Simons' BASIC

Overview

Simons’ BASIC was a BASIC extension cartridge for the Commodore 64, created by teenager David Simons and published by Commodore in 1983. It added 114 commands for graphics, sprites, sound, and programming utilities—features completely missing from the C64’s notoriously limited BASIC V2. For many users, Simons’ BASIC made game development in BASIC actually practical.

Fast Facts

Creator: David Simons
Publisher: Commodore (1983)
Platform: Commodore 64
Commands: 114 additional
Format: Cartridge
Price: Officially supported

The BASIC V2 Problem

C64 BASIC V2 was infamously limited:

Task	BASIC V2	With Simons’ BASIC
Draw pixel	Multiple POKEs	`PLOT x,y`
Move sprite	Calculate POKEs	`MOVSPR 1,x,y`
Play sound	Complex POKEs	`MUSIC` command
Hi-res mode	Arcane setup	`HIRES`

Key Commands

Category	Commands
High-res	HIRES, PLOT, DRAW, LINE
Multicolour	MULTI, TEXT
Sprites	SPRITE, MOVSPR, SSPR
Sound	MUSIC, VOL, ENVELOPE
Shapes	CIRCLE, ARC, PAINT
Programming	PROC, EXEC, REPEAT, UNTIL
Toolkit	AUTO, RENUMBER, FIND, TRACE

Why It Mattered

Simons’ BASIC bridged a gap:

Learning accessible - BASIC syntax, not assembly
Results visible - Quick graphical feedback
Games possible - Sprites and sound available
Official support - Commodore-backed quality

Compared to Alternatives

Extension	Publisher	Approach
Simons’ BASIC	Commodore	Official, comprehensive
Super Expander	Commodore	Earlier, less complete
Laser BASIC	Ocean	More game-focused

Impact on Learning

Simons’ BASIC served as:

First step before assembly
Magazine listing platform
Prototyping tool
Complete games for simple projects

Legacy

While serious C64 development required assembly, Simons’ BASIC filled a crucial role—making the machine accessible to learners and enabling quick development. Many programmers who later mastered assembly started with Simons’ BASIC.

C64 BASIC extended