THEC64

From WE Computers Museum
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Thec64 mini logo.png
THEC64
Designer Retro Games
Manufacturer Koch Media
CPU 1 GHz Dual-Core ARM Cortex A20
Graphics Mali-400 MP2
Memory 256 MB
Media 256 MB
Released THEC64 Mini
EU: March 29, 2018
NA: October 9, 2018
THEC64
EU: December 12, 2019
NA: November 5, 2020
Added to Museum THEC64 Mini: April 24, 2019

THEC64 is a series of video game consoles by Retro Games.

THEC64 Mini

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THEC64 Mini, a miniature dedicated video game console, was released on March 29, 2018, in Europe and on October 9, 2018, in North America. It was designed to resemble the Commodore 64 computer, although the keyboard keys on the case are non-functional.

On THEC64 Mini, a USB keyboard could be attached to load the games, or a virtual keyboard can be used via the joystick.

Games are selected via the Commodore Carousel menu system. Commodore 64 BASIC can be selected as well.

THEC64

Retro Games released a full-size system, simply titled THEC64 on December 5, 2019.

THEC64 came with a full-size replica of the original Commodore 64 keyboard, while the miniature keyboard on THEC64 Mini was non-functional. It also came with one joystick designed to replicate Commodore 64 joysticks.

THEC64 also has VIC-20 functionality, as the unit can be switched to load into Commodore 64 mode, VIC-20 mode, or the Commodore Carousel menu system.

Features

Each model contained sixty-four built-in games. They contained the VICE emulator by Jarkko Sonninen and the VICE team to run BASIC and the games.

On both units, the power was provided by a standard mini USB plug and wall adapter, and the video was output through HDMI.

Technical specifications

The systems are much more powerful than the system on which it is designed.

It uses an Allwinner R16 "system on a chip". The system specifications are as follows:

  • 1.2 Ghz dual-core Cortex-A7 CPU (central processing unit)
  • 500 Mhz dual-core Mali-400 ARM GPU (graphics processing unit)
  • 512MB RAM (random access memory)
  • 512MB Flash storage

Since it uses common architecture, the system can be modified to add additional games, simply using the supplied mini-USB cable and open-source software.

Games included on THEC64 systems

The following table lists the games included in THEC64 and THEC64 Mini.

Title Developer THEC64 THEC64 Mini
Alleykat Andrew Braybrook Yes Yes
Anarchy Michael Sentinella Yes Yes
Attack of the Mutant Camels Llamasoft Yes No
The Arc of Yesod Robert Tinman Yes Yes
Armalyte - Competition Edition Cyberdyne Systems No Yes
Avenger Jason Perkins, Mark Charles Rogers Yes Yes
Battle Valley Simon Wellard Yes Yes
Bear Bovver Jon Ritman Yes No
Boulder Dash Peter Liepa, Chris Grey Yes Yes
Bounder Christian Shrigley, Andrew Green, Robert Toone Yes Yes
Break Dance Stephen Beck No Yes
California Games Epyx Yes Yes
Chip's Challenge Tom Pinnock Yes Yes
Coil Cop Jason Perkins, Mark Charles Rogers, Chris Kerry, Colin Dooley No Yes
Confuzion Paul Shirley Yes Yes
Cosmic Causeway: Trailblazer II Shaun Southern Yes Yes
Creatures Apex Computer Productions No Yes
Cyberdyne Warrior John Rowlands Yes Yes
Cybernoid: The Fighting Machine Nick Jones No Yes
Cybernoid II: The Revenge Nick Jones Yes Yes
Deflektor Jason Perkins Yes Yes
Destroyer Chuck Sommerville, Michael Kosaka Yes Yes
Everyone's a Wally Mikro-Gen Yes Yes
Farming Simulator Giants Software Yes Yes
Firelord John Cumming Yes Yes
Galencia Jason Aldred Yes Yes
Gateway to Apshai The Connelley Group Yes Yes
Gribbly's Day Out Andrew Braybrook Yes Yes
Gridrunner (VIC-20) Llamasoft Yes No
Hawkeye The Boys Without Brains No Yes
Heartland Keith Robinson Yes Yes
Herobotix Steven Collins Yes Yes
Highway Encounter Vortex Software Yes Yes
Hover Bovver Llamasoft Yes No
Hunter's Moon Martin Walker No Yes
Hysteria Tony Pomfret No Yes
IO Doug Hare Yes Yes
Impossible Mission Dan Caswell Yes Yes
Impossible Mission II Novotrade International Yes Yes
Iridis Alpha Llamasoft Yes No
Jumpman Randy Glover Yes Yes
Jumpman 2 Randy Glover No Yes
Mega Apocalypse Simon Nicol Yes Yes
Mission A.D. Marc Dawson Yes Yes
Monty on the Run Jason Perkins Yes Yes
Nebulus John M. Phillips Yes Yes
Netherworld Jukka Tapanmaki Yes Yes
Nobby the Aardvark Dave Clarke No Yes
Nodes of Yesod Keith Robinson Yes Yes
Paradroid Andrew Braybrook Yes Yes
Pitstop II Dennis Caswell, Steve Landrum Yes Yes
Planet of Death Richard Turner, Chris Thornton Yes No
Psychedelia (VIC-20) Llamasoft Yes No
Ranarama Gary J. Foreman Yes Yes
Robin of the Wood Marc Dawson Yes Yes
Rubicon Joachim Ljunggren, Fredrik Kahl No Yes
Silicon Warrior John W.S. Marvin Yes Yes
Skate Crazy Andrew Green, Robert Toone Yes Yes
Skool Daze Microsphere No Yes
Snare Rob Stevens No Yes
Speedball Pantheon No Yes
Speedball 2 - Brutal Deluxe Carl Muller Yes Yes
Spindizzy Paul Shirley Yes Yes
Star Paws John Darnell No Yes
Steel Rack It Yes Yes
Street Sports Baseball Greg Omi Yes Yes
Street Sports Basketball Andrew Spencer Yes Yes
Street Sports Soccer Stephen M. Thomas, K-Byte No Yes
Summer Games II Epyx Yes Yes
Super Cycle Stephen H. Landrum Yes Yes
Sword of Fargoal Jeff McCord Yes Yes
Temple of Apshai Trilogy
(Remakes of Temple of Apshai, Upper Reaches of Apshai, and Curse of Ra)
Steve Bryson, Stephen H. Landrum Yes Yes
Thing on a Spring Jason Perkins Yes Yes
Thing Bounces Back Jason Perkins, Mark Charles Rogers, Chris Kerry, Colin Dooley Yes Yes
Tower Toppler John M. Phillips No Yes
Trailblazer Shaun Hollingworth, Peter M. Harrap, Chris Kerry Yes No
Uchi Mata Andy Walker No Yes
Uridium Andrew Braybrook Yes Yes
Wanted: Monty Mole Anthony Crowther Yes Yes
West Bank Dinamic No Yes
Who Dares Wins II Tommy Atkins Yes Yes
Winter Games Action Graphics Yes Yes
World Games K-Byte Yes Yes
Zynaps John Cumming Yes Yes