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 - Golf (Philips G7000)

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Game Covers - Tenpin Bowling and Basketball (Philips G7000)

Tenpin Bowling

Key 1 selects league night. Key 2 selects faster tournament play. Try to knock down all the pins (it's not just a matter of hitting them head-on). A strike (no pins standing after first bowl) scores 30. A spare (no pins standing after second bowl) scores 15. Otherwise, you score the number of pins knocked down per FRAME (each FRAME consists of 2 bowls unless you get a strike). Scores appear after each frame. The player with the most points after 10 frames wins.

Basketball

Gain possession of the ball and shoot into your opponent's basket, but you'll have to escape his close marking first. Each score gains 2 points. If you hold the ball for too long, or shoot when your opponent is touching the ball, you give away possession. When the 5 minutes are up (time = 00:00), the player with most points wins.

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Game Covers - A Labyrinth Game / Supermind (Philips G7000)

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Game Covers - Space Monster (Philips G7000)

You are confronted with a very serious threat. A merciless space monster, aided by eight robots with rocket launchers, is attacking your planet. You only have one robot at your disposal and four mobile rocket launchers. Three of your rocket launchers are stored safely in rocket-proof bunkers. 

It's up to you now to defend your planet by destroying the enemy robots and the invading space monster. What makes it more difficult is, the enemy robots operating from behind rocket-proof protective shields. They shift back and forth however to take pop shots at your robot and his rocket launcher. That's when you have to try and be quick enough to hit them. Be careful though, somehow they seem to know exactly where you are. You are safe only as long as you hide behind one of your bunkers. 

The monster itself, even though he tries to keep out of reach behind his robot lines, is adding his share. If you hit and destroy him, don't be overjoyous. Another one will appear within a few seconds and the battle continues. 

If your rocket launcher is hit by an enemy rocket, your robot will survive but is unprotected. It's up to you now to move him to one of your bunkers as quickly as possible. When you press the action button you have another rocket launcher again but the bunker and its protection have disappeared. 

When you have succeeded in destroying all invading robots, the monster itself will descend in a final, desperate attempt to destroy your rocket launcher and robot. 

If you have lost your fourth and last rocket launcher and have no means left to defend your robot, the space monster will come down too and take your robot. 

You score when you succeed in destroying all enemy robots plus the monster. If you lose, the monster scores a point. 

The war is over when either party has won ten battles.

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Game Covers - Paperboy (Commodore 64)

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Game Covers - Last Ninja 2 (Commodore 64)

Once beaten, but not destroyed, the evil Shogun Kunitoki used all his mystic powers to transport himself through time and establish a new empire of tyranny in modern day Manhattan.

In fear of Kunitoki's growing powers, the arcane gods used all their wisdom to bring you, the Last Ninja, across the abyss of time and confront your arch-enemy once more.

You arrive in this frightening and awesome modern world bringing nothing with you save your intelligence, skill and cunning and a burning desire for vengeance.

Will this be the final battle? Can you vanquish Kunitoki once and for all?

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