Mini consoles had their moment a few years back, and TheC64 Mini was Commodore’s entry into the trend — a shrunken, non-functional-keyboard tribute to the best-selling computer of all time. We reviewed it favourably at launch. Three years and a lot of shelf time later, we plugged it back in to see if that opinion holds up.
What’s still good
The included joystick remains the standout feature — a genuinely well-made reproduction that outclasses most modern USB controllers. The library of 64 pre-loaded games is still a solid spread of genuine classics, and the underlying emulation core has aged well; it was accurate then and it’s accurate now.
What’s aged less gracefully
The menu system still feels like it was designed by someone who’d never used a menu system, and the non-functional keyboard remains a baffling choice for a machine whose keyboard was half the point. Firmware updates have slowed to a trickle, and the USB port for loading your own games is fiddlier than it should be.
The verdict
| Score | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| 7/10 | Excellent joystick Accurate core emulation Genuinely good default game library | Decorative keyboard Clunky menus Support has gone quiet |
Still a good buy on sale, less compelling at full price when the alternative is a MiSTer setup with actual keyboard support.