System: Commodore 64
Release date: August 1984
Gear up for a heart-pounding spy caper with Impossible Mission on the Commodore 64, the August 1984 classic that puts you in the slick shoes of a secret agent infiltrating a mad scientist’s lair. This iconic platformer blends stealth, puzzles, and action, but does it still hold up in 2025? Let’s somersault into the C64’s pixelated depths and find out if this mission is still possible.
Gameplay: Spy Skills and Split-Second Timing
Impossible Mission casts you as Agent 4125, tasked with stopping the evil Professor Elvin Atombender by scouring his underground base for puzzle pieces to crack his computer code. The C64’s joystick nails the controls, letting you sprint, somersault, and search furniture with precision. Each room is a gauntlet of platforms, lifts, and patrolling robots that’ll zap you on contact. You’ve got six in-game hours, with every death shaving off ten minutes, making every move a nail-biter. Collecting password snippets and snooze codes to freeze robots adds a clever puzzle layer to the platforming.
The rub? Randomised room layouts and puzzle pieces mean no two runs are the same, which is brilliant but can feel like a slog if luck’s not on your side. The controls, while tight, demand pinpoint accuracy, and one mistimed jump can send you back to square one. Still, the mix of stealthy searches and acrobatic dashes keeps you glued to the screen like a microchip to a circuit board.
Graphics: Sleek and Stylish Espionage
For 1984, Impossible Mission looks cracking on the C64. The agent’s sprite is a standout, with fluid animations for running, flipping, and tumbling that ooze personality. Rooms pop with vibrant colours—think neon blues and greens—and details like computer terminals and whirring machinery give the lair a proper sci-fi vibe. The robots, from hovering orbs to lumbering sentries, are varied and menacing. It’s not the flashiest by today’s standards, but the clean pixel art and smooth movement still impress.
Sound: A Voice That Shocked the ‘80s
The soundtrack is sparse but effective, with a pulsing, ominous hum that amps up the tension. What steals the show is the digitised speech—“Another visitor! Stay a while… stay FOREVER!”—a jaw-dropping feat for the C64’s SID chip in ’84. Sound effects, like the agent’s thudding footsteps, robot zaps, and that gut-punch scream when you plummet, are crisp and immersive. It’s not a constant bop like some C64 tunes, but the audio nails the spy-thriller mood.
Replayability: A Mission Worth Repeating
The randomised puzzle pieces and room layouts make every Impossible Mission run fresh, pushing you to master the agent’s moves and memorise robot patterns. Beating the clock for a high score or a faster clear time is addictive, though the steep difficulty might frustrate some. With no save system, it’s a one-sitting challenge, perfect for retro purists but maybe a tad unforgiving for casual players. You’ll keep coming back to crack Atombender’s code, if only to prove you can.
The Retro Looney Verdict
Impossible Mission on the Commodore 64 is a proper belter, blending tense platforming, brainy puzzles, and spy-flick swagger into a package that still shines. The random layouts and brutal difficulty might test your mettle, but the slick controls, striking visuals, and that iconic voice make every run a thrill. Dust off your C64 (or fire up an emulator)—this mission’s as gripping in 2025 as it was in ’84.
