The Giana Sisters Celebrate Their 30th Anniversary With A New Game

It’s not often that we feature the Commodore 64 on this website, but today marks a special occasion: we’re publishing our very first article dedicated entirely to the C64. The reason is the new fan‑made 30th Anniversary sequel in the Giana Sisters franchise.

So, what makes this fan-made release stand out? For starters, it introduces brand‑new levels and fresh gameplay mechanics. Unlike previous attempts, this one feels genuinely polished, vibrant, and surprisingly solid.

I had to run the game in VICE on my Amiga OS4.1 machine—hence the slightly distorted or “off” screenshots—because I haven’t had a real C64 in my home for over two decades. I genuinely miss the old hardware, but for now the emulators will have to do; there’s simply no room left in the house for more gaming gear. Sometimes I even catch myself wondering if I should sell something and finally invest in a C64 Mini.

The game starts off in a way that instantly makes you feel like you’re playing the original, but after a minute or so, it begins introducing new mechanics—and it’s genuinely brilliant. It all comes together so well that it feels like an official sequel.

I’ve never been more tempted to pick up a Commodore 64 Mini than I am right now. Being able to load additional games onto it makes the idea even more appealing—and yes, I’d add this new Giana game to it in a heartbeat. I’ll have to look into the C64 Mini a bit more later this week.

And who knows… maybe I could free up some space by selling off a bit of my Nintendo hardware to make room for it, right?

This Anniversary version I’ve been testing is actually just a preview of the full game—Preview / DEMO MK II, to be exact. I’ve reached level 12 so far, and every single level has been well‑designed and genuinely fun to play.

One thing is certain: I really want to see the final version of this game.

There are some new names involved this time, along with a few familiar ones. I would have loved to hear the full story behind the project—how the developers approached members of the original team, who agreed first, and what the process was like. Armin Gessert passed away back in 2009, but I’m sure he would have appreciated this new take on the series. May he rest in peace.

The fantastic graphics from Manfred Trenz still make me smile after all these years, and I’m pretty sure I couldn’t go a whole week without listening to either some remixes or the original Giana Sisters soundtrack. It’s one of my weekly rituals—and yes, Chris Huelsbeck remains one of my all‑time favourite C64 and Amiga composers.

One of the first things you’ll notice is the moving blocks—essentially elevator‑style platforms. While they’re not exactly a groundbreaking feature, they do add a welcome sense of freshness to the gameplay.

You’ll also find treasure chests scattered throughout the levels, giving you even more to discover as you explore.

Swimming is also included in this new game, and to my surprise, it works incredibly well—so well that it feels like a feature that’s been part of the series from the very beginning. The movement is super smooth, and it genuinely feels like Giana enjoys gliding through the water.

Never before have I been so happy to see Giana wet 😉

I lost my first life here because I tried to grab a screenshot—and in the middle of doing that, I got taken out by that fish‑thing. Not my proudest moment, but that’s what I get for multitasking.

The graphics in these underground levels can look a bit crude due to the blue background, but it never becomes an issue when it comes to clarity or detail. You adjust to the old‑school look pretty quickly, and it actually adds to the retro charm once you’ve been playing for a bit.

A new enemy type appears in the screenshot above—a small, bouncing, spiky blue ball. The animation on it is excellent, and it’s another one of those new additions that feels so natural you’d think it had always been part of the original game.

This screenshot also shows several moving platforms. Jumping has always been one of the things some players like to complain about when it comes to Giana Sisters, but I’ve never had any issues with it. And now, with these new moving platforms, everything still feels tight and responsive.

The amount of polish that has gone into this project is genuinely mind‑blowing, and I can’t help but hope we’ll one day see the same level of attention given to an Amiga version. That said, I have to admit that Giana Sisters has always impressed me more on the C64—there’s just something about that version that continues to shine.

We did receive a special edition of the original Amiga version a couple of years ago. While it was mostly a graphical update with only a few new additions, we still rated it as one of the best releases on the platform that year. If you haven’t checked it out yet, it’s definitely worth a look.

The return of The Great Giana Sisters on the Commodore 64 has been nothing short of fantastic. Calling this “just a preview” is, in my opinion, the understatement of the year. It already feels like a complete game—polished, confident, and playing like a full‑blown AAA release. For longtime fans, it’s nothing less than a heartfelt love letter to both the original creators and us.

For me, it’s without question a strong Game of the Year contender.

I found an updated video on YouTube by Saberman. Check it out to see more, or you can try the game for yourself by downloading the game from CSDB.