Monster Squad 64 (C64): a tiny RPG with big retro charm

Monster Squad 64 is a delightful throwback to the golden age of 8-bit gaming, created by indie developer Retrendo and released on itch.io. Built entirely in Commodore 64 BASIC, the game embraces strict technical limits and turns them into a strength, delivering a short but memorable turn-based RPG experience that feels authentic, playful, and surprisingly strategic. At its core, Monster Squad 64 is about smart choices. You command a small squad of three monsters, each with distinct strengths, and guide them through ten events tied to a single overarching goal: sealing the gates of the underworld. Every encounter forces you to decide which monster is best suited for the situation, knowing that success depends on both your judgment and a healthy dose of randomness. This balance between planning and unpredictability gives the game a constant sense of tension and replay value. The presentation is unapologetically retro. Text-driven gameplay, classic C64 colors, and simple sound effects recreate the feeling of loading a game from cassette and learning its systems through experimentation. Rather than overwhelming the player, the game keeps things lean and focused, making each decision feel meaningful despite the small scope. What makes Monster Squad 64 especially appealing is how accessible it is. It runs on original Commodore 64 hardware as well as modern emulators, and it includes multiple language options—English, German, and Italian—making it welcoming to a wider retro audience. Sessions are short, encouraging repeated playthroughs as you experiment with different monster choices and outcomes. In the end, Monster Squad 64 is less about epic scale and more about capturing a feeling: the creativity, limitations, and charm that defined classic home computer games. It’s a love letter to the Commodore 64 era and a reminder that even a few kilobytes of code can still deliver fun, tension, and personality when used well.

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