Source: Run – Issue Number 72 – December 1989
RUN magazine was one of my favorite Commodore 64 magazines, the other being Commodore magazine but it also covered the Amiga. By 1989, the Commodore 64 market had been in decline for a couple of years but after 1989 the decline was precipitous. Commodore Magazine folded in 1989 and some of their columns were added to RUN. The December 1989 issue of RUN was probably the last with 100 or more pages. Lots of games were still released for the Commodore 64 in 1989 but in 1990 the quantity greatly declined. Christmas 1989 was probably that last good year for the Commodore 64, at least in the U.S.
The December 1989 issue of RUN, which I clearly remember buying and is still sitting here on a shelf somewhere, includes:
Features
- Ten Top Games – The top ten games for 1988/89 according to RUN readers includes Red Storm Rising, The Bard’s Tale III, Pool of Radiance (one of my all time favorites), Stealth Mission, Caveman Ugh-Lympics, Monopoly, Grand Prix Circuit (another one I played a lot), Out Run (I had this one too) and Ultima V (I always wanted to play the Ultima series but still haven’t)…Ultima VI would be released for the Commodore 64 too in 1990.
- In Search of Productivity Software – While the Commodore 64 was perhaps better known for games, there were also vasts amount of more serious software available for it as well. This article summarizes some of the productivity software available for the Commodore 64 and Commodore 128, including: Fleet System 2+ (C64), Fleet System 4 (C128), Superscript 64, Superscript 128, Superbase 64, Superbase 128, Bank Street Writer, Word Writer 4 (C64), Word Writer 128, partner 64, Partner 128, Switftcalc 64, Swiftcalc 128, Data Manager 2 (C64), Data Manager 128, Pocket Writer/Filer/Planner 2, VizaWrite 128, geoWrite/Paint/Calc/Chart/Publish/Programmer/File, Better Working Word Publisher, Fontmaster II (C64), Fontmaster 128, The Write Stuff 64, The Write Stuff 128, PaperClip III, PaperClip Publisher, Newsroom, Personal Newsletter, News Maker 128, Thoughtform, Thinking Cap, Brainstorm 128, Out-Think (CPM), Term Paper Writer (C128) and lots more.
- Get A Load of This! – A type in program that increases C-64 loading speed when using 1571 or 1581 disk drives.
- Graphmaker – A type-in program that allows you to create 3D bar graphs.
- Season’s Greetings – A type-in program for the C-128 that essentially amounts to a Christmas themed demo with music and animated display.
Departments
- RUNning Ruminations – Reflecting on home computers in the 1980s and speculating on the changes to come in the 1990s.
- Magic – Short useful programs, this month including a program to change the cursor color, a program to save high scores, a program to date stamp disks, and more.
- News and New Products – New products mentioned this month include Lock-It, a disk protection program; Storm Across Europe, a World War II Strategy game for the C-64; Eye of Horus, an arcade style game with an ancient Egyptian theme; Kings of the Beach: Professional Beach Volleyball; Guitar Tutor, a program to help you learn to play the guitar; CMS Inventory System for the C-128; and more.
- Mail RUN – Letters from readers, mostly about the decline in the non-game software market for the C-64 and general lack of support.
- Software Gallery – Reviews of:
- Speedball – A futuristic hockey-like game.
- Axe of Rage – An action game featuring an axe-wielding caveman of your choice.
- Titan – Sort of a cross between pinball and Arkanoid.
- Tangled Tales – A fantasy RPG. I remember seeing ads for this one and wanting to try it but it’s one I never got around to.
- Checkbook – A program for balancing your checkbook.
- Double Dare – Based on the game show of the same name.
- California Pro Golf – An ok golf game but there are better ones. I think the appeal was that it was only $9.99 for something that was almost as good as other golf games.
- Devon Aire in the Hidden Diamond Caper – An adventure/mystery game in which you must find diamonds hidden in a mansion. Sadly this was a cut down version of a 16-bit game.
- Last Ninja 2 – An excellent action/adventure/puzzle game played from a 3/4s 3D perspective.
- Combat Course – A game in which you have to make your way through a diverse obstacle course. It even comes with a construction set so you can make your own courses.
- The Magic Candle – Another fantasy RPG I wanted but never played. It gets a positive review here.
- The Crack of Doom – The fourth game in a series based on Tolkien’s work. Unfortunately, it is an average game at best.
- War in Middle Earth – A strategy/war game based on Lord of the Rings. This is another that I wanted after seeing an ad but am glad I never got based on this review. It sounds like it was pretty awful.
- 128 Mode – A variety of programming tricks for the Commodore 128, including a simple way to move a sprite in a circle, saving rasters, using user definable function keys, and more.
- Gold Mine – Game tips and trick, this month for ArcticFox, The Bard’s Tale III, Monopoly, Out Run, Ultima IV, Contra, Pool of Radiance, Desert Fox, EOS: Earth Orbit Station, Ikari Warriors, Hollywood Hijinx, The Legend of Blacksilver, The Three Stooges, and Wasteland.
- Games Gallery – A column on gaming, this month featuring puzzle games including Tetrix, Qix, Mental Blocks, TrianGO, Risk, and Chessmaster 2100.
- geoWatch – A column on using GEOS, the graphical OS for the C64. This month it covers how to make greeting cards using geoPublish and geoPaint.
…and more!
