|
Commodore 64Released January 1982
In January 1981, MOS Technology, Inc., Commodore's integrated circuit design subsidiary, initiated a project to design the graphic and audio chips for a next generation video game console. Design work for the chips, named MOS Technology VIC-II (graphics) and MOS Technology SID (audio), was completed in November 1981.
A game console project was then initiated by Commodore that would use the new chips—called the Ultimax or alternatively the Commodore MAX Machine, engineered by Yash Terakura from Commodore Japan. This project was eventually cancelled after just a few machines were manufactured for the Japanese market.
The C64 made an impressive debut at the January 1982 Winter Consumer Electronics Show, as recalled by Production Engineer David A. Ziembicki: "All we saw at our booth were Atari people with their mouths dropping open, saying, How can you do that for $595?" The answer, as it turned out, was vertical integration; thanks to Commodore's ownership of MOS Technology's semiconductor fabrication facilities, each C64 had an estimated production cost of only $135. |
; "Ace 2088")
; "Archon")
; "Bards Tale")
; "Boulder Dash")
; "Bruce Lee")
; "Bubble Bobble")
; "California Games")
; "Castle Wolfenstein")
; "Cauldron")
; "Congo Bongo")
; "Defender Of The Crown")
; "Exile")
; "Hero")
; "Ik Plus")
; "Kickman")
; "Last Ninja 2")
; "Maniac Mansion")
; "Munchy")
; "Space Taxi")
; "Strip Poker")
; "Summer Games 2")
; "Survivor")
; "Ultima 3 Exodus")
; "Winter Games")
; "Wizard Of Wor")