What Was Your First Computer? The Day We Opened the Commodore 64

It was a day of excitement, a moment of sheer childhood wonder. My father walked through the door, carrying something that would forever change the way my brother and I saw the world. It wasn’t just a box; it was a portal into a digital adventure, a machine of boundless possibilities.

The Commodore 64.

The name was boldly printed on the side of the sealed package, hinting at something mysterious, something powerful. My brother and I barely contained our excitement as we tore through the packaging, eager to assemble what would become our very first computer. It wasn’t just a new gadget; it was the beginning of an obsession with computing, gaming, and programming that would shape my love for technology for years to come.

Unboxing the Commodore 64: A New Era Begins

The Commodore 64 was unlike anything we had seen before. The packaging contained:

• The legendary C64 keyboard unit, a brown and beige block of plastic with a full mechanical keyboard.
• A joystick that felt sturdy and ready for action.
• A power supply that looked like a brick but held the promise of something magical.
• A cartridge slot that invited us to explore new games and software.
• The instruction manual, our first glimpse into the world of computing.

Assembling it was straightforward but thrilling. We plugged the machine into the TV’s RF connector, just like a gaming console, and powered it on. The screen flickered, then glowed blue with a flashing white cursor.

“READY.”

That single word held the key to an entire universe of possibilities.

Discovering the Commands: The Magic of “LOAD” and “RUN”

At first, we had no idea what to do. This wasn’t a simple console like an Atari or NES—it didn’t have a cartridge that instantly booted up a game. Instead, we had to learn the commands.

The instruction manual guided us:

We typed it in hesitantly and pressed ENTER. The screen responded with:

Then, we typed:

And just like that, a game loaded onto the screen.

This was our first true interaction with a computer. Unlike modern systems where everything is plug-and-play, the Commodore 64 required us to think, type, and command the machine to execute programs.

Gaming Glory: Discovering Dig Dug and Bubble Bobble (play now.)

Once we got the hang of loading games from floppy disks and cassettes, we dived straight into gaming. Two titles quickly became our favorites:

Dig Dug: A Game of Strategy and Timing

Dig Dug was an arcade classic that made its way onto the Commodore 64. The objective was simple: dig tunnels underground and eliminate enemies called Pookas and Fygars using a pump weapon that inflated them until they burst.

Tips & Tricks for Dig Dug:

1. Boulder Traps – Lure enemies under a boulder and dig beneath it to crush multiple enemies at once for bonus points.
2. Keep Moving – Standing still too long allows enemies to close in on you.
3. Tunnel Cutting – If you dig tunnels with dead ends, you can force enemies into a predictable path.
4. Strategic Inflation – You don’t always need to fully inflate enemies—sometimes, stunning them temporarily is enough to escape.

We spent countless hours mastering these mechanics, perfecting our technique, and trying to beat our high scores.

Bubble Bobble: Two Brothers, One Epic Adventure

Bubble Bobble was a co-op dream, making it a perfect game for my brother and me. We played as Bub and Bob, two bubble-blowing dinosaurs on a quest to rescue their girlfriends.

Tips & Tricks for Bubble Bobble:

1. Bubble Bouncing – You can jump on bubbles to reach higher platforms, which is essential in later levels.
2. Chain Reactions – Trapping multiple enemies in bubbles and popping them at once gives bonus multipliers.
3. Secret Codes – Enter “EXTEND” letters to get extra lives.
4. The True Ending – Beating the game normally gives you a “bad ending.” To unlock the true ending, play in two-player mode and beat the secret final boss together.

We played Bubble Bobble until the joystick nearly broke, always trying to get further and further through the game’s 100+ levels.

Exploring Beyond Games: Early Computing Experiments

While gaming was our first love, the Commodore 64 also introduced us to something else: programming.

One day, out of curiosity, we opened the instruction manual and saw lines of BASIC code. The book encouraged us to try typing a program.

After typing it in, we hit RUN—and suddenly, “HELLO, WORLD!” endlessly scrolled across the screen.

We had just written our first computer program.

This tiny experiment opened up a new world of creativity. We started modifying BASIC programs, experimenting with graphics, and even trying to create our own games.

The Legacy of the Commodore 64

The Commodore 64 was more than just a gaming machine; it was a gateway to computing. It taught us:

• How to navigate a command-line interface.
• The fundamentals of programming with BASIC.
• The patience required to load games from cassettes and floppy disks.
• The joy of arcade-style gaming at home.

Looking back, I realize how much this first computer shaped my lifelong passion for technology. Today, we live in a world of instant access, where every device is designed to be intuitive. But the Commodore 64 required interaction, learning, and problem-solving—and that made it special.

Final Thoughts: The Enduring Magic of the Commodore 64

Even today, the Commodore 64 holds a special place in the hearts of retro gaming and computing enthusiasts. If you ever get the chance to play Dig Dug, Bubble Bobble, or even tinker with BASIC code on an emulator, I highly recommend it.

For those of us who grew up in the golden age of home computing, the C64 wasn’t just a machine—it was an adventure. It was the beginning of a journey that shaped who we became.

And it all started on that day when my father brought home a sealed box labeled “Commodore 64.”

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