C64 Game Machine

Interesting twitter post by the Commodore International Historical Society on a C64 game machine

Commodore went bankrupt in 1994 and we’re still discovering never before seen devices in 2020. This c64 Game Machine was revealed by Andy Finkel today. Photos copyright Andy Finkel.
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We’re slowly learning more about this machine. It was at least a semi-official project at Commodore and it’s clearly based on similar architecture as the c64, given that it contains 6526, 6510, 6581 and 6569 MOS ICs. Hoping the EPROM can be dumped.

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The design reminds a bit of the Atari XEGS – with a touch of Gotcha for the controller… :slight_smile:

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Something seems a bit off…

1: The case design is made in a design language, that Commodore would never do.

2: There are no silk screen markings that explains what board number it is. Even Commodore’s prototypes, had board number and revision printed on the board.
Check the board picture of this C65…
Or these C232 and C264 prototypes…

3: The only clue as to it possible being a commodore product (prototype as well) are that there is a logo on the top case. And even that, look’s a bit wierd. However that can be down to it being a prototype as well.

It might be one of them ripp-off systems, that you see from China or Taiwan. Just produced in the middle of the 1990’s. Like somewere between 1995 and 1997.

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What a bizarre looking device. The basic concept could be good - make the console itself a large base for an arcade stick. But replacing the arcade stick with a ball is just weird.

There may be something hidden behind the cartridge port at the top right edge. However, “C-64 GAME” seems to be an oddly generic and at the same time telltale project name.

Notably, the project seems to be in a rather advanced state, the PCB is laid out both for PAL and NTSC (mind the jumper labels at the very center of the boards) and there are just two jumper wires (which seem to be related), and there’s an injection molded case in final colors and printings, even FCC conformal coating, with all the tooling involved. Only the boards for the function key are reeking early development. It seems odd, there’s nothing known else of this project, which must have run up to some considerable costs (and lots of meetings) at this stage.

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