I can’t say there’s much from back then that I’d have included. Certainly Kikstart, Tom Thumb, Mercenary, Winter/Summer Events, the Infocom adventures… but way too many games (like Xargon Wars) had janky abrupt character-cell-based movement instead of wasting work/CPU time/RAM on softsprite routines. What’s available now, originals as well as ports, blows it all out of the water: Lykia, Prince of Persia, Head over Heels, Knight Lore, Pentagram, Pets Rescue, Arkanoid, Stunt Car Racer, The Pit, Lands of Zador, Bard’s Tale III… of course you wouldn’t have the same nostalgic memories for those, and if you haven’t been keeping up with the scene at all you wouldn’t even know they exist. Oh, well. Only took the plus/4 three to four decades to grow a decent games library!
There were few games from the classic area spent enough CPU power to create proper and fast SW Sprite - some examples Escape from Zylon, Magician's Curse. The later one is almost perfectly done, even with priority setting (you can go behind the fence or a bridge). Worth to check it. But very few screens, no music, no start screen.
Great video, my friend! Was really waiting for this video and the result. It has the similar outcome compared to my much smaller survey but almost the same budget games in the top 10. In Plus/4 universe best does not mean technically best, but which raise best memories from our youth. Thank you for this video and putting my comment on "Big Mac"!
Finally I found my favourite game of my childhood in this video! Dorks dilemma! I knew I played that game as a kid, but couldn't remember the name anymore so I wasn't able to find it anymore... Thanks to your video I finally know the name! Thanks a lot! Since the C16 was the first computer in my life I have great memories playing games like Xargon Wars, Squirm, Big Mac and especially the mentioned dorks dilemma! Thank you very much for that video!!! 🙂
commodore plus/4 was my 1st computer ,dad bought it for £99 with datasette,2 books, 10games and a joystick it was the summer holidays 3rd year juniors ,Squirm was the first game I ever bought.......ps thanks for the video
Given the system's graphics capabilities, Turbo Outrun is quite impressive indeed. Winter Olympiad looks like a decent version as well, very clever design.
Thank you for this video. I had a C64 growing up and always felt that the C16 and Plus/4 were a poor move by Commodore but when you see what talented developers could do with those machines it makes me feel sad that they didn't do better than what they did. I mean Mercenary runs far smoother on the Plus/4 than it does on the C64. Commodore at that time really didn't have a clue what they were doing.
The memories! Like other's commenting, my first computer. Recently found a photo from xmas day 1985 and it could be seen under the tv. Pack in games were great and Kickstart. Mine eventually died and i moved to the Amiga. Recently bought another off ebay and sd loader etc, must set it up now!
Being in the US, I'm So glad I didn't get stuck with a Plus 4 back in the day(I do like the design though), and had a C64, and later C128 for the vastly better games, and software library where I eventually got GEOS 64, and GEOS128, but as always thanks for another excellent video 👍
Commodore 16 was the first computer we had in our home in the mid 80's, before we had a Commodore 128. Squirm for the C16 is better than the C64 version. Kick Start on C16 you'll ment to pop the balloons but I can't remember how. Just remember you did. Kick Start (version of C16 is on C64) including the proper C64 original version. It is a homebrew.
As you may know, it never came to Brazil, but I suspect that it had its place in South America. So, I only got to know C16/+4 thanks to emulation. But never got traction with me like certain other systems. This video serves as a great guidance to be introduced into the gaming catalog of this humble, but surprising machine. I've played a few of these in emulation, but never immersed that much. Definitely, Kikstart, Icicle Works and Trailblazer were the ones that surprised me the most.
Very underrated machines. The list is pretty good though I did think the excellent version of ACE flight simulator that in it’s plus/4 version was superior to the C64 might have made it in , thanks for the vid
I started out at about 8 years old with a C16 as my first ever computer, and then a year or so later we were given the Plus4 by a family friend. I have very fond memories of Tutti Frutti, Sabateur, Monty on the Run and Treasure Island (amongst others!). Thanks for the great video!
Thanks for great video. I wondering why didn't You mention about Auto Zone? Extremely underrated game for +4. Most likely many people just don’t know about it.
It's not in the video because it didn't get enough votes! It did make the top 40 video though for my members. However, if you watch my C16 Exclusives video you will also see me cover it there! th-cam.com/video/wDfk7y5k5dE/w-d-xo.html
Since you’re including later homebrew releases, how on earth is “Pets Rescue” by Psytronik not at the top of (let alone on) this list? Easily the best showcase game ever released for the C16 and Plus4.
My first computer was a Plus 4. The big benefits for me were the cheap cost of the games and the really fast loading times. Fond memories
I can’t say there’s much from back then that I’d have included. Certainly Kikstart, Tom Thumb, Mercenary, Winter/Summer Events, the Infocom adventures… but way too many games (like Xargon Wars) had janky abrupt character-cell-based movement instead of wasting work/CPU time/RAM on softsprite routines. What’s available now, originals as well as ports, blows it all out of the water: Lykia, Prince of Persia, Head over Heels, Knight Lore, Pentagram, Pets Rescue, Arkanoid, Stunt Car Racer, The Pit, Lands of Zador, Bard’s Tale III… of course you wouldn’t have the same nostalgic memories for those, and if you haven’t been keeping up with the scene at all you wouldn’t even know they exist. Oh, well. Only took the plus/4 three to four decades to grow a decent games library!
There were few games from the classic area spent enough CPU power to create proper and fast SW Sprite - some examples Escape from Zylon, Magician's Curse.
The later one is almost perfectly done, even with priority setting (you can go behind the fence or a bridge). Worth to check it. But very few screens, no music, no start screen.
@@MMSZoli I remember enjoying the smoothness of both of those. Especially Rescue from Zylon -- super fast, with inertia.
Great video, my friend! Was really waiting for this video and the result. It has the similar outcome compared to my much smaller survey but almost the same budget games in the top 10. In Plus/4 universe best does not mean technically best, but which raise best memories from our youth. Thank you for this video and putting my comment on "Big Mac"!
To be honest nostalgia wins out in most of these polls, the C16 and Plus/4 aren't alone there!
@@TheLairdsLair I also was surprised about that.
Finally I found my favourite game of my childhood in this video! Dorks dilemma! I knew I played that game as a kid, but couldn't remember the name anymore so I wasn't able to find it anymore... Thanks to your video I finally know the name! Thanks a lot! Since the C16 was the first computer in my life I have great memories playing games like Xargon Wars, Squirm, Big Mac and especially the mentioned dorks dilemma! Thank you very much for that video!!! 🙂
Glad to be of assistance!
commodore plus/4 was my 1st computer ,dad bought it for £99 with datasette,2 books, 10games and a joystick
it was the summer holidays 3rd year juniors ,Squirm was the first game I ever bought.......ps thanks for the video
Loved my plus 4 ❤
Given the system's graphics capabilities, Turbo Outrun is quite impressive indeed. Winter Olympiad looks like a decent version as well, very clever design.
Thank you for this video. I had a C64 growing up and always felt that the C16 and Plus/4 were a poor move by Commodore but when you see what talented developers could do with those machines it makes me feel sad that they didn't do better than what they did. I mean Mercenary runs far smoother on the Plus/4 than it does on the C64. Commodore at that time really didn't have a clue what they were doing.
Never had one but knew a couple of people who did. In capable hands this was a surprisingly competent little games machine
Good Morning from the Motor-City!
Never had a C-16, buddy had the Plus/4
Didnt use it often compared to his Apple2
The memories! Like other's commenting, my first computer. Recently found a photo from xmas day 1985 and it could be seen under the tv. Pack in games were great and Kickstart. Mine eventually died and i moved to the Amiga. Recently bought another off ebay and sd loader etc, must set it up now!
Being in the US, I'm So glad I didn't get stuck with a Plus 4 back in the day(I do like the design though), and had a C64, and later C128 for the vastly better games, and software library where I eventually got GEOS 64, and GEOS128, but as always thanks for another excellent video 👍
Commodore 16 was the first computer we had in our home in the mid 80's, before we had a Commodore 128.
Squirm for the C16 is better than the C64 version.
Kick Start on C16 you'll ment to pop the balloons but I can't remember how. Just remember you did.
Kick Start (version of C16 is on C64) including the proper C64 original version. It is a homebrew.
As you may know, it never came to Brazil, but I suspect that it had its place in South America. So, I only got to know C16/+4 thanks to emulation. But never got traction with me like certain other systems. This video serves as a great guidance to be introduced into the gaming catalog of this humble, but surprising machine. I've played a few of these in emulation, but never immersed that much. Definitely, Kikstart, Icicle Works and Trailblazer were the ones that surprised me the most.
My all time favourite Commodore 16 games are Rockman, Booty, Blagger and Bandits at Zero.
Very underrated machines. The list is pretty good though I did think the excellent version of ACE flight simulator that in it’s plus/4 version was superior to the C64 might have made it in , thanks for the vid
I started out at about 8 years old with a C16 as my first ever computer, and then a year or so later we were given the Plus4 by a family friend.
I have very fond memories of Tutti Frutti, Sabateur, Monty on the Run and Treasure Island (amongst others!). Thanks for the great video!
Thanks for great video. I wondering why didn't You mention about Auto Zone? Extremely underrated game for +4. Most likely many people just don’t know about it.
It's not in the video because it didn't get enough votes! It did make the top 40 video though for my members. However, if you watch my C16 Exclusives video you will also see me cover it there!
th-cam.com/video/wDfk7y5k5dE/w-d-xo.html
The plus 4 was our first good computer after mum bought us one in clearance sales, before that we had zx81 which was not great
I am grateful games advanced very quickly from this
I am sure I remember playing Raid over Moscow on the C16 back in the day. I am surprised this didn’t make the list
That was only on C64, you must be mis-remembering
@@TheLairdsLair Or he doesn't remember the year correctly ;)
I should have guessed you'd ported it lol
Still wouldn't have worked on a C16 though unless he had a RAM upgrade ;-)
if you dont love The Laird's Lair videos, you don't love retro - or life.
WORD!
Not familiar with this format but the puter looks the business!
I don't suppose you know how to get cartridge versions of Commodore 16 roms running in Retroarch? Emulation seems pretty spotty at the moment.
No idea sorry, I've never used RetroArch, hopefully somebody else can help.
@TheLairdsLair No worries.
Since you’re including later homebrew releases, how on earth is “Pets Rescue” by Psytronik not at the top of (let alone on) this list? Easily the best showcase game ever released for the C16 and Plus4.
Because not enough people voted for it obviously! I do explain how the list was put together at the beginning of the video.
Where is ACE (Plus/4) ??
Didn't get enough votes surprisingly
@TheLairdsLair It was my number one (and in fact still is as 30+ years later I've recently bought another Plus/4).
Anybody spot the spelling mistake.. Clue.. It's #2 😂
Ah yes, didn't spot that! I usually fix spelling mistakes when I copy and paste the comments in but obviously missed that one - DOH!