Carleton Handley
@carletonhandley.bsky.social
I coded Commodore 64 games in the 1980s, 1990s and the 2020s. And plenty of other stuff in between.
Pinned
I occasionally code modern games for the Commodore 64 #C64. You can get some of my games for free on my itch.io page, there are puzzlers, racing and platformers on there:
carletonhandley.itch.io
carletonhandley.itch.io
Back in the day I bought so many issues of the Official PlayStation Magazine just to try out the demos. It’s even easier to try stuff before you buy these days. Obviously I’d recommend Millie & Molly but there’s lots of good stuff here.
If you're on the fence about shelling out for one of our #NintendoSwitch games, you can always grab a FREE demo of LOVE, 10 Second Ninja X, Destructivator, Word Forward, Millie & Molly, Cardful Planning, or Pan-Dimensional Conga Combat on the #eShop. Go get 'em!
November 25, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Back in the day I bought so many issues of the Official PlayStation Magazine just to try out the demos. It’s even easier to try stuff before you buy these days. Obviously I’d recommend Millie & Molly but there’s lots of good stuff here.
This Spitting Image news is from Dec '86, when I was still a schoolboy. It took them a long time to find a publisher because I started coding the #C64 game in the second half of '88. I think the only reason Domark ended up with the licence was over the controversy of Split Personalities.
Sinclair User (Dec 1986) - Dracula, ZX Spectrum 128 +2, Spitting Image and Max Desktop news. Also Cosmic Shock Absorber full-page ad
READ: (1/2) #zxspectrum #retrogaming
READ: (1/2) #zxspectrum #retrogaming
November 24, 2025 at 8:47 AM
This Spitting Image news is from Dec '86, when I was still a schoolboy. It took them a long time to find a publisher because I started coding the #C64 game in the second half of '88. I think the only reason Domark ended up with the licence was over the controversy of Split Personalities.
What a thoroughly lovely thing to do. It looks in pretty good nick in the later video as well, better than mine was in the 80s. I had some Kit-Kat foil as a fuse for a start. #C64
A bit of chaitable fun for the upcoming festive season... I have bought this old banger of a C64 from the British Heart Foundation. I don't need it, but it needed more bids!
My plan is to fix it up and resell it, then donate the proceeds back to the BFH, on top of what I just paid. Let's do it! 😀
My plan is to fix it up and resell it, then donate the proceeds back to the BFH, on top of what I just paid. Let's do it! 😀
November 21, 2025 at 4:17 PM
What a thoroughly lovely thing to do. It looks in pretty good nick in the later video as well, better than mine was in the 80s. I had some Kit-Kat foil as a fuse for a start. #C64
What an amazing job Chun and his wife did to make M&M the game it is. I don't think either of use thought it would lead to having this kind of swag. A signed copy of the #C64 disk version as well, rare. 😜
All my physical Millie & Mollys, let me show you them. @carletonhandley.bsky.social
November 21, 2025 at 1:28 PM
What an amazing job Chun and his wife did to make M&M the game it is. I don't think either of use thought it would lead to having this kind of swag. A signed copy of the #C64 disk version as well, rare. 😜
I was reading an interview I did for @retrogamermag.bsky.social back in 2015. @merman1974.bsky.social asked this question. Obviously I changed my mind from the answer given. I think I’ve written 8 #C64 games since then.
November 13, 2025 at 3:06 PM
I was reading an interview I did for @retrogamermag.bsky.social back in 2015. @merman1974.bsky.social asked this question. Obviously I changed my mind from the answer given. I think I’ve written 8 #C64 games since then.
I was given this poster along with other goodies at my YTS job interview with what became of Design Design. Quite exciting for a 16yo with no idea of what to do with himself having left school.
The picture is of Ellesmere Port and was hastily taken by one of team from a nearby bridge.
The picture is of Ellesmere Port and was hastily taken by one of team from a nearby bridge.
Random inlay: Forbidden Planet/Design Design Software (1986) https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/1837/ #zxspectrum #retrogaming
November 13, 2025 at 9:08 AM
I was given this poster along with other goodies at my YTS job interview with what became of Design Design. Quite exciting for a 16yo with no idea of what to do with himself having left school.
The picture is of Ellesmere Port and was hastily taken by one of team from a nearby bridge.
The picture is of Ellesmere Port and was hastily taken by one of team from a nearby bridge.
My first job was at what was formerly Design Design. We worked on another game which was submitted to the Crash competition Kat Trap won. It was called Sewer but was never completed. We also had loads of the other entries in a big folder which were fun to read through. I'd love to see those again.
Sinclair User (Dec 1986) - Kat Trap advert
READ: https://archive.org/stream/sinclair-user-magazine-057/SinclairUser_057_Dec_1986#page/n70/mode/2up #zxspectrum #retrogaming
READ: https://archive.org/stream/sinclair-user-magazine-057/SinclairUser_057_Dec_1986#page/n70/mode/2up #zxspectrum #retrogaming
November 5, 2025 at 9:12 AM
My first job was at what was formerly Design Design. We worked on another game which was submitted to the Crash competition Kat Trap won. It was called Sewer but was never completed. We also had loads of the other entries in a big folder which were fun to read through. I'd love to see those again.
Bonfire Night was my favourite night of the year as a child. Fireworks, treacle, parkin, flapjack, black peas (Google it) and a big random fire topped with a guy dressed better than me. Halloween has rather usurped it now though. Probably for the best considering the dangerous stuff we got up to.
October 31, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Bonfire Night was my favourite night of the year as a child. Fireworks, treacle, parkin, flapjack, black peas (Google it) and a big random fire topped with a guy dressed better than me. Halloween has rather usurped it now though. Probably for the best considering the dangerous stuff we got up to.
Nice to make into onto this list with my best received #C64 game of that era. And my only Zzap Sizzler back then. It was also a Oli Frey front cover. There are things I'd change now but it's a good effort.
The #C64 A to Z
My Fave ‘A’ Games – No.6
A.P.B.
A.P.B. puts you in the driving seat of rookie cop Officer Bob, racing through a chaotic city to ticket speeders and bust bad guys. This excellent conversion has neat graphics, good tunes and plenty of tongue-in-cheek action that keeps you playing.
My Fave ‘A’ Games – No.6
A.P.B.
A.P.B. puts you in the driving seat of rookie cop Officer Bob, racing through a chaotic city to ticket speeders and bust bad guys. This excellent conversion has neat graphics, good tunes and plenty of tongue-in-cheek action that keeps you playing.
October 29, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Nice to make into onto this list with my best received #C64 game of that era. And my only Zzap Sizzler back then. It was also a Oli Frey front cover. There are things I'd change now but it's a good effort.
Very nice. Don’t have one myself yet, I was hoping the postie might drop off a free one!
Second time ever to have a game as a console pack-in. Cheers @carletonhandley.bsky.social and everyone involved with Millie & Molly.
October 29, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Very nice. Don’t have one myself yet, I was hoping the postie might drop off a free one!
I think I missed that the C64 Mini Black Edition has been released. Some amazing modern #C64 games on there. Proud to have four of mine on it, in quite exalted company.
retrogames.biz/products/the...
retrogames.biz/products/the...
The C64 Mini Black Edition
THEC64 Mini - Black Edition features 25 modern neo classic games, the very best produced in recent years.
retrogames.biz
October 25, 2025 at 4:55 PM
I think I missed that the C64 Mini Black Edition has been released. Some amazing modern #C64 games on there. Proud to have four of mine on it, in quite exalted company.
retrogames.biz/products/the...
retrogames.biz/products/the...
I don't know who drew the covers for my #c64 games. I have a special fondness for the APB one though, it's nice and colourful.
Random inlay: APB/Domark Ltd (1989) https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/220/ #zxspectrum #retrogaming
October 8, 2025 at 8:06 AM
I don't know who drew the covers for my #c64 games. I have a special fondness for the APB one though, it's nice and colourful.
This article mentions Graham's washing machine. He gave me that when ours broke down. Years later we passed it on to somebody else. It must have been 30 years old before it gave up the ghost.
crashonline.org.uk/22/desdes3.htm
“Graham’s Game has now been officially named, it is ... now dubbed 2112AD. The reasoning behind this is twofold: first this was the day they stormed the Bastille!, and secondly the 21st of the 12th is the date of Graham’s wedding!!!!!”
“Graham’s Game has now been officially named, it is ... now dubbed 2112AD. The reasoning behind this is twofold: first this was the day they stormed the Bastille!, and secondly the 21st of the 12th is the date of Graham’s wedding!!!!!”
October 3, 2025 at 10:54 AM
This article mentions Graham's washing machine. He gave me that when ours broke down. Years later we passed it on to somebody else. It must have been 30 years old before it gave up the ghost.
"Don't Look Back" challenge. If this is not being able to use rewind it's going to be tough!
🏆 Last few days to take on our Millie & Molly tournament! Have you tried our Don't Look Back challenge for this indie C64 game yet?
Play over 1300 games NOW on Antstream Arcade for PC, console, PS, Xbox & more! 👾
Play over 1300 games NOW on Antstream Arcade for PC, console, PS, Xbox & more! 👾
September 24, 2025 at 7:59 AM
"Don't Look Back" challenge. If this is not being able to use rewind it's going to be tough!
Design Design here, predicting the current AI fixation in this article from 40 years ago. The game they're talking about is 2112AD, I should perhaps give it another look.
"And so the country is taken over by a collection of jumped up pocket calculators."
"And so the country is taken over by a collection of jumped up pocket calculators."
Design Design part 2
crashonline.org.uk/21/desdes2.htm
“Simon went off in a fit of depression, complaining gloomily that there was no way he could get Forbidden Planet’s graphics to match Dark Star’s 50 frames per second, if we all kept insisting on having animated clouds in the sky.”
crashonline.org.uk/21/desdes2.htm
“Simon went off in a fit of depression, complaining gloomily that there was no way he could get Forbidden Planet’s graphics to match Dark Star’s 50 frames per second, if we all kept insisting on having animated clouds in the sky.”
September 22, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Design Design here, predicting the current AI fixation in this article from 40 years ago. The game they're talking about is 2112AD, I should perhaps give it another look.
"And so the country is taken over by a collection of jumped up pocket calculators."
"And so the country is taken over by a collection of jumped up pocket calculators."
I was pretty pleased with my Craptastic 2024 4kb #C64 game. A lot of the other entries were also excellent. I’ve no idea what happened with the results though @ausretrogamer.bsky.social
carletonhandley.itch.io/drone-zone
carletonhandley.itch.io/drone-zone
carletonhandley.itch.io
September 13, 2025 at 6:16 PM
I was pretty pleased with my Craptastic 2024 4kb #C64 game. A lot of the other entries were also excellent. I’ve no idea what happened with the results though @ausretrogamer.bsky.social
carletonhandley.itch.io/drone-zone
carletonhandley.itch.io/drone-zone
These kids will go far! #C64 @chunwah.bsky.social
With all the games available they chose this 🥹 #retrogaming
@carletonhandley.bsky.social @thalamusdigital.bsky.social
@carletonhandley.bsky.social @thalamusdigital.bsky.social
August 31, 2025 at 4:29 PM
These kids will go far! #C64 @chunwah.bsky.social
My first job was at Walking Circles, the dev studio which came out of the remains of Design Design. This reads like a fever dream but from the stories I was told I think it's all mainly true. It was much more your standard 9-5 office by the time I joined in 1987.
August 19, 2025 at 1:14 PM
My first job was at Walking Circles, the dev studio which came out of the remains of Design Design. This reads like a fever dream but from the stories I was told I think it's all mainly true. It was much more your standard 9-5 office by the time I joined in 1987.
I think APB is my only #C64 game which appeared on a compilation. I was never informed of this stuff happening. And I certainly never got a free copy of this compilation.
35 years ago, many older computer games were being resold on compilations. This one from Tengen/Domark featured a very nice selection of their Namco/Atari ports. Quality varied wildly from platform to platform, but no denying the original coin-ops were all really fun to play.
August 13, 2025 at 12:53 PM
I think APB is my only #C64 game which appeared on a compilation. I was never informed of this stuff happening. And I certainly never got a free copy of this compilation.
This 720kb disk is my original backup of all the code and graphics for my first four #C64 games, plus the unreleased game Behemoth. The code includes self written tools like map editors. I think the icon on my last iOS game was larger than 720k on its own. My handwriting is as bad 35 years later.
August 8, 2025 at 7:49 AM
This 720kb disk is my original backup of all the code and graphics for my first four #C64 games, plus the unreleased game Behemoth. The code includes self written tools like map editors. I think the icon on my last iOS game was larger than 720k on its own. My handwriting is as bad 35 years later.
I think Rugby TWC is the worst thing I coded for the #C64 back then. It was really rushed to coincide with the world cup itself. This wasn't an official licence although some people thought it was. I tried making a rugby equivalent of Kick Off 2 with absolutely no success. The frontend was OK.
This week, ZttP #podcast gets our fight on as we play the rather dull WWF, some distant rugby, a turtle alone and the god awful Sh- I mean Pit-Fighter. We hope you like your weeks burly & ham filled! Ep 195 is out now here: zappedtothepast.podbean.com
#C64 #C64Reposts #videogames #retro #retrogames
#C64 #C64Reposts #videogames #retro #retrogames
August 5, 2025 at 9:17 AM
I think Rugby TWC is the worst thing I coded for the #C64 back then. It was really rushed to coincide with the world cup itself. This wasn't an official licence although some people thought it was. I tried making a rugby equivalent of Kick Off 2 with absolutely no success. The frontend was OK.
The C64 Mini Black Edition has been announced. All four of my bigger games are on it (not my 4k competition ones). It's an honour to be included alongside some of the very best modern #C64 games out there. Sam's Journey and A Pig's Quest to name just two.
retrogames.biz/products/the...
retrogames.biz/products/the...
The C64 Mini Black Edition
THEC64 Mini - Black Edition features 25 modern neo classic games, the very best produced in recent years.
retrogames.biz
August 4, 2025 at 10:06 AM
The C64 Mini Black Edition has been announced. All four of my bigger games are on it (not my 4k competition ones). It's an honour to be included alongside some of the very best modern #C64 games out there. Sam's Journey and A Pig's Quest to name just two.
retrogames.biz/products/the...
retrogames.biz/products/the...
I was only talking about Peter last week. He worked at Creations before my time so I never worked with him. And Denarius may not be the most well known #C64 game but the title tune was always a favourite. RIP.
youtu.be/2KbNeUUx4TE?...
youtu.be/2KbNeUUx4TE?...
July 31, 2025 at 7:24 PM
I was only talking about Peter last week. He worked at Creations before my time so I never worked with him. And Denarius may not be the most well known #C64 game but the title tune was always a favourite. RIP.
youtu.be/2KbNeUUx4TE?...
youtu.be/2KbNeUUx4TE?...
I'd kind of forgotten I coded a mobile phone game based on the 2007 Fantastic Four film. I really enjoyed making stuff like this. The small teams and simple gameplay loops were reminiscent of developing in the 8bit era. This one had six minigames, most were fun.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eD0...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eD0...
JAVA GAME FANTASTIC 4 SILVER SURFER HANDS ON MOBILE 2007 GAMEPLAY
YouTube video by game java
www.youtube.com
July 30, 2025 at 3:11 PM
I'd kind of forgotten I coded a mobile phone game based on the 2007 Fantastic Four film. I really enjoyed making stuff like this. The small teams and simple gameplay loops were reminiscent of developing in the 8bit era. This one had six minigames, most were fun.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eD0...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eD0...
When I worked at Tiertex one of our testers appeared on UK gameshow You Bet! identifying videogames from their soundtrack alone. The clip is now on YouTube and I realise it's 33 years ago. The video also features @jazrignall.bsky.social sporting his legendary haircut.
youtu.be/jVGVbk4sqT0
youtu.be/jVGVbk4sqT0
You Bet S6 E5 1992 - Danny Curley Video Game Music Challenge
YouTube video by studio2television
youtu.be
July 15, 2025 at 9:15 AM
When I worked at Tiertex one of our testers appeared on UK gameshow You Bet! identifying videogames from their soundtrack alone. The clip is now on YouTube and I realise it's 33 years ago. The video also features @jazrignall.bsky.social sporting his legendary haircut.
youtu.be/jVGVbk4sqT0
youtu.be/jVGVbk4sqT0