RETRO GAMES LIMITED AND PLAION REPLAI ANNOUNCE ‘THEC64 MINI – BLACK EDITION’  AMIDST RETRO REVIVAL FEVER

(14:00 BST) 31st July 2025: PLAION REPLAI, a leading global publisher and developer of retro video game software and hardware, and Retro Games Ltd. (RGL), creators of the acclaimed THEC64 range, are proud to announce THEC64 mini – Black Edition, launching globally on 24th October 2025.
 
This stunning new Black Edition of the best-selling THEC64 Mini has been beautifully reimagined in a bold matte-and-gloss black finish, making it a striking, collectible redesign of the beloved 8-bit machine.  Along with the sleek aesthetic, THEC64 mini – Black Edition arrives with 25 hand-picked pre-installed Neo-Classic retro games, all among the highest rated C64 titles and many of which have been enhanced for this release and are otherwise commercially unavailable.
 
Watch the announcement trailer here: https://youtu.be/Uekmx-7z3j4
 
THEC64 mini – Black Edition is a modern reimagining of the Commodore 64, one of the most iconic home computers of all time.  With more than 17 million units sold globally, the original C64 shaped generations of coders, gamers, musicians, and digital artists.
 
The release is part of the ‘Back In Black’ campaign, a tribute to the vibrant underground C64 scene that’s quietly flourished since the 1980s.  These are exceptional games made by fans, not factories, and are now presented in a definitive hardware format for collectors and newcomers alike.  The Back In Black campaign is more than a product campaign - it’s a salute to the coders, artists, and fans who’ve kept the C64 alive through decades of change.  The games included in THEC64 mini – Black Edition aren’t nostalgia pieces but rather living proof that creativity on the platform never stopped.  For anyone who grew up with the C64, or anyone just discovering it, THEC64 mini – Black Edition offers one of the most curated ways to experience what retro means today.
 
“THEC64 mini – Black Edition is more than just a colour change,” said Ben Jones, Commercial Director at PLAION REPLAI.  “This is a celebration of the passionate developers, artists, and fans who never stopped creating.  Back In Black is about showing that retro still has edge, energy, and soul.”
"The RGL team would like to thank the community that has kept the flame burning so brightly for over 40 years.  This lineup celebrates some of the very best games created by members of that same community, games that have continually pushed the boundaries of what was thought possible with THEC64 since its original release.  We thank you, and we salute you."  The three directors of RGL - Paul Andrews, Chris Smith, and Darren Melbourne – further noted: "We quite literally couldn’t have done it without all of you."
 
This Special Edition offers:
 

• A new matte and gloss black finish for the console and keyboard.
• 50% scale replica.
• 25 pre-installed Neo-Retro games, many revised for THEC64 mini - Black Edition.
• Plug-and-play high definition 720p, 50 or 60Hz output via HDMI for modern TVs.
• Multiple USB ports support the connection of joysticks, gamepads, USB sticks and keyboards.
• Four ‘save game’ slots per game.
• A micro switched USB joystick for an authentic arcade response, in a matching colour scheme.

• Sam’s Journey - Platforming brilliance from Knights of Bytes (98% Zzap! Sizzler).
• A Pig Quest - 2023 action-adventure hit from Piggy 18 Team (96% Zzap! Gold Medal).
• Hessian - A cyberpunk shooter from Covert BitOps (93% Zzap! Sizzler).

 
The full pre-installed games lineup includes:

Yeti Mountain • Spinning Image • Steel Ranger • A Pig Quest • Hessian • Joe Gunn: Gold Edition • Hunter's Moon Remastered • It's Magic 2 • Runn 'N' Gunn • Guns 'N' Ghosts • Metal Warrior Ultra • Millie & Molly • Rocky Memphis: The Legend of Atlantis • Good Kniight • Planet Golf • Nixy and the Seeds of Doom • P0 Snake • Grid Pix • Caren and the Tangled Tentacles • Ooze: The Escape • Sam's Journey • Shadow Switcher • Pains 'N' Aches • Knight 'N' Grail • Galencia
 
THEC64 mini – Black Edition will be available for pre-order from Thursday 31^st July, priced at £89.99, available at Smyths Toys.  The release date for the THEC64 mini – Black Edition will be 24^th October 2025.
 
For more information, visit: www.retrogames.biz.
 
NOTES TO EDITORS: Latest assets can be found here: https://presse.plaion.com/.