C64anabalt is a port by Paul Koller of the Flash game Canabalt from 2009, and sees your unnamed protagonist attempting to escape from an unknown threat. The world is falling into ruin, and here you are, stuck inside an office building. Whatever is going on outside is causing the buildings nearby to collapse, perpetuating your need to get moving. Fast.

The game can be eloquently summed up in the fashion of "Run, Forrest, run!", just with a staggeringly large chance of death instead of merely being shot in the but-tocks.

The Fire button is the game's only control, which makes your man jump, either from building to building or over obstacles. Missing the jump to the next building results in a death fall, while colliding with a crate or chair reduces speed. Sometimes bumping into one is a strategic decision based on how fast everything is currently travelling. Bombs are also occasionally dropped into your path; also lethal is not avoided. One death means game over.

The world of C64anabalt is procedurally generated, meaning no two games will be alike, and is completely endless in nature. How far can you run? The only goal to aim for is a new high score distance, and then press the Fire button to begin again.

When RGCD made the game available for purchase, there were two different soundtracks to choose: a SID chip conversion of the original score, or an alternative track from the indie game ThrustBurst.

Not only was this one of the first 'endless runners' I encountered, it was also the release that arguably put RGCD on the map as a publisher, with over 300 sales to date. Oddly enough, there were two conversions of the game programmed at roughly the same time, but Paul Koller's port just edges it for me. It looks good with an impressive resemblance to the original, sounds good and scrolls incredibly smoothly.

Amid the hectic pace, some nice little touches such as birds and rockets are thrown in and the soundtrack (whichever one you picked when buying the cartridge) suits the action. Like many games of this ilk, it's not designed for prolonged play, given that success is sometimes governed by luck rather than skill, but it's always nice to fire up and have a blast, more precisely a leap, for a while.

Paul Koller has found his niche 'demaking' modern apps for the C64. The attention to detail here is stunning, including the flocks of birds taking off and the shaking screen as buildings crumble.

The layers of parallax scrolling and the fluid movement of the main sprite are spot on. Best of all, the control is very responsive, reacting to a quick press or a longer hold of the Fire button - just like tapping the touchscreen. Mikkel Hastrup (Encore) added an amazing cover of the original soundtrack tune Run (originally found in the alternative Canabalt conversion by Andrews 'Mr SID' Varga).

Ideal to pick up and play, although lacking the extra modes added to the original app for variety, this infinite runner is one you will keep RUNning.

Canabalt was one of the first 'endless runner' games I ever played, and I remember being really hooked on it for a week or so. Whether it was on my PC or my iPhone 4, it was a really addictive and undemanding way to pass a few minutes, and although the initial rush soon passed, I still same back to it often in moments of boredom.

Having it on the C64 is quite unexpected but it turns out to be an excellent fit. Paul Koller has worked wonders in getting this to run so smoothly (pun intended) and there's a real feeling of tension and exhilaration as you try to ward off the inevitable. It's not a game you can really play for long stretches, and there's no variety to the gameplay, but C64anabalt is an impressive achievement which is well worth owning.

Presentation 62%
No options, but couldn't be easier to use.

Graphics 80%
Not much variety, but smooth, striking, fast-moving procedurally generated levels and a brilliantly-animated main sprite.

Sound 83%
Brooding intense music throughout your run.

Hookability 90%
The just-one-more-go factor is extremely strong with this one.

Lastability 73%
As with most endless runners, it can only really be enjoyed in short bursts.

Overall 78%
An excellent conversion of a genre classic.