Commodore 64 Returns in Console Form

With the success achieved by the Spectrum Vega+ console late last year, it was a good time to be a fan of the vintage side of videogaming. If you were more of a fan of Commodore's 8-bit computer though, then you're in luck as a similar project is currently seeking funding on crowdfunding website Indiegogo.

Dubbed "The 64", the new console is a modern re-imagining of the Guinness World Record holder of the best selling home computer of all time. Like the Vega+, it comes pre-loaded with a huge collection of classic games, but also features some exclusive games that are being created especially for the console itself. 

Concept renders of the consoles.

There will be two flavours of the device. One is designed with a full keyboard and looks similar to the "breadbin" model of the original Commodore 64. This version will come with a joystick and selection of preloaded games. If you want to do your retro-gaming on the move, then you can invest in the SX version instead. This portable edition of the console comes with pre-loaded games and is controlled via buttons on the device itself. both versions will have HDMI connectivity and support expansion via built in USB sockets, allowing you to run the many homebrew and indie titles that are still being released for the console, 30 years on.

The crowd-funding campaign has an ambitious target of $150,000 but the goal is flexible, meaning that if they are short, the pledges will still be collected and the team will work with what they have instead. The minimum pledge needed to get a console is $150 for the computer version, and $170 for the handheld version. It's expected that the computer version will be launched in December this year, with the handheld SX model coming in April 2017.