Covering unreleased and cancelled games and prototypes for the Commodore 64 computer. We are a large archive dedicated to preserving games that were never released to the public. Sharing history and stories from the developers, assets and more before it is too late.

A non-profit digitisation project, aiming to digitally preserve software and history which would otherwise be lost for good. If for any reason there is anything that you do not wish to be on the website, please contact us for removal.

Latest news

GTW64 update for July 2020

Posted on by fgasking

This year has certainly flown already (and the sooner its over the better), and it is time for another GTW64 update with a number of new entries and various page updates that have been added over the past month. Enjoy!

6 new entries added

Apocalypse, Early Days, Mad Mission, Mirage, Molar Madness, Sidewinder

28 updates added

Advanced Soccer Simulator, Alliance, C64GS cartridge titles, Catacombs, Circuit Man, Earth Mover, Escape From Colditz, Findit, Forestland, Habitat, Iron Hand, Living Dead, Make My Day, Mastertronic Loader 3, Mega Games, Megatanoï, Miner Willy Meets The Taxman, Mishun, Nighthunter, Orpheus in the Underworld, PHM Pegasus – Advanced Battle Disk, Race Drivin’, Rainbow Educational Software, Red Arrows, Shoot Out!, Slap Fighter, Thunder Hawk, Unknown Tony Crowther game

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Make My Day game fully recovered

Posted on by fgasking

Following on from the release of Mirage, we are pleased to announce the preservation and recovery of yet another title in the form of Make My Day. A full diagonal scrolling Western game which was intended for Power House back in 1988.

After providing a copy of Mirage for the site, Mark Clements very kindly sent a copy of Make My Day down via post the other day. Thankfully the disk preserved first time without any issues at all.

The additional bonus of the recovery is the inclusion of a previously unheard Matt Gray tune on the title screen. Enjoy!

https://www.gamesthatwerent.com/gtw64/make-my-day-2/

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Unreleased Mirage (C64) added to the site

Posted on by fgasking

A surprise to kick off the weekend for you all, with the full and unreleased Mirage game that was never released by Mark Clements.  Mark was better known for his Summer and Winter Camp music, but also did a lot of coding work too, including a few games.

Not seen for over 30 years, this is a neat single screen shooter with some cool end of game bosses to shoot.

Check it out at: https://www.gamesthatwerent.com/gtw64/mirage/

Posted in Commodore 64, GTW64 news, News, Prototype | Leave a comment

GTW book pre-orders now open!

Posted on by fgasking

I’m pleased to announce that pre-orders for our Games That Weren’t book are now open at http://www.gtwbook.co.uk

To give a bit of background to regulars of the site (as well as new visitors)… Primarily my aim was to produce something special to mark 20+ years of the Games That Weren’t archive. Originally I thought it may only take a year to write such a book way back in 2013, but I had completely underestimated. It was really important throughout the creation to try and make something special and enjoyable to others, and not just rush it out for the sake of it – so 7 years later here we are today. Continue reading →

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Joust (C64) found!

Posted on by fgasking

Great news, but collector Ken Van Mersbergen (known to many as Dutchman2000) has found and preserved the long lost AtariSoft conversion of Joust, which we have had an entry on for some time here.

Ken got in touch with GTW yesterday and informed us that the game was recovered from the archive of a retired programmer who used to work for Roklan.  It was found on an 8-inch CP/M disk that was labelled “Popeye” and had the full source code and hex image to be able to create a CRT image.

We learn that the game was coded by Joe Hellesen at Roklan Corporation, and Ken plans to show the game in public for the first time since 1984, at the VCFMW/ECCC show in September (if it goes ahead).  The CRT will be released after the show, or earlier if the show doesn’t happen and will be added to the GTW64 site.

For now, enjoy the screenshots and a massive thank you to Ken for preserving another piece of gaming history.

Posted in Commodore 64, Features, GTW64 news, News, Reviews | 19 Comments

GTW64 update for May 2020

Posted on by fgasking

Another month and another update, including some preservation work for some released titles and a number of new entries.

7 new entries added

Bailiff, Ophir, Raiders of the Valley of the Kings, Secrets of Science, Steam Powered Computer Company titles, Treasure Hunter, Vampyr Motel

13 updates added

Argonautica, Batman Returns, Breakdance 2, Devious Designs, Freddy Fish, G.I. Hero, Giana 2 – Arthur And Martha In Future World, Judge Death, Karnov V1, Legend Of Fairghad, Monster Museum, Piper Software games, Zone Of Darkness

Early version posts

V pre-release shots, Troll pre-release shot

Other general C64 presentation work

Various C64 preservations

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Various C64 preservations

Posted on by fgasking

Kevin Wilson has very kindly sent some obscure titles to be preserved fully for the C64, so here they are:

The Game (Simple early Pacman clone)

TAP files, DC2N dumps and Scans

Dinosaurs (Early BASIC educational title)

TAP files, DC2N dumps and Scans

Action Biker Sampler Only

TAP files, DC2N dumps and Scans

With Action Biker, there seems to be no real differences to the final retail version, but interesting to check out anyway.

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