Face-Off: ZX Spectrum vs. Commodore 64

[maxy]

Long article
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-face-off-zx-spectrum-vs-commodore-64

So with the benefit of hindsight, which was actually better - the ZX Spectrum or Commodore 64? On the face of it, from a technical perspective there's no real contest here. While the Spectrum enjoyed a resolution advantage, the C64's VIC-II graphics chip offered hardware scrolling and sprites that weren't available on the Spectrum, while the impressive three-channel SID chip annihilated the efforts of the poor single-channel speaker embedded in the Sinclair machine - and it was the C64 that helped define the chip-tune musical genre that is still going strong today. In short, one machine was designed primarily with home computing and programming in mind, while the other had advanced custom hardware dedicated entirely to smoother, richer graphics and vibrant sound.

"Commodore spent a huge part of their efforts developing the audio and video chips. Why else would you put them in there if it weren't to make games?" says ex-ZZAP! 64 reviewer, erstwhile C64 games dev and current studio head of Ruffian Games, Gary Liddon.

C64>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>ZX Spectrum

I think i still have a working one.Tried to make a game too.Made everything--story,art,level design, programmed a bunch of code,even tried to use assembler-tons of work for a 10 years old.Can't find it anymore,somebody probably threw all that in thrash.

And now I can't even remember what the game was about...

 

[magus]

the C64 was super popular here in europe,compilation of games were sold in news stand altough i guess there were some shady practice,lot of games came here with weird retranslated name,for example this

http://www.lemon64.com/?mainurl=http%3A//www.lemon64.com/games/details.php%3FID%3D2717

became "infernal monsters" and such

[Verdigris Murder]

I remember buying an Atari ST, and being amazed at Xenon 2:Megablast, with Bomb The Basss' amazing track.
Second only to Bug Powder Dust.

[tiesto]

Wait, since when did C64 define the chiptune genre? It was always NES or GB I thought (musicians playing on their GB for instance).

[magus]

Wait, since when did C64 define the chiptune genre? It was always NES or GB I thought (musicians playing on their GB for instance).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOS_Technology_SID

[Great Rumbler]

[archnemesis]

C64 is in an entirely different league. I still have a functioning one in the basement, but it's a lot easier to use an emulator.

[Enl]

  C64 SID Music

[Great Rumbler]

Face off:

[maxy]

SID was really something special.

 

[tiesto]

Wait, since when did C64 define the chiptune genre? It was always NES or GB I thought (musicians playing on their GB for instance).

You have NO idea about 8-bit music scene it seems.

I've been to plenty of chiptune shows, I've seen all the big names (Nullsleep, Covox, Hally, Bit Shifter, Bubblyfish)... and most of them use Gameboys to play off of when live. The stuff doesn't really sound much like SID at all. Personally, I'm not a fan of SID chip music, it kinda sounds obnoxious to me

[pilonv1]

I had a C64 and loved it