The Commodore VIC-20 was never a terribly popular computer system. Sure, it had William Shatner as its pitchman but it’s substantial limitations prevented it from gaining the kind of success that it’s younger sibling, the Commodore 64, was destined for.
In time, clever geeks figured out how to milk the system to achieve some startling results. Before watching the video below, take a moment to consider the specifications of the VIC-20:
1MHz 8-Bit 6502 CPU
5K RAM (3.5K available to the user)
176×184 resolution with 3 bits per pixel
3 rectangular-wave sound generators + 1 white noise generator
To put it simply, the VIC-20 was a gutless little box… at least on paper. Now take a look at what talented programmers could harvest from its humble engine:
