Early 3D game The Sentinel (1986) was celebrated for its graphics and its clever puzzle mechanics. Its surreal, solid vector/geometric landscapes showed just how far videogame technology had come by the mid-1980s. Released first on the Commodore 64, it pushed the limits of what home computers could render.
These graphics might seem simple today, but in 1986 they were ahead of their time. In The Sentinel, you play as a telepathic robot called ‘synthoid’, trying to climb from the bottom of the map to the top by manipulating objects and transferring your ‘consciousness’. The 3D graphics meant that as the game world morphed and changed, everything stayed clear and consistent on screen.
Curator Notes
Keeping up with the Commodore 64
The release of the Commodore 64 was a big step up for PC game graphics. Its Video Interface Chip II made visuals far more detailed and impressive.
With added support for multicolour displays, the unique SID sound chip, and 64 kilobytes of memory, the C64 supported the growing technical ambition in videogame design, and went on to sell more than 12 million units worldwide.
"For fun or profit"
The bestselling Commodore 64 brought videogames into millions of living rooms. Unlike most rivals, it connected straight to a TV and worked with controllers right out of the box. Advertised as a communal household item, ads urged families to “turn on your Commodore 64” when nothing else was on TV, promising it could be used “for fun or profit, for homework or housework”. Its popularity helped usher gaming into the mainstream and its keyboard interface allowed for many early hacks, mods and cheat codes to be made and shared by players.
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