Retro Commodore 64 Mini will launch in U.S. in October

The C64 Mini was released in Europe a few months back, and has been available to North American consumers via imports since then. On October 9, it launches officially in the U.S. and Canada.

Clearly inspired by Nintendo’s NES Classic Edition and SNES Classic, it’s a small version of the Commodore 64, the iconic home computer that was such a huge part of the 1980s gaming scene. The package comes with 64 games including classics like California Games, Speedball II, Street Sports Baseball, Temple of Apshai Trilogy and Uridium. The machine has two USB ports, and comes with a controller. The keyboard is merely decorative.

European reviews of the package were mixed at best. Engadget took issue with the “stiff” joystick, while The Guardian doubted the games had the staying power to maintain long term interest. Still, it certainly offers novelty value for those of a nostalgic bent. No official price has been released by manufacturer Retro Games, but it’s expected to sell for around $80.