Mark Fixes Stuff @markfixesstuff.com · Feb 27 “A real computer for the price of a toy” was Commodore’s tagline. Did the VIC-20 live up to that promise? Or was it just too limited to be anything but a plaything? #RetroComputing #ClassicTech #retrogaming #80s
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It's limitations were somewhat circumstantial. If it had been given more time before the release of the Commodore 64 it may have had more developers stick around and unlock its potential. We had some great games for it, but it is often remembered for all the simpler unexpanded games it had.
First computer, yes I’m old :-) Loved it, but it was pretty limited. @stinkyox.bsky.social worked his magic on it though and I was inspired.
For 1981, and for the price, IMHO the VIC-20 was the perfect amount of "good enough". In the US, this is probably the closest we got to the "masses" appeal of something like the ZX Spectrum.
For me, the VIC-20 was a game changer. I have been programming the CBM8032 for a year, but I didn’t have one at home. The VIC-20 was in my room and it had colors and sound. And I enjoyed programming custom characters and hires graphics. And I now could have a tv in my room. Great extra!
100% a real computer and incredibly useful. I wrote tons of BASIC programs as a 12 year old, and still have many on tape that still work fine. It was great for getting into the world of computing back in the early 80's, and many games on it are actually quite good.
For the period it came from it it's pretty good but obviously not aged as well as the C64
The VIC-20 was definitely a real computer to me; I cut my computer teeth on it. Loved it – obsessed with it. I had a Rev 1 Can/US model with PET-style keys & 10VAC PSU. I wrote a little blog blurb about it if anyone is interested in a short toilet-time read, www.mindflareretro.com/blog/you-had....
For the time, it was a pretty decent piece of kit. And a necessary stepping stone for Commodore from the PET to the C64.
If this thing was released in 1980, I would have only been 1. It's a little before my time, but if I were a tinkerer or DIYer at the time it would have been nice to have a cheap way to get my hands on a 6502 based computer with a lot of interface ports.