What is CommodoreGames.Net?

Updated

CommodoreGames.Net is a browser-based archive for classic Commodore computing, centered on three systems: the Commodore 64, VIC-20, and PET. It lets you play supported titles directly in your browser, and it also functions as a larger preservation hub with downloads, manuals, developer interviews, and search tools. If you want to play a Commodore game without setting up an emulator yourself, or you want to dig through a large Commodore software archive, this is the site's purpose.

What you can do on the site

The homepage is organized around picking a system first, then finding something to play. The three main libraries are:

System Library size Character
Commodore 64 30,000+ games The largest collection; classics, oddities, and forgotten releases
VIC-20 2,500+ games Compact, colorful, early-era library
Commodore PET 800+ games Games and software from Commodore's earliest computer family

Beyond playing, the site lists these areas:

  • Developer interviews — background material from people who made the software.
  • Copy protection — reference content on how Commodore-era software was protected.
  • File search — search across the archive.
  • Commodore WebDrive — an additional access route to archive content.
  • FTP site search and SceneBase files — tools for locating scene releases.
  • SID Relocator and C64 BBS Pinger — utilities aimed at Commodore enthusiasts.

How browsing and playing works

  1. Choose a system. Start from C64, VIC-20, or PET. Each has its own browse entry point.
  2. Find a title. You can search, browse the library, or use the "Surprise Me" option if you don't have a specific game in mind.
  3. Play supported titles in your browser. The site states that supported titles run in the browser, so no separate emulator install is described for those.
  4. Go deeper if needed. Downloads, manuals, and the search/FTP tools are there when browsing alone isn't enough.

The homepage also shows a "Hot C64 games this week" list based on the last seven days of plays, which is a practical starting point if you want to see what others are actually playing rather than guessing. Recent examples include Sex Games, Kaiser, Donkey Kong, Bundesliga 87/88, Rock Star Ate my Hamster, A, Super Mario Bros, Granny's Garden, and Impossible Mission.

Who it's for

  • Casual retro players who want to try a Commodore game quickly in a browser.
  • Commodore 64 owners and fans looking for a large searchable library.
  • VIC-20 and PET enthusiasts whose systems get less coverage elsewhere.
  • Preservation-minded users interested in downloads, manuals, interviews, and scene-release search tools.

Practical notes

The site describes itself as "the premier archive for playing, searching, and downloading thousands of Commodore scene releases," so it positions itself as both a play surface and an archive. The homepage shows Login and Register options, which indicates some features may be tied to an account, though the page evidence does not specify which features require login or whether any part of the site is paid. Treat account-gated or download-related behavior as something to check on the site itself rather than assuming it's open.

If your goal is simply to play a Commodore game in a browser, start with the system library and the weekly hot list. If your goal is research or preservation, the interviews, copy protection material, file search, and FTP tools are the parts worth exploring after you've picked a system.