Vic 20

The Commodore Vic 20 was a short but sweet chapter in computer history. Released in Japan in 1980 and in North America in 1981, this budget-priced machine became the first personal computer to sell a million units.

http://webs4u.co.nz/museum/vic20.jpg

http://www.superspoof.com/vic20/vic20.jpg

It was a great game machine for its time and had many excellent arcade ports but the system is often forgotten because it lacked exclusive games and was overshadowed by its successor, the Commodore 64.

Like the C64, the Vic 20 used Atari-compatible joysticks. Many of the best Vic games were on cartridge although there were cassette and disk games as well. The Vic 20 was a game machine more than anything else despite what it was marketed as.

Here are some Vic 20 games:

Omega Race(Commodore, 1982)
http://wwwhome.cs.utwente.nl/~schoot...s/omegarce.gif
This was a port of Midway's arcade game. Omega Race was a continuation and improvement on Asteroids-style games. This is one instance where I preferred the Vic version over the arcade original. It just felt better. And unlike Commodore's very similar C64 port, this one let you do little glitchy things that enhance the gameplay. Overall, it's an excellent and timeless shooter, far superior to versions on the 2600 and Coleco.

Serpentine(Creative Software, 1982)
http://wwwhome.cs.utwente.nl/~schoot...s/serpenti.gif
Originally a Broderbund game on other computers like the Atari 800, Creative Software put their own touch in the Vic 20 port. Serpentine was one of the better maze-chase games on the market.

Donkey Kong(Atarisoft, 1982)
http://wwwhome.cs.utwente.nl/~schoot...s/donkkong.gif
The graphics didn't compare to the arcade version but the gameplay was intact.

Sorcery(Brendan Jones, 1984)
http://www.kdef.com/geek/vic/sorcery.gif

Defender(Atarisoft, 1982)
http://wwwhome.cs.utwente.nl/~schoot...s/defender.gif
This was one of the best home versions of Defender.

3D Maze(Mastertronic, 1984)
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/uly777/3dmaze_vic20.gif

Gridrunner(Llamasoft, 1982)
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/uly777/...nner_vic20.gif
Jeff Minter started off making Vic 20 shooters.

Sword of Fargoal(Epyx, 1982)
http://home.arcor.de/cybergoth/epyx/swordvc20game.gif

Road Race(Commodore, 1981)
http://uvlftp.arteh.com/teran/vc20/roadrace_vc20.gif
This was similar to Atari's Night Driver.

Metagalactic Llamas(Llamasoft, 1983)
http://wwwhome.cs.utwente.nl/~schoot...s/mtgllama.gif

Dig Dug(Atarisoft, 1982)
http://wwwhome.cs.utwente.nl/~schoot...abs/digdug.gif
A port of Namco's arcade hit.


Your thoughts on the Vic 20?

Sadly the Vic 20 was even before MY time...my first gaming PC was an Apple 2....

Nice post, NZE.

That version of Defender looks awfully similar to the Atari 800 one. It's better than I'd have expected a Vic-20 one to be. The Vic Omega Race I actually preferred over the C64 version by a longshot.

Donkey Kong on the VIC looks acceptable- clearly, it blows away the abysmal Intellivision one.

Before my time too, I didn't really start on PCs until the Commodore 64, although my high school had a good load of whatever the system before the Vic20 was. For the life of me I can't remember it's name any more...

James

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NeoZeedeater

Sword of Fargoal(Epyx, 1982)
http://home.arcor.de/cybergoth/epyx/swordvc20game.gif

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Is that a predecessor to the Apshai series? Looks just like 'em.

My friends and I always used to laugh at the Vic 20 and how underpowered it was as kids. I bet somewhere there's a bunch of kids laughing at how primitve the Playstation was.

I can remember seeing some Vic20 games back when I used to play my C64. I wasn't really impressed back then.=\

I've got Vic 20 and I have to agree that Omega Race is a damn good version.

I don't think it's better than the arcade, but still good.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by James

Before my time too, I didn't really start on PCs until the Commodore 64, although my high school had a good load of whatever the system before the Vic20 was. For the life of me I can't remember it's name any more...

James

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.

Commodore Pet series likely...

Big monsters with embeded monitors. The only computer i know of with a prop-rod. :)

I honestly never had a lot of respect for the Vic20, I started with computers on a Commodore Plus/4 and moved to a C64.

The first...honest-to goodness...full color computer...you can buy...for only 299.95

Twenty new BASIC commands for 60 bucks? Sweet

Strider, the Apshai series is older than Fargoal. The original Temple of Apshai was made in 1979.