Modern C64 Game Development & Retro Revival with Carleton Handley

In this episode of Retro Titans, Phil sits down with veteran game developer Carleton Handley to explore a career that spans the golden age of gaming right through to today's retro revival.

Carleton started out as a self-taught bedroom coder on the C64, before going on to work across multiple generations of games — from 8-bit classics to console and mobile titles. But in recent years, he's returned to where it all began, creating brand new games for the C64, including the brilliant puzzle game Millie and Molly.

Together, they explore what draws developers back to retro platforms, how constraints can fuel creativity, and why the C64 scene is still very much alive today.

In this episode, we explore:

1️⃣ From bedroom coder to professional developer Carleton's journey from learning to code as a teenager to working across Game Gear, PlayStation and early mobile games.

2️⃣ Why return to the C64? What brought him back to 8-bit development after years away from making games.

3️⃣ Designing Millie and Molly How thoughtful puzzle design and simple mechanics create a deeply rewarding experience.

4️⃣ The modern retro scene Why communities, tools and platforms are making it easier than ever to create for classic systems.

Carleton also shares stories from his early career, his experiences working across different eras of the games industry, and how his passion for making games never really went away.

🔗 Guest links – Carleton Handley https://carletonhandley.itch.io/

🎙️ Credits Retro Titans is sponsored by Thalamus Digital Publishing 🌐 www.thalamusdigital.co.uk

Produced by Rocket Media, with voiceover from Mark Silk 🌐 www.marcsilk.com

Music: "8 Bit Skyway" © Piotr Pacyna Used under license from shockwave-sound.com