Welcome to Games That Weren't 64!
We cover Cancelled & Unreleased Video games for the Commodore 64 computer. A non-profit large archive dedicated to preserving lost games that were never released to the public, as well as prototypes and the odd preservation of released titles. Our aim to share history and stories from the developers, assets and more before it is too late. GTW has been preserving lost video game history since 1999.
Please Browse our archive and discover the many entries that we host and have saved over the years.
Latest News and Posts
Daffy Duck
1992 Hi-Tec Software
Platforms: Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Commodore Amiga and ZX Spectrum 48/128K
As part of the launch and release of The Games That Weren’t book, we are adding assets and content that didn’t make it to print as bonus content to share with you.
Although the story of Daffy Duck is well documented on GTW for the Commodore 64, within the book is a detailed 12 page full story that covers all of the planned versions due. We speak to Ashley Routledge, Alan Benson, Ben Walshaw, Craig Wight, David A Palmer, David Saunders, Gary Antcliffe, Nigel Speight, Paul Tankard, Pete Frith and Richard Morton to tell as complete a story that we can about what happened to the game across all formats, not just the C64 edition.
Whilst doing research for the other versions, we were overwhelmed by the recovery of many assets for the Amiga version, thanks to graphic artist Richard Morton. However, it was the video footage of the Amiga version that was a big surprise in the absence of the game itself, recovered from an old VHS tape by David A Palmer.
GTW64 update for October 2020
Another month passing and time again for another GTW64 update, with various updates and additions that were added over the past month.
5 new entries added
Ms. Pac Man V1, Mutant Nerds, New Gods, Wingman, Wonder Woman
18 updates added
2400 A.D., All Terrain Gardener, Bee 52, Bleep Boy, Block Game, Blockman, Bobby Bounce Back, Bomb, Cargo, Cave Wizard, Cavefighter, Jetpac, Katakis, Murder!, Night Hunter, Race Drivin’, The Game With No Name, Zzap Italia homebrew
Starring Charlie Chaplin
1988 Canvas Software / U.S Gold
Platforms: Atari ST and Commodore 64
As part of the launch and release of The Games That Weren’t book, we are adding additional assets and content that didn’t make it to print as bonus content to share with you.
Within the book is a detailed 10 page full story about the unreleased Starring Charlie Chaplin for both the Atari ST and Commodore 64 platforms by U.S Gold. The book also includes a specially re-pixelled Atari ST screenshot from a grainy magazine scan.
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Produced by Canvas Software in 1987, this was one of the hardest write ups to research, due to a number of key people no longer with us today. We however talk to as many people as we can to piece together what happened to both conversions – including Donald Campbell, Danielle Woodyatt, Dawn Hollywood (nee Drake), Jon Grimshaw, Paul Clansey, Richard Tidsall, Sean Townsend, Stephen Ward and Simon Butler. Giving as complete a picture of what happened exactly as we possibly can. Continue reading
Add & Subtract with ALF game found!
It hasn’t been a title that we’ve been actively looking for, but it has been missing for a long time – not known if it was actually released.
Well, thankfully it was released it seems in limited numbers and was preserved and released yesterday at long last thanks to the brilliant efforts of Black Beard/Genesis Project!
So its not a GTW as such, but we like to try and highlight recovered software that hasn’t been preserved until now as well. Check it out:
GTW64 update for September 2020
Pretty much the end of summer already and time of the month for another GTW64 update, with various updates and additions that were added over the past month.
2 new entries added
31 updates added
A Chance In Hell, Arcade Wizzard, Astromine, Barbarian 3, Circus Fun!, Counting Bee, Dungeons Of Death, Dying High, Dynablaster, Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade V1, Jimmy’s Grand Prix, Joust, Koshimo, Lemmings V1, Liverpool V1, Lunar Jetman, Maze Patrol, Megatree, Mindsmear, Miner Willy Meets The Taxman, Mumbles – Superspy, Operation Thunderbolt V1, Pipemania 2: Plumber’s World, Starglider 2, Sturmtruppen, The Final Matrix, Titus The Fox, Top Wrestling, Total Recall V1, Tujad, Zzap Italia homebrew
Early various C64 screens and G-LOC development
With many thanks to Martin Inter, a number of early screens from actual released C64 games such as G-Loc, Dragon Ninja, Batman The Caped Crusader and Hammerfist have been added to this page. These show different sprites (in the case of Dragon Ninja), panels (Hammerfist). in game graphics (Batman) and vastly different and unused scenes (G-Loc). Continue reading
GTW64 update for August 2020
Another month and another GTW64 update with a number of new entries and various page updates that have been added over the past month. Enjoy!
11 new entries added
Ball Breaker, Black Tiger V1, Bushfire, Counting Bees, Eskape, Fighting Survivor, Humpy64, Nuclear War, Spin Out, The Last Commando, The Magic Garden Talking Book Series
33 updates added
A Chance In Hell, Argonautica, Barbarian 3, Batman Returns, Blast, C64GS cartridge titles, Cyclone, Danger! High Voltage, Dragon Slayer, Dragon’s Lair 2: Timewarp, Eye Of The Beholder, Infer, Inspector Gadget, Joe Blade 3, Joust, Mega Games, Mega Moto, Mishun, Molar Madness, Move Out, Nodule, Orcus, Outrun 2, Paperboy 2, Penguin Tower, Penguin Tower V2, Phantom Rider, Scooby Doo V1, Space Ace, Tusari 2, Warrior Of Darkness, Your Computer Software Exchange, Zolo
Ocean C64 assets
Just a quick post to share some odd Ocean related C64 assets I found as I was tidying through some archived disks from Dawn Hollywood (Nee Drake) and Paul Hughes when backing up some old CDs:
These “Time Out” and “Game Over” screens I don’t recognise from anywhere and they were on an unlabelled disk, recovered as deleted files. Not fully sure what format they are, so its possible they may have colour data not showing.
UPDATE: Contributor Hank (see comments) has confirmed that the screens are from Pang! Added how it should look to the above gallery. Mystery solved, though they are slightly different overall, so earlier screens or possibly even from another build.
Then on one of Dawn’s disks is an unfinished/unused loading screen for Vindicators, which attempts to do some hires colouring. In the end it was kept to just a monochrome screen for the final release.
A set of curiosities which we hope you find interesting. Hopefully we’ll find out soon what the Timeout and Game Over graphics were intended for.
Super Barbarian
1992 Palace Software
Platforms: Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, PC, C64, Amstrad CPC
Note: This is heavily based on the original C64 archive entry.
Originally starting off and named as Barbarian 3, this was originally to be a straightforward sequel to Barbarian 2, following a very similar structure. This was an early period of development when both Steve Brown and Richard Leinfellner were involved in the development.
Basically whilst the sequel was in development, Steve had already decided that the game would benefit being turned into a trilogy. So the once planned ending to number 2 was changed so that Drax escaped through a mirror at the end of the game to leave it open for a 3rd title.
The main major change was that the 3rd game would now scroll instead of being flick screen based. When an action sequence occurred, then the game would switch to a larger and zoomed in fight view for the 16-bit editions. The C64 would keep the characters the same size throughout.
Joust full game released today after over 30 years
Games That Weren’t is proud to present the long lost AtariSoft conversion of Joust, which was due for release back in 1984. You can now download and play the game as originally intended.
It is with massive thanks to Ken Van Mersbergen for the amazing discovery of the source code and compiling the game into a form that can be played. Originally Ken had planned to first show the game at the VCFMW event in September, but unfortunately it has been cancelled – hence the earlier release on Games That Weren’t today. You can read more about how Ken came to find the game and preserve everything within the main page itself:
Enjoy!