Reviews
Mole Attack VIC-20 Review: Whack First, Ask Questions Later
Commodore’s cartoon whack-a-mole for the VIC-20’s first wave — nine holes, one mallet, and moles with no respect for your reflexes. Simple, silly, surprisingly tense.
Author: Sal Benedetto
From the Vault columnist. Grew up feeding quarters to the Ms. Pac-Man machine at his uncle's pizza place; still owns his childhood SNES and every Nintendo Power he ever begged his mother for. Writes the retrospectives and the hidden-gem hunts.
Reviews
Pirate’s Cove VIC-20 Review: Scott Adams Sails for Treasure
Adventure No. 2 in Scott Adams’ series reached the VIC-20 as Pirate’s Cove — build a boat, mind the crocodiles, and dig where the treasure sleeps.
Reviews
Abductor VIC-20 Review: Minter Guards the Little Green Men
Jeff Minter’s second VIC-20 blast for Llamasoft — defend the helpless humans at the bottom of the screen from descending alien abductors in a frantic rescue shooter.
Reviews
Sargon II Chess VIC-20 Review: A Tournament Brain in a Cartridge
Dan and Kathe Spracklen’s championship chess program on the VIC-20 — a serious, patient opponent that turned the friendly computer into a thinking machine.
Reviews
Jelly Monsters VIC-20 Review: The Pac-Man That Was Too Good
HAL Laboratory’s VIC-20 Pac-Man was so faithful it had to be withdrawn. What remains is the best maze chase on the machine — and one of its great legends.
Reviews
Cosmic Cruncher VIC-20 Review: Pac-Man in All But Name (Almost)
Commodore’s second Pac-Man-alike for the VIC-20 — a blue hero, four pursuers and a maze of energy dots. Competent, colourful, and forever in Jelly Monsters’ shadow.
Reviews
Jupiter Lander VIC-20 Review: Easy Does It, Commander
Commodore’s Lunar Lander for the VIC-20’s first wave — one thruster, a fuel gauge, three landing pads and the gentlest white-knuckle ride in the early library.
Reviews
Radar Rat Race VIC-20 Review: Cheese, Cats and Three Blind Mice
Commodore’s Rally-X-inspired maze chase swaps race cars for rats, oil slicks for star traps and adds a radar, a cheese trail and an unforgettable musical loop.
Reviews
Avenger VIC-20 Review: Commodore’s Invaders, Day One
Commodore’s own Space Invaders for the VIC-20’s launch era — faithful, colourful and unpretentious, Avenger is the baseline every later VIC shooter was measured against.
Reviews
Choplifter VIC-20 Review: The Little Chopper That Rescues Big
Dan Gorlin’s hostage-rescue classic on the VIC-20 — fewer pixels, same heart-in-mouth landings. Judged strictly as the VIC version, this port earns its stripes.