If you’ve been eagerly anticipating the rebirth of the Commodore 64, we have some good news. Pre-orders for the C64 Mini (a remake of the classic 8-bit microcomputer) are now available through GameStop, although you’ll be coughing up Euros instead of US dollars since it only ships to Ireland and the UK — for now. The C64 Mini has been leaving digital trails of excitement since its announcement last September, and for good reason. For lovers of retrogaming, it’s essentially a wormhole to a nostalgic era where Zak McKracken, Ultima and California Games ruled the roost.
Like the NES Mini and SNES Mini, the C64 Mini comes pre-loaded with a whole range of titles, including Paradroid, Hawkeye and Monty Mole. It connects to your TV via HDMI, uses a 4:3 aspect ratio, and lets you expand the 64-game lineup with your own additions. The two USB ports on the side allow you to hook up a keyboard and operate the C64 Mini like a fully operating home PC with C64 Basic. Devastatingly, the keyboard keys on the pint-sized device are purely for aesthetic purposes.
On the bright side, the C64 Mini also comes with a Joystick that screams old-school like a scarlet banshee. Two of them can be plugged into the console for co-op games.
The C64 Mini releases in Europe on March 29. It will retail for €79/$99 USD. No word on an official US release date at this point, but we’ve reached out for a response.