10 Games I Think Are Better On The AMSTRAD CPC 464 Than The C64! | Retro Or Bust!

[@KrisGraney]

I think when you look at Ghostbusters 2, in screenshots the Amstrad looks better, but seeing them in motion, the C64 runs a lot smoother and faster than the Amstrad version so I expect it will therefore play much better.

[@RetroOrBust]

The first level does play smoother on the C64.

[@KrisGraney]

Even the Statue of Liberty looks smoother to me.

[@mistergone5156]

It definitely looks much better, but I think the C64 plays a lot better.

[@AFourEyedGeek]

As an Amstrad CPC kid, I'm aware that the frame rates were typically always worse on the Amstrad than the C64 or Speccy. This C64 version of Ghostbusters looks more responsive and enjoyable to me because of that. I wonder if CPC games could be patched to use Plus models and run better?

[@OldAussieAds]

Exactly. Those screenshots on the back of the box would have had me lusting after the Amstrad version. But OMG does that look horrible to play.

[@dsa1979]

Amstrad games were more colorful, but the framerate was generally awful compared to C64 games.

[@HungarianDerrickRose]

Rainbow Islands on the CPC might be more colorful, but the C64 version is way smoother, IMO much more playable.

[@tomdavies6368]

Agree

[@drzeissler]

the smooth scrolling of the c64 is the winner.

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

I still prefer how games look on the CPC. On the other hand I never was a big gamer.

[@lovemadeinjapan]

Who needs scrolling if you can have Rick? Rick Dangerous!

[@EnjoySynthSounds]

Bombjack is the most pertinent to me. It’s outstanding on the CPC.

[@RetroOrBust]

Have you seen the new Bombjack homebrew that's being developed for the CPC?! It's as close to the original arcade version as you can get!

[@borealis8uno]

If the Amstrad had had a 6-8 MHz CPU, it would have unquestionably been the best home computer of its generation. However, at 4 MHz (and with the bottleneck of RAM accessible only at 1 MHz), the rich graphics were often animated in a slow and/or jerky manner...

[@truthwillout2371]

Yeah it was shared with the RAM BUS, that's right. Blimey that takes me back. Yes the effective Mhz was lower than the clock. Was that the same on Speccy do you know?

[@davidhall7648]

The Amstrad Colour Palette was the best of the 8bit home computers

[@AnthonyFlack]

Apart from the Ataris.

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

It was arcade like vibrant but felt short when compared to the Ataris.

[@Notir072]

That's true. I had a C64, and i had 2 friends who had an Amstrad. For me Amstrad had the best graphics, but C64 the best animation + best sound. The C64 was build like a console, with hardware scrolling and sprites.

[@f.k.b.16]

Ok... That first screen i wasn't expecting! 😂😂 Freegin awesome!

[@RetroOrBust]

😂 thanks 👍🏻

[@renaudg]

Obvious ones to add : Operation Wolf, Gryzor, Arkanoid

[@RetroOrBust]

I very nearly did Arkanoid! The reason I didn't is because you can use one of the paddle controllers from the Atari 2600 & it plays smooth as butter!! I tried it on the CPC & it was having none of it.

[@EgoShredder]

WEC Le Mans, Combat School, Savage, Match Day II, Barbarian, Motos, Exolon, Nebulus. There is a huge list of games that were better on the Amstrad CPC. I had a real hardcore Commodore C64 fanboy friend, that used to visit my house to play on my Amstrad, and I went to his for the C64. He usually agreed with me on which versions were best between the two machines, and occasionally I would prefer the C64 and he would disagree with me on those, e.g. Milk Race.

[@Kislashe]

As a owner of an Amstrad, I played most of the games of the list and never saw the C64 versions running. Thank you for the comparisons, I must admit that for some reflex-based games, I would have gladly sacrificed visual beauty in favor of smoother animation.

[@RetroRewind77]

This was great to watch dude. I have an Amstrad myself so great to see some great games to play.

[@TheHobbyLodge]

Cant disagree with the details on Ghostbusters, but side by side the speed difference in the game play is huge, I think the C64 looks worse yes but plays better.

[@RetroOrBust]

Yeah, it is a lot smoother. Took me a few attempts to get to the bottom of the level on the CPC but did the C64 one on the first go!

[@brucetungsten5714]

Very nice - some of the CPC's graphics were outstanding.

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

Beyond the Ice Palace was really vibrant on the CPC. Exolon was better too compare to the C64. Arkanoid looked great but those slowdowns......

[@cjh0751]

I know which versions I'd rather play. The C64 wins for me for its smooth sprite and background movement. BTW liked your intro to the video.

[@PC-ONE]

C64 my 1st computer too. Great memories. Thnx

[@macIain]

Amstrad for me, absolutely loved that machine! Great memories. Bombjack all day every day! =D

[@RetroOrBust]

Have you seen the new remake that's in the works? Almost arcade perfect!

[@macIain]

@@RetroOrBust =O Bombjack remake, no I didn't even know about it. Got a link? =D

[@RetroOrBust]

@@macIain kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y56banZtqJx3m6Msi=IsZUEHUPL7_U1x7j Skip to 1:50 for the Bombjack remake 👍

[@macIain]

@@RetroOrBust Awesome thanks =D

[@mikeclark7002]

Would through in Sorcery, Spindizzy, Tempest, Elite, Mercenary, Rick Dangerous (1 & 2), Prince of Persia, Turrican (1 & 2), Arkanoid (1 & 2), Knightlore, Batman, Head Over Heels. The Amstrad had too many quick and nasty Spectrum ports but if coded for correctly it could be outstanding.

[@RetroOrBust]

Yeah, there's so many games I would've loved to have seen on the CPC in mode 0 as opposed to lazy Spectrum ports. Shadow of the Beast being one of them!

[@tomdavies6368]

Turrican? Are you crazy? Turrican is incredible on the c64!!

[@tomdavies6368]

@@RetroOrBust shadow of the beast looked great I think. Correct choice to use mode 1

[@RetroOrBust]

@@tomdavies6368 I loved Turrican on the C64 back in the day.

[@arejay00]

Basically, any game involving wireframe graphics or needed CPU power (Chase HQ) ran much better on the Z80 (Spec + CPC) The C64 had a significantly slower processor, but compensated with hardware sprites. Chase HQ shows where this was of limited benefit for some games.

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

Well it shows what a limited color palette and hasty publications can look like.

[@AnthonyFlack]

A few more: Sorcery, Inside Outing, Jet Set Willy, Gryzor, Head over Heels.

[@RetroOrBust]

I nearly did Gryzor! The only reason I didn't include it was I kept getting my ass handed to me so couldn't capture any decent footage lol! I've not had 8-bit rage-quit for a few decades! 😂

[@AnthonyFlack]

​@@RetroOrBust hoho, there's no shame in using cheats if needed. Games that were better on the CPC made me feel better about all the C64 classics that were disappointing on the CPC, which is a longer list. Nice to hear the AY even beating the SID sometimes (not often).

[@lewiswernham6791]

Head over Heels is a great example of where the CPC could shine over the C64 in hi-res mode. The C64 looks pretty-much identical to the Spectrum version as they both used attribute-based graphics. The CPC version used Mode 1 which allowed 4 colours, but without the limitations of the C64 and Speccy versions. They did an amazing job with the graphics and colour choices for the CPC versions and it looks absolutely beautiful.

[@TheVanillatech]

@@RetroOrBust Similar with Game Over. Amazing game, very intense but my god ... the randomness of it ramp up the difficulty and the pace and framerate don't help either. So addictive and intriuging but I almost broke my CPC a few times playing that monstrosity...

[@RetroOrBust]

@@TheVanillatech I've never really played it much. I turn it off after a few gos! I'm sure the cover art helped sell the game though! 😉

[@Xyphoe]

Great vid mate, and what an intro! 😆 I think the only one I disagree with - which I thought was rubbish on the Amstrad, is the now retitled Rolling Chunder! Otherwise yea all good if controversial calls on Rainbow Islands and Ghostbusters II because they both play a bit smoother and faster on the C64. However I'd still deffo take Ghostbusters II on the Amstrad over the C64 purely on the presentation and graphics because it definitely does add a lot more to the game, and it still plays absolutely fine. It's all about the atmosphere and the C64 version lacks it. With Rainbow Islands I'd have to do more thorough testing of control responsiveness because that's far more important there, but Amstrad does look better there graphically despite from flicker.

[@RetroOrBust]

Thanks, Xy! Yeah, I do think GB2 is smoother on the C64 but that first level looks awful in comparison. I didn't mind Rolling Chunder lol. I'll have to do a follow up video in the future after I've had a chance to play & compare more games or maybe top 10 Speccy ports on the CPC? 🤔

[@ClansmanIan]

Fantastic video. Chase H.Q should never have been released in that state on the C64. Melodica played with their nose lolol. Here are a few more I think are better overall on the Amstrad - Feud, Chuckie Egg, Paperboy, Super Robin Hood, Dizzy: Prince of the Yolkfolk, Donkey Kong, Bomb Jack, Target Renegade, Crazy Cars, Operation Wolf, The Race Against Time, Head over Heels, Battleships and WEC Le Mans.

[@RetroOrBust]

Yeah, got Chase HQ for Xmas 89. Wasn't impressed 😂

[@somosdeamstrad]

I have several Amstrads and a Commodore 64C and I agree with your list. I just guess you forgot the sequel Target Renegade which is also better in Amstrad both in graphics and playability. Almost every Ocean title after 1988 was better in the Amstrad version.... Of course there are thousand of titles that are better in the C64... This is why having both is the best solution😊

[@valley_robot]

It's the scrolling on the spectrum and the amstrad that put me off, the 64 had less colours and blocky graphics but it was smooth mostly

[@ypesh]

Lool what a fantastic star wars intro man that was Genius🎉🎉

[@RetroOrBust]

Thanks! 👍🏻

[@cybermodo]

C64 ruled them all, when smooth and fast scroll was needed, and many small and moving objects at once. However, MANY games really don't depend that much on scroll. Flip-screen, or stop & scroll modes might do the thing elegantly without a hassle. And multitude of big and colorful hires soft-sprites might be much superior to C64 stuff, especially in cartoonish looking games and brawlers. CPC might be very good for that. ZX Spectrum also has its awesome charm, being so vanguard, surreal mixture of monochrome and shiny attribute colors at once. And many times doing things with amazing speed, pushed by CPU only. Coders did wonders on that platform, so many cool ideas applied during years.

[@RetroOrBust]

I have done a video showcasing some of the best ZX games from back in the day as I was amazed at it's capabilities! There are also some amazing games being produced for the Spectrum today as are new games for the CPC that would've blown us away as kids!

[@Jammet]

I really love my old CPC 464, but even I gotta say, the lack of good scrolling even kills off better looking games for me. I'll take smoother gameplay over beautiful gameplay.

[@OldAussieAds]

Ghostbusters 2 - Disagree Rainbow Islands - Agree Rolling Thunder - Disagree Klax - Agree Renegade - On the fence Robocop - Agree Batman - Agree Chase HQ - Agree Gauntlet - Agree Escape - Agree

[@marcraygun6290]

I think I can say with absolute confidence that perhaps only the coming of quantum computers threaten the cpc as best conputer game platform ever ....as long as quantum computers aren't flooded with lazy spectrum ports.

[@clauscombat418]

Next video: 500 games that are better on the C64 than the CPC... 😂

[@RetroOrBust]

😂 That had crossed my mind!

[@pelvist]

The C64 color pallet always seemed brown and dull to me but the games seemed a lot smoother and felt better to play.

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

Unattractive screens and nose played melodica sountracks seemed to be a common theme for many C64 games. Maybe it was the character of the SID and the color palette of the machine but there are many games that managed to avoid the "dirty grey-purple" look and deliver great results. Programming and tight deadlines always played a huge role in the quality of the games for all platforms.

[@Sancho_Retablez]

Nice vid. I'm sure you've played Gryzor in both computers. I'm sort of surprised didn't make it apeearing in this list.

[@RetroOrBust]

I almost did Gryzor! Maybe I'll do a follow up video in the future 👍

[@Mark-pr7ug]

The amstrad was a cool machine. The Arkanoid series on the cpc should have been on the list, and Sorcery too.

[@lewiswernham6791]

The thing that impressed me most with the CPC versions of the Arkanoid games was that they used some CRTC trickery to use the overscan area so they were pretty much the only home versions that had the full-height portrait aspect ratio of the arcade originals. That blew me away back in the day.

[@TheVanillatech]

Anarchy (Hewson), Croco Magneto, Feud, Styker & The Crypts Of Trogan, Psycho Hopper ... all amazing CPC games.

[@EgoChip]

Ghostbusters 2 looks and plays better on the C64. The brown going down that shaft is more realistic. It also moves smoother and faster on the C64. The city does look better on the CPC though, I will give you that. I agree with most of the rest of the games though.

[@mudachuka12345]

Thanks for taking me back to my childhood I had the cpc464 I didn’t know c64 was GOAT until my friend got one and was blown away by the loading music on games IK+ karate game., R-Type, and other games I then realised that the c64 was the better choice out of spectrum, amstrad and commodore. As I had to put up with green screen, poor sound. Target renegade was my game of choice and loved playing that. Oh and fantasy world dizzy.

[@RetroOrBust]

I'm sure one of my friends had a CPC with a green screen monitor. It wasn't the best gaming experience! I loved my C64 back in the day! I ended up selling it 30 years ago to fund my Amiga though 😞

[@renaudg]

Great video ! Let's have a minute of silence for the poor Spectrum blokes whose rainbows in Rainbow Islands were... monochrome.

[@RetroOrBust]

😂👍🏻

[@TheVanillatech]

Speccy was just terrible, lets face it. But even with just a handful of games, some of them exclusive to the Speccy, it wasn't a worthless machine. Chuckie Egg 2, Dizzy, Jet Set Willy 2 and Chaos ... and I'd be set for years back in the 80's (if I owned a Speccy).

[@RetroOrBust]

@@TheVanillatech This might be a bit controversial lol, but I bigged up the Speccy in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYrTeX1pds5rj9Esi=5Avcii-83_wxobd2 It's very rare that I prefer a ZX game over my trusty C64!

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

@@TheVanillatech I didn't have any of these machines, back in the days at least. I grew up with an Atari 8bit machine. Now I can see the charm in Speccy's games. The Aesthetic of its Graphics and sound are unique. In good hands (homebrew) the machine can do really great things. I can see why many people love it and why it has the second most popular homebrew scene. Discovering and interacting with all these computers my order of preference is the following. 1. Atari 8bit 2. CPC 3.ZX Spectrum 4. C64 5. MSX The order is based on the time I spend on real hardware.

[@lovemadeinjapan]

@@RetroOrBust The speccy remains cool. The weird 2 colour 8x8 pixel blocks in RGB primaries are totally unique. The C64 looks like a bad attempt of trying to be an Atari 800 3 years too late, it even mimics the hump of bromine fire retardents in ugly plastic. And with the NES the reference had become totally different, and in 1987 the gaming world got the shock of the PC Engine with 512 colours, super big and fast sprites, hardware scrolling and the impeccable 6 channel stereo wavetable synth. The C64 was dickless. The Speccy still has its charm though. If I fire op a Speccy today on a Trinitron, it is fun. If I do the same with a C64, I can cry for its chroma bleed, obnoxious colour palette, noise and jailbars. No thank you, I'll sell my C64 again and get a CPC. At least it has decent RGB output, a cool looking housing and a hardware design that is utter beauty in its simplicity.

[@Synthematix]

Ok, 10 games are better than the c64, this means over 900 games are worse

[@RetroOrBust]

Not necessarily, it just means I prefer those 900 games on the c64 😉

[@GenMaster]

In the right hands, the CPC really outshines the c64. What most c64 fan(boy)s fail to realise, is that the CPC _does_ have hardware scrolling (even now we're getting homebrew-updated versions of games that only had flip-screen), alas it almost always got the short end of the stick when software houses were developing versions of their games for the 3 main 8-bit micros. The CPC was the least popular sales wise (with the c64 being available early on in the US, a huge market in its own right, just like how the NES became the dominant console there, aided of course by nintendo's illegal, cartel business practices) and that means a smaller user base, hence less profit for software companies/publishers, so it goes without saying that programmers wouldn't invest the time to make proper CPC versions from the ground up. They'd riddle it with Spectrum ports and call it a day. There are many cases of games that are (or could have been) far superior on the CPC and I would add Savage, Switchblade, Beyond the Ice Palace and Dark Fusion on your list just to name a few. Ghastly c64 colours aside, I very much prefer the CPC's sound as well. Crystal clear stereo sound with more octaves, as opposed to muffled, sick cat-like mono sound. As for Batman on the c64... The only thing it's got going for it is a slightly smoother scrolling than that of the CPC version (which has *multidirectional* scrolling, just like X-OUT). I'm mentioning Batman specifically here, because it's a clear example of how devoid of any sort of A.I. those sparse hardware sprites that the c64 boasts are. They had to be multiplexed, too, if a greater number of them was requred on-screen, so you ended up with brainless waves of enemies that just float on the screen aimlessly, like plankton, as seen in many of the c64's games, especially in shoot 'em ups, like "Katakis". I want to play games, not smooth-scrolling demos. At the end of the day, there's also the 6128 Plus, which wipes the floor with every other 8-bit system out there. It's got the specs, it's missing the support! 😁 Ghosts 'n' Goblins (by Golem13) and Sonic GX (by Norecess) can't come soon enough!

[@RetroOrBust]

You hit the nail on the head there! I never thought about it that way, that's why we got the lazy Speccy ports & below par conversions. As for the recent homebrew games, as Michael from @retroblasting says, "the fans are doing the best work"! Renegade Reloaded was great, as was Sly Spy with the added music! Like you, I'm chomping at the bit waiting for the new Ghost 'n' Goblins, Sonic GX and the almost arcade perfect version of Bomb Jack! 😃 Too bad the Wonderboy remake has been put on hold though.... 😔

[@GenMaster]

@@RetroOrBust cheers If you think about it, the CPC was a late bloomer. It was only after 1991 that dedicated European coders (re)discovered its capabilities and made a showcase of them in their awesome demos and games. Sound wise, after Soundtrakker was released, we enjoyed some unprecedented AY greatness in demos and homebrew games (like Zap 't' Balls, Prehistorik II, Super Cauldron, Megablasters, Xyphoes Fantasy etc.) Renegade on the CPC was the best version of them all anyway and now with the updates (especially the added moves) it's perfection. Sly Spy... I couldn't believe the mode 0 graphics of that game when I first played it. So close to the coin-op! I didn't even care about the missing sound! Again, though, the update just proves it could have been done all along... Anthony Flack is a Godsend. The quality of his work on the remake of Bomb Jack sets new standards with each update and *if* he finally gets to programming for the 6128 Plus (he's thinking about it, as he finds the machine's powerful specs tempting, unlike some pretentious CPC purists out there...) we will witness 8-bit marvels the likes of which the scene has never seen!

[@EgoShredder]

Agreed. There were some fantastic chiptunes on the CPC, which would not have translated well to the SID chip, e.g. Agent X II, Warlock, Zynaps and many others.

[@renaudg]

A Speccy port-free CPC gaming experience was definitely possible back in the day ! You just had to stick to the best British software houses (Ocean, Hewson) or almost all of the French & Spanish ones. The Amstrad was the #1 8-bit micro by far in France, the C64 second and there were almost no Spectrums, so no incentive for bad ports. Lazy Speccy ports mostly originated from smaller UK publishers tbh, plus the occasional disappointment when some eagerly awaited conversions ended up being one of them (SOTB, Lotus...) but overall there were plenty of great CPC-native games to keep you busy.

[@GenMaster]

@@renaudg Well, it's no surprise that the CPC was successful and done justice in terms of good coding in France, the French have always been major innovators when it comes to technology, that's why they make the best cars anyway. 308 ftw ❤️

[@truthwillout2371]

11/10 for the intro!

[@RetroOrBust]

Thanks! I did that intro before I even knew what the video was going to be about! 😂

[@retrobeastgames]

The CPC looks nice and colorful, but the games run a bit slow, and look a bit clunky, i think you hit it on the head when you said it down to own preference, still love my c64, Great Video mate 👍👍

[@RetroOrBust]

Yeah, me too. Plus you can't beat the sound of the SID chip either!

[@Edgel-in6bs]

A few of these look better on the cpc but gameplay wise...ghostbusters 2 is absurdlt slow and crap on tbe cpc

[@Edgel-in6bs]

Decent video, and some are open and shut (e.g. chase HQ). Reckon though escape from the planet, ghostbusters 2, rainbow islands, Batman are much better to play on the c64 even if the still colours impress more on the CPC!

[@TonimanGalvez]

It looks that you are using a C64 emulator with wrong palette setting, please check real C64 colours on a TV or monitor, they look way better than the ones you show. Most of the games plays and move better on C64, some can look better with more work on the details. I prefer C64 Robocop over the CPC.

[@RetroOrBust]

I usually capture my footage using a real c64, (see my Hit Squad playlist) but for this I just used emulation on the C64 Maxi for ease lol.

[@TheVanillatech]

I had a CPC464 from 1986 onwards. Psycho Hopper, Renegade, Stryker, Anarchy, Croco Magneto, Feud, Rick Dangerous 2 etc .... all amazing on the CPC. But the tape deck really pissed me off - those loading times. I never got a disk drive until very late on, by which time I already owned a Megadrive. Had a sleepover at a friends house who had a C64. He also had the disk drive. So the games loaded instantly. I played a few games on his Commodore and, loading time advantage aside, I noticed clear difference in the pros and cons of each system. While both were obviously far better than the Speccy, I think chosing a "better" machine between the C64 and CPC is pretty much impossible. Both were good in their own way. I guess it's whichever one you had, that you will feel the nostalgia for. Disk drive goes a long way. Wish I'd had one early! Wasted weeks of my life, waiting for games to load from cassette...

[@RetroOrBust]

And now we have the luxury of emulation, in which the games load quicker than the discs, I still like to load games from cassette! 😂

[@TheVanillatech]

@@RetroOrBust Yeah emulation actually enabled me to finish Jet Set Willy 2 on the CPC via WinAPE and a notebook and pencil to draw a map etc. Around 40 save states later, and I got to the end, after ALL those years. The infinite death bug kinda made it impossible on the CPC (and Speccy I think). Emulation also allowed me to finish Anarchy, cos there is a hacked version that just gets rid of the 10th (bugged) level where all the enemies and walls are invisible. Can't believe they shipped that AMAZING game, without even playtesting it past level 9! Muppets. I was shocked though, when I got my CPC disk drive and loaded Lemmings. "Wait ... what? It can't be loaded ALREADY!". Felt like the first caveman to make fire.

[@EgoShredder]

It was not that big a deal tape loading back in the 80s. We just had more patience back then or if a friend was around, we sat and chatted about gaming. Sometimes got up and made a cuppa tea etc. Also many of the games after late 1984 used hyper loaders so it took half the time, although those could be less reliable if copies.

[@TheVanillatech]

@@EgoShredderNever had copies, I was just a kid didn't even realize copies existed. As a child, those 5-10 minutes to load a game seemed like a lifetime.

[@EgoShredder]

@@TheVanillatech I was nearly 12 when I got my own computer, so I guess I had cultivated more patience skills by then. If I had been younger, I might have been less patient perhaps.

[@steelpatriot3683]

Rainbow Islands seems an odd choice. Both versions were absolutely great (and actually it was a game that was universally well ported ). I think it is probably the best platformer of its day on both.

[@therealodie]

Great video. I would add Trantor, Savage and Game Over to the list of Amstrad games

[@RetroOrBust]

I have Trantor & keep meaning to give it a go, & yes, I agree with Savage. That one looks amazing for its time! Btw, I recognise your name, are you sometimes on Xyphoe's Amstream?

[@therealodie]

@@RetroOrBust I'm a regular viewer on Xyphoe's Amstream. Xyphoe also likes to introduce me as the guy who wrote "Megablasters" (... 30 years ago.)

[@RetroOrBust]

@@therealodie maybe see you on the stream later 👍🏻

[@alfonsobonzo3782]

Loved my CPC, when I was a kid. My Mam and Dad bought it from Co-Op Shopping Giant, when my Mam worked there. Met its demise in 1989, when a radiator burst and soaked it. Moved onto a Master System after that, but it will always be remembered for the fun times it gave us all.

[@RetroOrBust]

Sorry to hear of the radiator incident. On a lighter note, I now have the Alfonso Bonzo theme tune in my head! 😂

[@trelard]

I was a Commodore kid back in the '80's, and while the C64 trounces the Amstrad in some regards, but there were some real turds on the system that were great on others (Chase HQ comes immediately to mind). That's what I love about the emulation scene, it allows me to dive into what the others were doing at the same time I was on my C64/Amiga.

[@themidcentrist]

You're lucky. In the USA during the mid / late 1980s Nintendo was basically the video game mafia that made sure nobody could do anything except for them. The Sega Master System and Atari 7800 were technically competitors but combined they probably only had a 10% market share. I guess you could have gotten a C64 instead, but all of your friends would probably have an NES and you wouldn't be able to share your video game experiences with them. I think the history of gaming in the UK is much more interesting than the history of gaming in the USA.

[@mwaawm]

Level 2 of Ghostbusters has 2 layers of parallax compared to the C64 only having one.

[@TheHobbyLodge]

Hehe many of the others I can have no arguement.... ChaseHQ is well.. erm lets leave it there. Great video.

[@maxheadroom22and26]

Why does Ghostbusters on CPC run in slow motion? Looks better, but...

[@GenMaster]

It's called bad programming.

[@KurtPedersen-tg7jc]

@@GenMaster Baaah, a typical argument used on the Amiga. It could be that Amstrad isn't capable of running it at 50 fps.

[@GenMaster]

@@KurtPedersen-tg7jc By all means it's capable. Plenty of homebrew games, recent and older, showcase this.

[@KurtPedersen-tg7jc]

@@GenMaster Sure...

[@GenMaster]

@@KurtPedersen-tg7jc yes

[@Beirdo267]

What an intro Lamborghini Pete 😊😊 love it!

[@CraigGrannell]

Can’t argue with most of those. The only thing I’d disagree with his BTM having music and SFX on the CPC, since both were duff compared to the SID soundtrack.

[@headbangersworld]

I remember Gryzor and Trantor. I played this games on the CPC and after that on an C64... and the CPC Versions are sooo much better :D And Gryzor is Contra... just saying :D

[@RetroOrBust]

I think I have Trantor somewhere, still need to check it out. Yeah, I still call Contra Gryzor 😂

[@headbangersworld]

@@RetroOrBust I was blown away of Gryzor on the CPC. Just a great game. And "Gryzor" still sounds cooler as "Contra" :D

[@EgoShredder]

@@RetroOrBust The follow up to Trantor was Savage, and that on the Amstrad CPC just looks AMAZING and moves well too. No music but it does not really need any.

[@filiepgeeraert8301]

I had a CPC6128 and a friend of mine had a C64, I was never completely happy with Amstrad games. The C64 was faster because of hardware sprites, and smooth scrolling, though colours looked a bit dull on that machine. The Amstrad 160x200 resolution always looked blocky to me. I always wished for an Amstrad CPC that would have had 320x200 with 16 colours, hardware sprites and the SID sound chip. That computer would have ruled the 8 bit machines. When looking at these comparisons it looks to me that they mostly look better because of the colour palette, not because of the speed. And even though some of the sprites look more detailed, they are still 160x200, which makes them blocky. For me the ideal 8-bit machine didn't exist, and shortly afterwards the 16-bit machines took over.

[@Notir072]

I remember Ikkari warrior was one of those games that was better on Amstrad than on C64. I had a C64.

[@RetroOrBust]

I don't think I've played the Amstrad version but it certainly looks better than the C64. However, the CPC's loading screen is laughable in comparison 😂

[@errollleggo447]

Amstrad was released later, z80, but 4 mhz. It was all a progression. Some lazy programming can make a diff too.

[@TheVanillatech]

Always comes down to programmer skill, the C64 and CPC were extremely close. Couldn't pick between them, with each having some great ports AND their own exclusive games.

[@EgoShredder]

Exactly. Check out Mission Genocide and Killer Cobra on the CPC for both horizontal and vertical scrolling. 100% fast smooth could be achieved when programmed properly. The KZbin video compression etc does not show the smoothness properly, so you have to play it on the computer or emulator to see that.

[@fordprefect80]

I think some factors in differing versions are sometimes down to the ability of the coder and/or time constraints.

[@RetroOrBust]

Absolutely! 👍🏻

[@Jammet]

I would really pick games that have little to zero scrolling in them. To level the playing field.

[@Twinbee74]

This video should be titled 'Games that were more colourful on the Amstrad' because that's the only thing they beat the C64 version on. Are your ears broken? Every game on your list sounded so much better on the C64 (Ok, bar Chase HQ) and ran so much smoother. I could go and make a cuppa tea between frames on the Amstrad Ghostbusters II! haha... nice video though.

[@RetroOrBust]

Lol, maybe I'll do the colour thing for my next video 😂 Oh, I agree with you regarding the music, the SID chip wins hands down! 👍🏻

[@pelimies1818]

You are fabsolutely right. Both computers have their strengths and weaknesses. To be exact, C64 has the strengths and CPC has the..

[@RetroOrBust]

😂

[@pelimies1818]

@@RetroOrBust Cheers from Finland - country with most C64s per capita, in the world.

[@jaredderaj1331]

These were mostly games that, as a C64 owner, I considered some of the worst on the machine. A better comparison would be Target Renegade on the C64 versus the Amstrad. It looks much better on the C64.

[@RetroOrBust]

Yeah, I like Target Renegade on the C64 but for some reason it's only 1 player! Spectrum & CPC owners got the luxury of a 2 player option! 😞

[@TheVanillatech]

Comes down to programmer skill, 90% of the time. No reason the C64 version of Renegade didn't look and play better, and no reason the CPC version of Target Renegade wasn't up to scratch. Both machines are pretty equal in merits, I'd say.

[@NorthWay_no]

Actually not disagreeing in general. I'm shocked! I was kinda expecting Gryzor as the standard answer - like #1 it really could use scrolling instead of pushscreen. BTW, I think the CPC is owed an even better version of Gauntlet with background tiles rather than the good but slightly lacking official one (no, lets not mention the C= 64 version). But a yellow card for using a C= 64 emulator with wonky palette and obviously no scanlines: The real deal looks much richer.

[@RetroOrBust]

I usually use real hardware for capturing footage, but for this one I used emulators for both platforms as I can't get my capture device to work with CPC or even the ZX Spectrum. It can be done as some of my mates have achieved it for their videos & live streams. I'll look into other capture devices & see if they fare any better 👍🏻

[@Phoenix2312]

My second computer was the Amstrad CPC 464... And while it could be great graphically, it was rarely utilised to its full potential with many Speccy ports... Sound wise though, the C-64 SID Chip always beat the CPC... Period! That's even before I get to watching the video... LOL! I loved all the old 8 Bit Microcomputers... I was actually jealous of my friend owning a C-64 as Salamander was FAR BETTER on the C-64 than the Amstrad!!! EDIT: Damn! Loking at some of those, I feel sorry for C-64 Owners... I may be a CPC fan boy, but the C-64 was FAR BETTER than those games showed!!! They were BAD!!!

[@RetroOrBust]

I completely agree with you! Are you aware of Xyphoe & the Amsquad? He live streams every Friday at 9pm on KZbin. He's the reason I started collecting for the CPC 😂

[@Phoenix2312]

@@RetroOrBustI wasn't but will have to check him out.

[@nikkoberserker]

Hi , i'm agree with your choice , i just add Wec le mans , it's better on cpc than c64 , it's a classic race game .

[@RetroOrBust]

Thanks 👍🏻 I put Wec le Mans in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYrTeX1pds5rj9Esi=gMevDJpda1HGhzHY Great version! 👍🏻

[@georgeandrews9772]

Oh the arguments I used to get in at school over which was better, my CPC or the more popular choice the C64. Now, all these years later, I have to admit there's a ton of games that were better on the C64 but here it's at least 9-1 to the CPC

[@RetroOrBust]

I had those same arguments at school. My C64 & my mate's Speccy! 9-1? Which is the game you prefer on the C64?

[@georgeandrews9772]

I never owned Escape/Robot monsters but it looks better on the CPC and I was never a Gauntlet fan (I preferred 'Shackled') but both versions look very good so perhaps the C64 for that one.

[@plisskensghost2951]

Loved my cpc back in the day and Rolling Thunder was my fave game so great to see it on the list.

[@charlesjmouse]

Commenting on an old video... FWVLIW: for me it's always been the C=64's dingy colour palette that lets the system down. I'll always play the Amstrad version of any game if an equal or of course better version. Having said that far too may Amstrad games were strait Speccy clones (but slower!) and on the subject of speed the Amstrad could have done with a couple more Mhz - coders that pushed the computer did tend to push it a little too hard. PS: Funnily enough the CPC will overclock to 6Mhz all day without issue, a shame it wasn't manufactured that way! PPS: Sacrilege - I often find you can have too much SID! Something for me C=64 games could also suffer from.

[@stewsretroreviews]

Amstrad definitely the best versions here, but the mighty speccys Robocop, Batman, Chase HQ and Gauntlet games were just mint 😆 👌 Great comparisons here though mate 👍

[@tomdavies6368]

World Class Rugby

[@RussMichaels]

The amstrad clearly had better gfx and colour palette. I'm guessing the amstrad didn't have sprites, thus why it's so much slower.

[@RetroOrBust]

The CPC 464 had only software sprites, whereas the 464+ & 6128+ machines had software and hardware sprites 👍🏻

[@MartinJSUK]

Broadly agree with most of these. Did you avoid isometric arcade adventures because the Amstrad almost always wins easily (even Inside Outing, the best C64 game of the kind, is still slightly behind the Amstrad one)? C64 Klax and Robot Monsters both look far more Spectrumy than the Amstrad versions, though gameplay-wise both are close. Chase HQ and Renegade aren't even close. Generally comparing the same game across the 2 plays more into the C64's hands - the bulk of the best Amstrad games were French or Spanish where the C64 wasn't big. Still, as people have said, they had different strengths and weaknesses, the CPC had a better palette and freer colour placement, and a faster processor in most situations for 3D / 2.5D, but C64 games usually scrolled better (the Amstrad could do it, but it was more difficult) and usually won on sound and music.

[@RetroOrBust]

I'm really not a fan of the isometric games so they didn't even cross my mind. Robot Monsters plays better on the C64 as the CPC & Speccy have those awful 'tank' controls, but I see what you mean with the graphics being Spectrumy! Some of the best CPC games are still coming from Spanish devs to this day! 👍🏻

[@phil2768]

As a kid of 9 or 10at the time, who's first computer was the CPC464 back around 85' I got C64 envy and wanted a C64 when I saw the car actually flipped in Outrun, like it did on the arcade version, the CPC version was terrible and I played my fair share of arcade versions first (RoboCop, Chase HQ, Ghosts n Goblins, Outrun, etc) - I was often disappointed when the arcade ports came out for the Amstrad BUT Chase HQ was a great port, shame it didn't have the music or sound effects and the digitised speech that the 464 could definitely do otherwise it would have been hands down probably the best port of that game on any system considering the limitations. Anyway, by 89' I'd move onto the Amiga 500 followed by the A1200 in 1992. Today I have 2 Amstrads (464 and 6128), 2 C64s and an A1200 but it's the Amstrad (currently) that I use most, the add on expansion cards for both the C64 and Amstrad CPCs are great but my overall favourite computer of all time is the Amiga 1200 - Batman on the Amiga was another level, blew me away!

[@RetroOrBust]

The Amstrad Outrun looked so promising from the screenshots as well! I, too loved Robocop in the arcades when I was younger but was underwhelmed when I played it on the C64. Batman the movie is one of my favourite games from back in the day & was the main reason I got an Amiga 500+ in '93! I now have too many home micros to mention 😂 but I love my 6128+ with an external Gotek drive, as there's so many great new homebrew games being produced for the Amstrad!

[@jimmy090]

Golden Axe is one I remember that was great on the CPC compared to the C64.

[@RetroOrBust]

Yeah, the music is awesome on the CPC version. On the title screen that is. Don't think there's any in-game.

[@themidcentrist]

I'm a Yank and I would love to own a CPC 464. I do at least have a C64

[@RetroOrBust]

Have you tried the Retro Virtual Machine emulator? It allows you to play Amstrad & ZX Spectrum games, (plus some other systems). It's what I use for my game reviews 👍

[@themidcentrist]

@@RetroOrBust I have emulated the Spectrum before but not the CPC, which is in my "to do" list. For me, the most fun part is in owning and using the original hardware and I have 20+ vintage computers that were sold in the USA from the 1970s to 1990s. I'd love to have some of the computers from the UK that didn't make it over here but with the PAL video format, 230 voltage, and shipping costs they would be more of a hassle than I am willing to deal with.

[@zanderwright]

Operation Wolf was also much better on the amstrad

[@RetroOrBust]

Yep, and there's a version that allows you to play it with the Magnum Light Phaser! May have to include that in a follow up video!

[@valley_robot]

I was a c64 owner, the amstrad had way better colours

[@saturnman9129]

Renegade and Gryzor on the c64 were so poor , the sprites on both were awful. Could have been so much better. Was jealous of cpc owners

[@RetroOrBust]

I didn't mind Gryzor when I was younger but preferred Target: Renegade to the original.

[@davidhall7648]

In the right programmers hands the CPC wins EVERY time ! The C64 was always vastly overrated just because it had hardware sprites

[@nicholasgalliano8541]

Whats the beginning title music from?? It sounds really familiar!

[@RetroOrBust]

It's the music from when the Ocean games were loading on the C64. 'Ocean loader 5', (only a rock version!).

[@nicholasgalliano8541]

@@RetroOrBust ahaaaa.. that's what it was!!! Thanks a lot!!

[@evertonshorts9376]

@@nicholasgalliano8541 kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZ26qWaXdrBjbJI

[@lovemadeinjapan]

It is unfair to have a look at this through emulators. Run the actual hardware. Then a Amstrad has a head start already, as the VIC chip outputs garbage. The colour palette you show for the C64 is wrong: in reality it would have wanted it looked like this: 2:28 , but it's far from looking like that. Smear a layer of diahrea over that image, and add some aggresive chroma bleeding and top it of with a layer of dark black smoke, and you get a more realistic impression. For example the impossible to read washed out purple-on-purple BASIC uses is absent in your palette. And RED was nowhere looking like RED, it was dark brown at best. Maybe if you pump the CRT brightness and saturation to max. I do not agree either that the SID is better either. C64 sound is unique, but its character can be highly annoying too (bubble overdose), and the CPC has stereo, which is worth much more than a low-pass filter on the SID. And last but not least, C64 BASIC is utter garbage. CPC BASIC is one of the best, with unique ease of use. And the CPC had 80 character mode, something Commodore could not figure out, and even failed at with the C128.

[@the.real.a-volpe]

30:38 - That's an ESCALATOR, not an "elevator", aka. Lift in the UK

[@RetroOrBust]

No idea why I called it an elevator! 🤦😂

[@willrobinson7599]

Gotta admit I was impressed by the amstrad colours and detail. I knew u would chuck chase hq in lol. Awful on the c64 and stunning on the amstrad

[@RetroOrBust]

Chase HQ on the C64 is a bit of a running joke in the community, just as Bridge-It is for the Amstrad community 😂

[@mortimore4030]

Amstrad aside, the C64 paled in comparison to the Atari XL and XE systems, but the C64 was cheaper and had better marketing.

[@RetroOrBust]

I'll have to take a look at some XL & XE games 👍🏻

[@jp2en]

the scenario was good but the volume jumping up and down was terrible

[@RetroOrBust]

Not sure what you're referring to. The volume is fine on this video.

[@dans.8198]

No mention about CPC games being a framerate disaster. Ghostbusters 2 looks like a slideshow, and Rainbow Islands even suffers from music tempo changes during fps drops. A smooth framerate makes a huge difference between playing hours, or just minutes due to headache and fatigue. The last 3 games are horrible ports on the C64, blame the lazy devs.

[@kevinjones7870]

I had a C64, one of my friends had a Spectrum 48k+ and another one had the Amstrad CPC, I remember the C64 version of renegade being the worst on the C64, I liked the spectrum version the best as all controls were done off the joystick which I preferred

[@amigaouk]

Rainbow Islands on c64 lot better than cpc464

[@narikonarikos5392]

Also Final Fight was better on Amstrad

[@RetroOrBust]

Ooh, forgot about that one! 👍🏻

[@TheVanillatech]

"Better" as in, a more shiny turd.

[@amigaouk]

game number 7 c64 better colour

[@steveleadbeater8662]

8/10, really cannot agree with Rainbow Islands and Batman. But, pretty much any isometric game runs better on the CPC, much like the Speccy. Sorcery, and a whole load of coin op conversions could have been used as well. Just played Renegade on my channel and, yeah, that sucks on the 64.

[@amigaouk]

renegade look better on c64 than cpc look at face on cpc look blurred

[@TheVanillatech]

Are you high? That is the MOST clear difference out of the entire list! XD

[@trocoloco]

Renegade IS so much better on CPC, Gameplay, graohics... Only the different amount of colurs of sprites IS obvious

[@OhFishyFish]

More colours but the gameplay looks painfully jerky, this choppy music gives me headaches. Rainbow Islands was unplayable on the CPC.