Apple Approves C64 2.0 with BASIC Interpreter for iOS

In light of relaxing some of the policies surrounding iOS development, a number of previous-rejected applications are making a comeback, to the delight of the entire iPhone community, including the people who code for the platform.

The latest such news concerns a certain Commodore 64 application which (avid Softpedia readers may recall) has had a rough time getting past the Apple App Store Review board on multiple occasions.

As a fully licensed emulator, the C64 app was originally rejected because it included a BASIC interpreter. The app was subsequently approved, as the developers carefully removed BASIC from its code.

With new, less strict rules set in place by Cupertino, the people at Manomio LLC finally pushed Commodore 64 2.0 through Apple’s net, complete with BASIC, making it available for $4.99 on the iTunes App Store (download link below).

Download Commodore 64 for iOS

The software heavily relies on in-app purchases, with a number of free titles also being available. These include Samurai Warrior, B. Lee, Laser Squad, Iridis Alpha and many more

Paid titles include International Karate, The Last Ninja I, II & III, Armalyte, Hunter's Moon, Space Taxi, Wizball, Uridium, Paradroid, Storm Lord, Nebulus / Tower Toppler, AlletKat, Boulder Dash II, Bristles, Flip & Flop, Panic Button, Super Pipeline I & II, and others.

Key features are listed as follows (emphasis ours):

- BASIC: 10 PRINT "HELLO": GOTO 10
- Authentic C64 gaming experience
- OpenFeint support in select games
- Detailed C64 retro keyboard
- Portrait and landscape play
- Additional titles via in-app purchases, both paid and free
- Classic sounds
- Fullscreen gaming
- Auto-save, to continue exactly where you left off
- And some of the best games from the golden era…

Included games are Dragons Den, Le Mans, International Basketball, International Soccer, International Tennis, Jupiter Lander, Arctic Shipwreck and Jack Attack.

In addition to bringing back BASIC mode "for real C64 nostalgia," version 2.0 upgrades users to OpenFeint 2.6.1, adds an "Always use keyboard" option to access additional in-game features, adds time-scoped leader boards, and includes several bug fixes.

The app is iOS 4.1-tested, according to its makers, even though it just requires iOS 3.1.3 as the minimum firmware version. It is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.