C64 Lab
Interactive tools, games and experiments inspired by the Commodore 64
Interactive C64 tools that run in your browser
C64 Lab is a growing collection of tools built around the Commodore 64. Play sounds, draw sprites, build beats and explore the hardware, all without leaving the page.
Everything here runs entirely in your browser using modern web technologies. The sounds are generated by the Web Audio API using the same principles as the SID chip. The sprite editor uses the real C64 colour palette and pixel dimensions. The values shown in the piano are the actual register values used on real hardware.
New tools are added regularly. The Sound Lab, Sprite Editor and Arcade are all live now. The PETSCII art generator and more tools are coming next. Each tool is designed to be genuinely useful, whether you are a longtime C64 fan, a student of retro computing, or someone discovering the machine for the first time.
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Available now
These tools are live and ready to use. No account, no installation, no waiting.
What did a C64 cost?
The Commodore 64 launched at very different prices depending on where you lived. Select your country to see the original launch price and what that sum equals in today's euros.
- ►Five countries covered: USA, UK, Germany, Netherlands, France
- ►Original launch prices in local currency
- ►Inflation-adjusted equivalent in euros
- ►Share your result with a single click
NETHERLANDS 1983
ORIGINAL PRICE: f 1,295 GUILDERS
► IN TODAY'S EUROS:
approximately €2,176
The C64 launched in the Netherlands in 1983 at f 1,295. The Dutch guilder was fixed at 2.20371 to the euro in 2002.
That would buy around 4 months of Netflix Premium today.
Prices are historical estimates based on published launch prices and average inflation rates. Exact figures vary by region and retailer.
C64 Colour Combination Checker
Pick any foreground and background colour from the authentic C64 palette and see if they pass WCAG accessibility standards.
- ▶All 16 original C64 colours
- ▶WCAG AAA, AA, and AA Large ratings
- ▶Live preview of your chosen combination
- ▶Five classic presets to get you started
Presets
Foreground
Background
COMMODORE 64 BASIC V2
64K RAM SYSTEM 38911 BASIC BYTES FREE
READY.
█
Joystick Tester
Connect any USB joystick or gamepad and test it in real time. Directions and fire buttons light up the moment you press them. No drivers, no software to install.
- ▶Works with any USB gamepad or joystick via the browser Gamepad API
- ▶All directions and fire buttons shown instantly
- ▶Keyboard fallback: arrow keys and spacebar
- ▶Modelled on the classic Competition Pro joystick
C64 Screensaver
Pick a style and activate the screensaver. The page goes fullscreen and the animation runs until you press a key or click. Three styles to choose from, with more on the way.
- ▶Bouncing Logo: COMMODORE 64 text bouncing off the edges, changing colour on each hit
- ▶Starfield: classic flying-through-space effect with C64-blue stars
- ▶Colour Cycle: all 16 original C64 colours fading smoothly from one to the next
SELECT STYLE
TAP, CLICK OR PRESS ANY KEY TO EXIT
Interactive features on other pages
Some tools live on the content pages they belong to, rather than here in the Lab. These are coming as the pages are developed further.
Interactive Memory Map
PLANNEDA visual map of the C64 memory layout, showing every region from BASIC RAM to SID registers.
/capabilities ▶SID Chip Visualizer
PLANNEDSee the SID registers update in real time as music plays. Coming to the SID Chip page.
/sid-chip ▶C64 Timeline
PLANNEDAn interactive timeline of the C64's production run, from the 1982 launch to the final machines.
/history ▶**** FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ****
READY.
Start with the Sound Lab
The first C64 Lab tool is live. Play classic arcade sound effects, explore the SID piano with real frequency values, and build a beat on the 16-step drum machine.
Open Sound Lab ▶
