GamesNostalgia's Top Commodore 64 Games of All Time
By: Maddie
Published: 26 June 2025, 6:45 pm
The Commodore 64 wasn't just a computer - it was a revolution that brought arcade-quality gaming into millions of homes. With its powerful SID sound chip, advanced graphics capabilities, and 64KB of RAM, the C64 became the canvas for some of the most innovative and technically impressive games ever created.
Creating this top 20 list wasn't easy. With thousands of incredible C64 games to choose from, many deserving titles inevitably didn't make the cut. Our selection process wasn't purely objective - these are the games that left the deepest impression on us, the ones we remember most fondly from our childhood gaming sessions. We prioritized original C64 games wherever possible, but couldn't ignore masterpieces like Archon, Elite, or Pitstop II that, despite originating on other platforms, became defining experiences on the C64 and consumed countless hours of our youth.
This list represents both technical excellence and personal nostalgia - the games that didn't just push hardware limits, but created memories that lasted a lifetime. In the future, we plan to release a dedicated chart focusing exclusively on C64-original games, but for now, these 20 titles represent our most cherished Commodore 64 experiences.
20. The Last Ninja
Mark Cale's idea was simple: take the concept of the original Atari2600 Adventure, and put it in a fantastic isometric environment where the hero is a ninja, able to explore, jump, fight and use ninja weapons. Doing this on an 8-bit machine like the Commodore 64 was not an easy task. In fact, System 3 had to stop the development at some point and restart from scratch. Finally, programmer John Twiddy was able to rewrite the game engine, and The Last Ninja became a reality. If you add a fantastic soundtrack written by Ben Daglish, you now have a real masterpiece.
The only game that was able to improve this fantastic idea was, unsurprisingly, Last Ninja 2. One of the few cases where the sequel is even better than the original game.
19. Pool of Radiance
SSI's Pool of Radiance, the first game in the legendary Gold Box series, brought Advanced Dungeons & Dragons to the Commodore 64 in authentic form. The game featured turn-based tactical combat, character creation following AD&D rules, and a rich fantasy world to explore. The technical achievement was in creating a complex RPG system that handled all the intricacies of tabletop gaming while remaining accessible to computer users. The game's interface was innovative, using a combination of text and graphics that effectively communicated complex information. Pool of Radiance proved that sophisticated pen-and-paper RPGs could be successfully translated to home computers, establishing the foundation for computer RPGs that continues today.
18. Commando
The arcade conversion of Capcom's Commando, developed by Elite Systems, was a masterpiece of adaptation. The game successfully translated the frantic run-and-gun action of the arcade original while adding enhancements that made it feel at home on the C64. The scrolling was smooth, the sprite animation was fluid, and the gameplay was perfectly balanced. The technical achievement was in maintaining the arcade's speed and intensity while adapting the controls for home play. The game's level design and enemy patterns were faithfully recreated, proving that arcade conversions could be more than just pale imitations when handled with skill and care.
17. Gunship (aka Gunship: 21st Century Warrior Apache)
MicroProse's Gunship, designed by Andy Hollis and Sid Meier, was a helicopter combat simulation that brought unprecedented realism to the C64. The game featured detailed Apache helicopter physics, realistic weapons systems, and dynamic mission generation. The technical achievement was in creating a believable 3D world with smooth flight mechanics and complex systems simulation. The game's attention to detail - from authentic cockpit displays to realistic ballistics - made it feel like a genuine military simulation. Gunship proved that the C64 could handle complex simulations that rivaled those found on more powerful platforms, establishing MicroProse as masters of the simulation genre.
16. Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior (aka Death Sword)
Palace Software's Barbarian, created by Steve Brown, was famous for its brutal combat and controversial marketing, but it was also a technical achievement. The game featured large, detailed character sprites with smooth animation that brought sword combat to life. The fatality system was groundbreaking, with finishing moves that were both spectacular and visceral. The game's control system was innovative, using joystick combinations to execute different attacks and defensive moves. Despite the controversy, Barbarian's technical prowess and responsive combat system made it one of the most engaging fighting games on the C64, proving that mature themes could be handled with technical sophistication.