Zezito in the Glittering Caves is a new Commodore 64 platformer from Iapetus. The game stars Zezito, a brave hero on a mission to restore the once-colorful Glittering Caves. Spiked snails have coated the floors with poisonous slime, and it’s up to Zezito to clean the mess and bring back the shine.
Armed with a bucket and paint roller, players repaint the cave floors while dodging hazards. The idea is simple, yet it quickly becomes engaging. Each level adds more sprites and challenges. As a result, the pace slows slightly when things get busy, but it adds a touch of classic C64 authenticity.
The development story makes this game stand out. Zezito in the Glittering Caves was written in Forth, a language rarely used for C64 games. Iapetus created it as a learning experiment, keeping machine code to a minimum. Only small routines handle music, scoring, and interrupts. This approach shows what Forth can achieve, even on limited hardware.
Music and sound effects come from Odie, giving the game an upbeat retro feel. Players can use a joystick in port two, jump right in, and start repainting. Since the project began as an experiment, Iapetus welcomes feedback and bug reports to improve future versions.
You can download the game for free or name your price at Itch.io. It’s a light-hearted example of creativity meeting code, and it highlights what makes C64 homebrew projects so exciting.
Fans of unique programming approaches will enjoy this fun and colorful restoration challenge. Give Zezito in the Glittering Caves a try and help bring the caves back to life.
