Salix8 Sunset is a Commodore 64 game developed by DataDoor and originally commissioned as one of four microgames for ACMI’s Game Worlds exhibition; the playable preview runs in‑browser via C64 emulation and the team plan a larger deluxe release with a full SID soundtrack in a future 2026 version.
The project centres on a simple, evocative premise: restore colour to the abstract planet Salix8 by solving a sequence of tasks inside a tightly realised, stylised world. The playable preview was created for ACMI’s Microgames program and was available to experience at ACMI’s Federation Square venue as part of Melbourne International Games Week and the wider exhibition program.
Visually the game showcases high‑resolution C64 artwork, full isometric map scrolling and layered parallax effects that push the machine’s graphic capabilities while preserving authentic 8‑bit aesthetics; this multi‑scroll presentation and carefully considered palette are repeatedly highlighted in community reactions as the title’s defining strengths.
On the technical side the build uses memory‑banking and Magic‑Desk cartridge formatting to deliver advanced graphics on real hardware, and the preview demonstrates how careful raster timing and bank switching can enable high‑resolution art and smooth multi‑layer scrolling on the Commodore 64 platform.
Audio in the exhibition preview is deliberately minimal: continuous in‑game music was omitted from the showcased build because raster timing and the complex scrolling demanded resources that took priority in the microgame build; the developers have confirmed a full SID soundtrack is intended for the forthcoming deluxe release.
Credits list Tim Koch (artist, concept, visual design and music work associated with the project) and Brandon Williamson (coding, sprites and SFX), produced under the DataDoor banner for the ACMI commission; the project has received positive coverage and discussion across C64 community channels and preview footage can be found in recorded play sessions and demos.
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