The Commodore 64 had one of the most vibrant software ecosystems of any home computer in the 1980s and 1990s. One of the most fascinating parts of that ecosystem was Loadstar, a disk-based magazine that delivered games, utilities, articles, music, and graphics directly to C64 users.
Loadstar debuted in 1984, only a couple of years after the Commodore 64 itself launched. What makes it truly remarkable, however, is how long it lasted. The magazine continued publishing until 2008, long after Commodore went bankrupt and the commercial era of the C64 had ended.
In total, 250 issues of Loadstar were released.
For this exploration, I decided to pick a random issue of the magazine. The lucky selection? Loadstar Issue 157.
You can watch the full walkthrough below.
Loading Loadstar Issue 157
When you first load Issue 157, titled “Castle Lodestaria,” you’re greeted with classic C64 presentation: colorful graphics and energetic SID music.
Like most Loadstar issues, the disk is organized into different sections containing articles, programs, games, music, and utilities.
The first section is Loadstar Files, which functions like a traditional magazine.
When I was a kid using the Commodore 64, I’ll admit I skipped these articles and went straight to the games. Looking back today, though, these pieces are fascinating snapshots of the C64 community during the mid-to-late 1990s, when Commodore hardware was already considered obsolete.
One particularly interesting article describes a burglary at the offices of Creative Micro Designs (CMD), a well-known maker of advanced Commodore hardware like the SuperCPU and RAMLink.
The burglars reportedly stole computers from the office — but left the Commodore machines behind.
Ouch.
Loadstar’s Early Internet Presence
Another surprising discovery in the issue is that Loadstar had a website in the 1990s.
By 1997, users could visit lodestar.com to download files and read additional material. Using the Internet Archive, it’s still possible to see what that site looked like during that era.
Even in the declining years of the platform, Loadstar continued supporting the Commodore community online.
Brainware: Games and Puzzles
The next section is called Brainware, which focuses on puzzle games and logic challenges.
One of the first games is S.E.E.64, a card-based puzzle game. Unfortunately, the instructions and gameplay mechanics were a bit confusing to me — so I didn’t last very long.
The next game, however, was much easier to understand.
Alien Zoo
In Alien Zoo, the player is presented with a 6×6 grid of colored aliens.
The goal is simple: rearrange the aliens so that no color appears more than once in any row or column. Players accomplish this by swapping aliens with adjacent ones either horizontally or vertically.
It’s a clever logic puzzle and surprisingly addictive.
Racketmeister and Crossword Puzzles
Another entry in the Brainware section is Racketmeister, which is essentially a collection of sound effects for the Commodore 64.
It’s simple, but if you enjoy hearing your C64 make noise, it’s entertaining.
Loadstar also included crossword puzzles, proving the magazine really tried to offer something for everyone.
Helpware: Surprisingly Useful Utilities
At first glance, the Helpware section sounds like it might contain boring educational programs. Instead, it includes some surprisingly interesting utilities.
One of the most impressive programs is an Animation Viewer that takes advantage of a Commodore REU (RAM Expansion Unit).
With the REU enabled, the program can load multiple animation frames and play them back smoothly — something that would normally be difficult on an 8-bit machine.
Several sample animations are included, including a running dog and other short sequences.
Storm Trooper: Weather Tracking on the C64
Another standout utility is called Storm Trooper, a program designed to track storm systems.
Users can input latitude and longitude coordinates for storms and plot them on a map. The program even includes tracking data for real-world storms like Hurricane Claudette.
I spent an absurd amount of time trying to print these storm maps using my C64 Ultimate’s virtual printer, experimenting with different printer emulation modes.
The results were… mixed.
But eventually I managed to produce a usable graphic.
Funware: The Game “Celtics”
The Funware section contains a game called Celtics.
The goal is to keep floating shapes — called Celtics — in the air by shooting them. Larger shapes fall faster and require multiple hits to stay airborne.
It’s a simple arcade-style game with decent graphics and music, although some of the darker sprites are difficult to see against the background.
Musicware and Multimedia
Loadstar disks were also known for including SID music files.
Issue 157 includes a SID music player and several pieces of music to listen to while using the disk.
There’s also a multimedia section containing national anthems from around the world, rendered in classic Commodore 64 sound.
Printing the Castle Artwork
The issue’s opening artwork — the Castle Lodestaria image — can also be printed.
Using the C64 Ultimate’s virtual printer, I attempted to export the graphic. After some experimentation with printer settings, I managed to produce a recognizable image of the castle.
Not bad for a 40-year-old computer.
The Legacy of Loadstar
Loadstar’s longevity is remarkable.
Even as the commercial Commodore ecosystem collapsed, the magazine continued releasing new issues for a passionate community of users.
Today, the entire Loadstar archive is available for purchase, containing all 250 issues of the magazine. The archive is maintained by a former Loadstar editor, making it a great way to support the people who helped keep the Commodore community alive.
Final Thoughts
Exploring old Loadstar disks is like opening a time capsule from the Commodore 64 era.
Each issue contains a mix of:
- games
- utilities
- music
- graphics
- commentary from the C64 community
Even decades later, it’s still fun to discover what people were creating for the Commodore 64.
If you enjoyed this walkthrough of Loadstar Issue 157, you can watch the full video above — and let me know if I should spin the wheel again and explore another issue.
What do you think?
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