The Commodore 64 has taken on one of PC gaming’s biggest shooters, with a new DOOM64 project bringing a demake of id Software’s classic to the 8-bit machine.
This is not a port of Nintendo 64’s DOOM 64. Instead, the project reworks the original DOOM experience around the limitations of the Commodore 64, using a custom engine designed specifically for the hardware.
The renderer takes a very different approach from a conventional textured 3D engine. The game uses a 40-column display, sprite-based weapons and enemies, lighting effects and carefully constructed height information to create the impression of a first-person environment within the C64’s constraints.
The release includes a complete shareware-style episode, with maps edited specifically for the new engine. Faster C64-compatible hardware can also give the engine additional headroom, but the project has been designed around the original machine.
It is a fascinating technical exercise as much as it is a new way to play DOOM. Rather than trying to pretend the C64 is something it is not, the developers have built around its strengths and limitations.
RVG take: Projects like this are a reminder that retro development is not just about recreating old games — sometimes the most interesting releases come from asking how far an old machine can be pushed today.
Source: C64 release information and project documentation.
Also checked: Indie Retro News and additional C64 coverage.