C64/ZX/CPC games were often notoriously hard. Which ones did you manage to complete?

Video Games
1

I used to own hundreds of Commodore 64 games, but I’ve only managed to complete a handful of those. Lots of games were ridiculously hard and some of those were so broken that they were literally impossible to complete. That’s why actually managing to beat a Commodore 64 game always felt like a humongous achievement.

Of the games I owned, these are the ones I remember completing.

Bruce Lee

One of my favourite C64 games! Just lots of fun to play, especially with a friend. Quite easy to complete.

Last Ninja 2

A classic. Need I say more?

Blinky’s Scary School

Fun and pretty easy Dizzy-like game.

Ghosts 'n Goblins

Easier than the arcade version!

Spooky Castle

Simplistic flick-screen platformer. Very short.

Dragon Ninja

That’s what Bad Dudes is called on the Commodore 64.

Double Dragon

Yes, I completed this utter turd of a game. What a slog!

If I happen to remember some more, I’ll add them here.

So, which C64/ZX/CPC games did YOU manage to complete?

2

I finished Montezuma’s Revenge on all difficulties, and the only controller available was a trackball thing, basically a microswitch joystick without the stick on the end.

But the ‘ending’ is a weird pit you jump in which sends you on a Zelda style second quest.

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3

Playing Montezuma’s Revenge with a trackball controller? Wow, that’s wild!

4

Just remembered another one: Camelot Warriors.


It’s a pretty difficult game and there’s an annoying bug that can make you lose all your lives if you enter some rooms the wrong way, so finally completing it was quite a joyous occasion.

5

Lol! That controller is something else.

Interestingly, the SMS version of Montezuma’s Revenge is the same. As you get to the bottom of the pyramid, you jump in the pit, and it starts you again back at the top

Thing is, there’s supposedly 11 levels of this before you “finish” the game. I wonder if the C64 version is the same.

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6

There are three levels (selectable at the start), but after level 3 it’s just repeats with more enemies or unlit rooms etc, up to nine.

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7

You mean the SMS one, or the C64 one? Both?

8

C64, but looks like Master System is similar, but goes to 11

levelshttps://www.smspower.org/Maps/MontezumasRevenge-SMS

9

Hmm, stage 1 and 2 are unique. I think 1 and 2 are just half the pyramid, then 3-11 are the full pyramid with varying enemies/routes etc.

I would think that to see the credits you would have to finish all 11 levels, even though there is repetition going on there.

10

Lessee, I finished Ultima VI and Times of Lore. I found RPGs to be less Bs-ery.
TOL_Game2_Night
Tomes of Lore above. Although I found RPGs less Bs-ery, I have not yet finished Ultima V. The main reason, the load times in dungeons. I got to the point where I could happily trawl my way around, but when you went from a hallway to an actual room, the load was ATROCIOUS. Like I was used to long loads, but this was something else. Then, if you accidentally backed out, another long load time. It was infuriating. SO now I’m trying on PC. :wink:

I had Bad dudes Vs Dragon Ninja as well, but it was bugged and wouldn’t load after the third level (it was in some action game pack thing). I always hated that as I played that game a LOT. Well, just the first three levels… so I shouldn’t put that here as I didn’t finish it…

Last Ninja 1 & 2, both took me ages, but the music was fantastic.

I too finished Double Dragon, it was a n absolute turd, easier with two players, but tactics were super easy. Run through enemy, kisck in the back. Run through, kick in the back, repeat until the game ends.
Zak McKraken was one my Dad and I managed to make through. Man that was an adventure and a half.

Hawkeye was another game I spent ridiculous amounts of time on and managed to finish.
hawkeye_19

Midnight resistance was another I managed to get through as well.
MidnightR

It’s odd, as there were so many I finished, but most of them were hacked, as the amount of BS in them was ridiculous. I especially remember having Robocop. The game looked gorgeous and I could bust through the first 3 levels very successfully, but the the level which has you walking through the drug factory up and down the stairs had an unbeatable time limit on it. I never passed that level. I later read the programmer only every did it legitimately once. I also found out later that the following level was bugged so bad it had to be fixed up by hackers…

Oh and Target Renegade. A super simple beat em up that I was very good at, and could have finished, but the time limit on the streets level always beat me. I think it traumatized me as I despise time limits on games now immensely! Also another game I didn’t finish… Whoops.
target_renegade_05

I did manage to slog my way though Strider though, something I am quite proud of as that was was bloody awful. Another one with a terrible time limit. and gameplay.
Strider

I love C64 games, but will always look for a hacked version. I feel like I can relax more and enjoy it better. Plus I don’t quite have the patience to memorise a crappy game’s layout anymore like I did as a kid. None of these screenshots are mine.

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11

That’s a nice list!

Haha, I used the exact same hit-and-run tactics to beat Double Dragon. Man, that game was the pinnacle of monotony.

I also really liked Target Renegade (despite the rather iffy collision detection), but I never got very far. Killer soundtrack, though!

I’ve read about Robocop’s timer issues and botched level before. Such a pity, because it’s a pretty solid game otherwise.

Frankly, no-one should feel ashamed about playing cracked Commodore 64 games. Lots of those are just insanely, infuriatingly difficult and are nearly impossible to complete otherwise.

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12

Just remembered another C64 game I somehow managed to complete: Army Moves.

Not a bad game. I was pleasantly surprised that each level wasn’t the same Moon Lander-esque gameplay over and over again. In fact, the jeep is only used in the very first level.
Next up, there are a few sections where you control a helicopter, and afterwards there are three levels that feature some platforming as you storm the enemy’s base on foot.