds up really well today. Looks and plays great – a true gem!
Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles The Coin-Op- This is a great conversion of the arcade Ninja Turtles game. It may not be as smooth as the arcade, but for a C64 it is amazing what they did with this game.
Chase HQ 2- Now this is a game that gets criminally overlooked in my book, I spent hours and hours playing this game as a kid. It is a driving game that requires you to shoot and ram other cars. This is just a great fun game.
