Games Turning 40 Years Old in 2025: "Treasure Island" for the Commodore Plus 4

"Treasure Island" was one of ten games bundled with our Commodore Plus 4, and it quickly became my favourite. At the time, I didn’t realize it had already been released for the Commodore 64 a year earlier. While the gameplay is nearly identical to the C64 version, the Plus 4 edition features different graphics for the player and pirates. Additionally, some arcade-style scenes present in the C64 version are missing, but in my opinion, these omissions actually improve the Plus 4 version.

The goal of the game is straightforward: guide Jim Hawkins through the island maze in search of the hidden treasure, all while defeating any pirates who stand in your way. Brown and green pirates throw cutlasses at you when you approach, but if you're quick and careful, you can pick them up—provided you avoid being hit. Scoring 100% requires strategy, especially when managing your cutlasses to eliminate every pirate.

Once you've found the treasure, the challenge isn’t over: you must race back to your ship while being chased by the relentless Long John Silver, who, despite having just one leg, moves surprisingly fast!

I have fond memories of playing Treasure Island with my sister and mum when I was little. Often, we would work together to map the island as my mum tried to complete the game. I also remember the anxiety and tension of guiding her back to the ship, carefully avoiding any wrong turns that might lead to a fatal encounter with Long John Silver.

Looking back, I remember feeling that the island was vast and daunting. It’s funny how now I can easily complete the game in just 10 minutes!

I have to give credit to the programmer, Greg Duddle. It's a fantastic game, and one that I still enjoy playing from time to time even today.