Games Turning 40 Years Old in 2025: "Treasure Island" for the Commodore Plus 4

"Treasure Island" was one of ten games bundled with our Commodore Plus 4, and it quickly became my favourite. At the time, I didn’t realize it had already been released for the Commodore 64 a year earlier. While the gameplay is nearly identical to the C64 version, the Plus 4 edition features different graphics for the player and pirates. Additionally, some arcade-style scenes present in the C64 version are missing, but in my opinion, these omissions actually improve the Plus 4 version.

The goal of the game is straightforward: guide Jim Hawkins through the island maze in search of the hidden treasure, all while defeating any pirates who stand in your way. Brown and green pirates throw cutlasses at you when you approach, but if you're quick and careful, you can pick them up—provided you avoid being hit. Scoring 100% requires strategy, especially when managing your cutlasses to eliminate every pirate.

Once you've found the treasure, the challenge isn’t over: you must race back to your ship while being chased by the relentless Long John Silver, who, despite having just one leg, moves surprisingly fast!

I have fond memories of playing Treasure Island with my sister and mum. Often, we would work together to map the island as my mum tried to complete the game. I also remember the anxiety and tension of guiding her back to the ship, carefully avoiding any wrong turns that might lead to a fatal encounter with Long John Silver.

Looking back, I remember feeling that the island was vast and daunting. It’s funny how now I can easily complete the game in just 10 minutes!

I have to give credit to the programmer, Greg Duddle. It's a fantastic game, and one that I still enjoy playing from time to time even today.

Game Covers - 1985 The Day After (Commodore 64)

It is the day after, Big Brother has been destroyed and the Earth has to learn how to survive on its own. 

You have been assigned to find the energy your planet needs to survive.  The OLD Republic stored nuclear plasma on four neighbouring planets.  It is your mission to visit the twelve alien landscapes to retrieve it.  

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Game Covers - Icicle Works (Commodore 16 and Plus 4)

ICICLE WORKS is a multi-screen game of snowballs, gift wrapped presents, polar bears and penguins.

Santa has returned from holiday to find that his presents have been scattered over the polar cap and are buried in the snow.  Your task is to help Santa dig his way through the snow, collecting as many gift wrapped presents as are required to complete the toy in each scene.

Life in the north, however, is fraught with many perils and poor Santa must be very careful not to get caught under an avalanche of his own creation.  His life is further endangered bu the many bad tempered polar bears and penguins which run up and down the passages Santa has dug.

Christmas is not as far away as you may think and Santa faces a horrible fate if he cannot complete the toy and escape to a new task before the time runs out.

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Game Covers - Treasure Island (Commodore 16 and Plus 4)

Treasure Island is a multi-screen arcade adventure in which you help Jim Hawkins find buried treasure.  Use the map provided to guide Jim around the island.  Collect items which may be useful but avoid, or deal with, the cutlass-wielding pirates.  Having found the treasure you must then win the race to get back to your ship.  You can be sure that Long John Silver will do all in his power to stop you escaping with what he believes is rightly his.  Treasure Island is a game requiring careful planning and quick reactions.

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