Games That Weren’t has closed out the year with its annual GTW64 Christmas Update, and it’s another cracking reminder of just how much Commodore 64 history is still being uncovered. The 2025 update brings a generous mix of fully playable recoveries, rare prototypes, and significant updates to existing archive entries — the sort of festive surprise C64 fans look forward to every December.
This year’s headline is the sheer number of playable discoveries, with several projects once considered lost now preserved and accessible. Among the most exciting finds are multiple complete or near-complete games, alongside early builds that reveal how familiar classics evolved during development.
Newly recovered and playable discoveries
- Sooty and Sweep 2 – Two different builds of the unreleased sequel have been recovered, offering a fascinating look at how the game changed during development.
- Thomas the Tank Engine 2: The Race – Long believed to be vapourware, the full game has finally been preserved and made playable.
- Paddle Mania – An advanced preview version of the unreleased title, showing strong progress despite never reaching completion.
- Rooster Booster – Prototype builds of the game that would later evolve into Bombo.
- Spindizzy – A very early prototype featuring rough visuals and experimental mechanics.
- Kick Off 2 – A prototype version revealing alternative menus and early design elements.
- Cyborg Mission – A previously unseen Hungarian SEUCK shoot-’em-up, now fully preserved.
Beyond the new finds, the update also adds five brand-new archive entries and delivers around 20 substantial updates to existing ones, including fresh scans, background details, and technical insights.
And that’s beside the amazing collection of other finds, released over the past few weeks, never mind the past 12 months!
As ever, the GTW64 Christmas Update is a brilliant snapshot of lost possibilities. The entries for each game have galleries and further information, and in some cases, design illustrations and instruction guides.
Given that this is the year the Commodore 64 returned, this offers plenty of intrigue for new owners, and proof that the 43-year-old home computer still has secrets left to share…
Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through those links. This comes at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Christian Cawley is the founder and editor of GamingRetro.co.uk, a website dedicated to classic and retro gaming. With over 20 years of experience writing for technology and gaming publications, he brings considerable expertise and a lifelong passion for interactive entertainment, particularly games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.
Christian has written for leading outlets including TechRadar, Computer Weekly, Linux Format, and MakeUseOf, where he also served as Deputy Editor.
When he’s not exploring vintage consoles or retro PCs, Christian enjoys building with LEGO, playing cigar box guitar, and experimenting in the kitchen.
