Beamrider   box scan   cart scan   manual   screenshot   emulator image
Company : Activision
Year    : 1984
Author  : Action Graphics
Rating  : 6
Rarity  : Uncommon
Comments: As with many of Activision's early C64 games, a conversion of a console program. The game had aged a bit since it was first released a couple of years before, and the simple shooting action was standard for that era.

Decathlon   box scan   cart scan   manual   screenshot   emulator image
Company : Activision
Year    : 1984
Author  : Action Graphics
Rating  : 8
Rarity  : Uncommon
Comments: The original joystick waggler accurately translated over to the C64. Plenty of sweat and co-ordination required to achieve more than 10,000 points and that important Activision gold medal patch. Definitely one to just slot in and play to relieve tension and frustration! And I was lucky enough not to break any controllers either.

Designer's Pencil   box scan   cart scan   manual   screenshot   emulator image
Company : Activision
Year    : 1984
Author  : Gary Kitchen
Rating  : 7
Rarity  : Uncommon
Comments: An easy to use graphical designing package, where you can either draw or program your own graphical masterpieces. Control is via keyboard and joystick with menus and buttons to achieve the desired results. The limit is merely what your brain can design now!

HERO   box scan   cart scan   manual   screenshot   emulator image
Company : Activision
Year    : 1984
Author  : The Softworks
Rating  : 8
Rarity  : Uncommon
Comments: John van Ryzin's classic cave exploration game made it over to the C64 pretty much intact and retained much of the class it had shown on the VCS parent. Easy to begin with, but gets very difficult soon after, this is an example of how to port a game without losing anything that made it a classic to begin with.

Pastfinder   box scan   cart scan   manual   screenshot   emulator image
Company : Activision
Year    : 1984
Author  : Tim Wilson
Rating  : 9
Rarity  : Scarce
Comments: It is just typical that probably the best Activision game available on cartridge is the hardest to find. Travel over the radiated landscapes, seeking artifacts, shooting the nasties and bouncing over the obstacles. Starts off tricky and gets hard reasonably quickly, this game will provide a lot of variety and challenge.

Pitfall   box scan   cart scan   manual   screenshot   emulator image
Company : Activision
Year    : 1984
Author  : Peter Filiberti
Rating  : 7
Rarity  : Uncommon
Comments: The classic jungle treasure hunt game comes over reasonably well to the C64. Graphically rather similar to the VCS version, with the repeating tree background and enemy sprites. Sound is limited to jingles and effects. They could have polished it up a bit, something Activision did do for the sequel conversion. Still, definitely worth a purchase.

Pitfall 2   box scan   cart scan   manual   screenshot   emulator image
Company : Activision
Year    : 1984
Author  : Tim Shotter
Rating  : 7
Rarity  : Uncommon
Comments: Same name, different game. Now you have to travel underground to find the treasure, riding balloons, avoiding frogs and swimming in rivers. Graphically improved, the gameplay takes some time to get use to and is easier in the fact that you lose points not lives instead when coming unstuck.

River Raid   box scan   cart scan   manual   screenshot   emulator image
Company : Activision
Year    : 1984
Author  : Microprojects Engineering
Rating  : 7
Rarity  : Uncommon
Comments: If there is one thing Activision managed with all their VCS classics was to translate them over to the C64 pretty successfully. This retains all the charm and playability that the original has without necessarily adding anything to it. Decent graphics and sound for the time, nothing too spectacular, but the playability is retained to provide a decent shooting game.

Space Shuttle   box scan   cart scan   manual   screenshot   emulator image
Company : Activision
Year    : 1984
Author  : Steve Kitchen
Rating  : 8
Rarity  : Uncommon
Comments: Probably the most serious game that Activision produced in cartridge format. This requires you to pilot the Space Shuttle from launch to landing dealing with many different missions along the way. Graphics are functional and well laid out, making your job easier to perform. And after all that, you could still send in for the ubiquitous Activision patch!

Toy Bizarre   box scan   cart scan   manual   screenshot   emulator image
Company : Activision
Year    : 1984
Author  : Mark Turmell
Rating  : 8
Rarity  : Uncommon
Comments: A very clever and worthy clone of the arcade game Mario Brothers, except there is only one player action. Guide Merton round the factory turning off the valves before the toys hatch and cause havoc. Otherwise you will have to stun them and then collect them up. All the time avoiding the attentions of Hefty Hilda. Great graphics and sound compliment a very fun and involving game.

Zenji   box scan   cart scan   manual   screenshot   emulator image
Company : Activision
Year    : 1984
Author  : Adam Bellin
Rating  : 9
Rarity  : Uncommon
Comments: A classic puzzle game of its time, the quality of the program hasn't diminished with time. Guide your control head around the maze, twisting and turning pieces so they all light up green from the "source" in the middle. The best way to play is to switch your brain off and just go with the flow of doing it. Pure addiction.

Zone Ranger   box scan   cart scan   manual   screenshot   emulator image
Company : Activision
Year    : 1984
Author  : Dan Thompson
Rating  : 8
Rarity  : Uncommon
Comments: Decent conversion of the VCS space shoot 'em up. Based around Sinistar and Asteroids, you must fly your ship to destroy the killer satellites to restore order to the galaxy. Not easy from the offset. There are plenty of enemies to shoot and secrets to uncover as you delve deeper into space.


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