The Commodore 64 amassed a large software library of nearly 10,000 commercial titles, covering genres from games to business applications.
The Commodore 64’s slow 1541 disk drive limited its suitability as a business computer, [1] yet it was used for tasks like graphics creation, desktop publishing, and word processing. [2] Info 64 , the first magazine produced using desktop publishing tools, was created on and dedicated to the Commodore platform. [3]
Popular graphics software included KoalaPainter, known for its graphics tablet interface, [4] and Doodle!, a widely used drawing program. [5] Desktop publishing tools like The Print Shop and "The Newsroom" enabled users to create signs, banners, and newsletters. [6] [7] Light pens and CAD software were also available. [8]
Word processors such as PaperClip and Vizawrite were popular, [9] [10] alongside the type-in program SpeedScript, published in Compute!'s Gazette . [11] Spreadsheet programs included Multiplan by Microsoft [12] and Calc Result, [13] while Vizastar offered integrated software features. [14] Office suites like Mini Office II and software from Data Becker were also available. [15] [16]
The GEOS operating system provided a graphical interface akin to the early Apple Macintosh, with office applications and support for peripherals like printers and light pens. [17] It gained popularity for its affordability and capabilities. [18]
Music software included Music Construction Set and MIDI cartridges, [19] with the modern Prophet64 cartridge offering advanced sequencing and synthesis. [20]
Think back for a minute to the first program you ever saw on a Commodore 64. Chances are it was a game, if you've had a 64 for more than a couple of years.
— Compute!'s Gazette, 1986 [21]
By 1985, games comprised 60–70% of Commodore 64 software, [22] driven by its advanced sound and graphics hardware. Over 23,000 unique game titles were released. [23]
Notable titles included International Soccer , Impossible Mission , and Epyx’s multievent series ( Summer Games , Winter Games , World Games , and California Games ). [24] Other significant games were Boulder Dash , The Sentinel , and Elite . [25] Budget games from Mastertronic and Codemasters were popular on cassette. [26] In 1993, Mayhem in Monsterland earned a 100% rating from Commodore Format for its graphics and gameplay. [27]
The Commodore 64 featured a large library of type-in programs published in magazines like Compute!'s Gazette , Ahoy! , and RUN . [28] Disk magazines like Loadstar provided ready-to-run programs. [29] BBSs distributed public domain and freeware software via services like Q-Link and CompuServe. [30]
Software piracy was prevalent, with warez groups like Fairlight distributing cracked software via BBSs and sneakernets. [31] Tools like Fast Hack'em bypassed copy protection. [32]
The Commodore 64 shipped with BASIC 2.0, limited in accessing advanced features, requiring PEEK and POKE or extensions like Simons' BASIC. [33] Commodore opted for BASIC 2.0 to reduce costs. [34]
The SID chip enabled music software like Kawasaki Synthesizer and Music Construction Set. [35] [36] Modern tools include GoatTracker. [37]
Development tools included assemblers like MIKRO and compilers for C and Pascal. [38] Game creation kits like SEUCK and GameMaker were popular. [39]
Current tools include CBM prg Studio, Relaunch64, and assemblers like Kick Assembler and cc65. [40] [41]
Preservation efforts involve transferring software to modern media and developing emulators like VICE. [42] The GameBase 64 project catalogs nearly 29,000 titles. [43]