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C64 emulator approved for iPhone

by Mike Schramm Sep 7th 2009 at 7:00PM


Well how about that. A Commodore 64 emulator for iPhone is nothing new -- we covered the fact that one had been developed a little while ago. Here's what is new (and a little surprising, to be honest): Apple approved it. In an environment where Apple seems intent on rejecting anything that might encroach on their platform, even just a little bit, they have apparently allowed an emulator right there on the App Store.

There are catches, of course -- the emulator comes bundled with five officially licensed titles: Dragons Den, Le Mans, Jupiter Lander, Arctic Shipwreck and Jack Attack, and more will be available to purchase soon, so it'll all be above board and legit (and the flip side is that if you want to play classic titles like Elite or Ultima, you'll have to hope that whoever owns the rights to those will let them see release). The biggest catch is that the emulator doesn't come with BASIC support enabled by default (although, via Daring Fireball and the iPhone Blog, it's possible to get to it via a backdoor), so it's more of a C64 arcade emulator rather than an actual software emulator.

But of course this is a step in the right direction -- someday we may finally see official SNES or NES emulators running in full glory on the iPhone and approved and available to purchase on the App Store. This emulator, simply called C64, is available right now on the App Store for $4.99.

Update: This app has been removed from the App Store because it was possible to enable the BASIC program. Look for it to return without that functionality.

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Well how about that. A Commodore 64 emulator for iPhone is nothing new -- we covered the fact that one had been developed a little while...
 

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Thomas

It's funny how people get used to the idea that Apple can kill an app just because it allows you to run BASIC programs. This is way worse than anyone imagined back when we were first debating the merits and drawbacks of Apple controlling all iPhone software, yet now we all take it in stride...

September 08 2009 at 1:39 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Thomas's comment
Fred

It's their pool, they decide who swims in it. Because they control the content via the app store I think that they have to cover their own asses more. And I think the reason so many of us take it in stride is because A. we remember the web apps (and this is much better) and B. Whatcha gonna do? Short of jailbreaking your phone every month or two to deal with updates which is a HUGE PITA.

September 08 2009 at 4:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Thomas

I was making a normative claim. As such, the fact that they *can* regulate who participates has no bearing on whether they *ought* to. The fact that certain alternatives are worse -- web apps, jailbreaking -- also has no bearing. The question was whether an unregulated market -- which is clearly possible, since it exists for every computer out there -- is preferable to a strictly (and opaquely) controlled walled garden. You may believe that Apple ought to restrict our choices -- but the facts that they can and do, and that there are worse alternatives out there, are irrelevant to the question of whether they ought to.

September 08 2009 at 5:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
david amodt

update needed to post. been removed due to inclusion of BASIC

September 08 2009 at 11:08 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
DarkXane

Quoted from " Mike Schramm "
But of course this is a step in the right direction -- someday we may finally see official SNES or NES emulators running in full glory on the iPhone and approved and available to purchase on the App Store. This emulator, simply called C64, is available right now on the App Store for $4.99.

----

Since when Apple will allow Nintendo Games to be pirated and run on the iPhone? Didn't they removed a Nintendo DS Rip-Off a while ago? And why a company trying to prevent piracy (Apple) would help People emulate pirated games from Nintendo?

I simply don't see how you think those apps are possible and if they are, I'm seeing Nintendo pulling them.

September 08 2009 at 9:32 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jindo Fox

The app was removed because the developer left the BASIC functionality in there, just obscured it a little bit. When Apple learned that users had discovered it, they pulled it. More here:
http://www.manomio.com/index.php/blog/important_update

September 08 2009 at 7:53 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
macuser

I saw this App on the store at the weekend. But decided not purchase until there were some reviews and more details. However, I cannot purchase it any more, because it seems to have been removed from the store.

Can somebody confirm if it has been removed, and if so, why??

The only Apps available by Manomio, are Flashback and Flashback Lite.

Thanx,
Macuser

September 08 2009 at 5:56 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
EH1

What about an OS9 emulator so I can have Cosmic Osmo!

September 08 2009 at 2:57 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
faktory

Guys! This is NOT emulator! This application don't have C64 ROM with BASIC interpreter. This looks like good old C64 but this is only user interface for ported games!

September 08 2009 at 2:54 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to faktory's comment
Janichsan

Obviously, you did not read the post properly. The BASIC interpreter is there, but a little hidden.

September 08 2009 at 3:34 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
rsilva

Damn. Looks like Apple pulled it already.

September 08 2009 at 2:18 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to rsilva's comment
Fred

Yup, they pulled it because the BASIC interpreter was still there, per Engadget. Not for nothing but you guys are a sister blog with them right? Shouldn't you folks be breaking the Mac stories and not them?

September 08 2009 at 10:47 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rego

Who would waste money on this?

September 07 2009 at 11:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Rego's comment
JD

License M.U.L.E. and you can count me in among the $$ wasters. :-)

September 07 2009 at 11:41 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Andre

I wonder if text-paste is supported...? It would be kinda cool to paste in one of those long BASIC programs from the old magazines, and see if it runs OK.

Maybe someone will come up with an iPhone interface to the old Commodore tape drives and floppy drives.

I spent many hours typing in programs I found in magazines (actually onto my Vic-20). It would be cool to see them run again somehow.

September 07 2009 at 10:42 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Andre's comment
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