River Rescue
Commodore 64 · 1982
About this game
River Rescue is a 1982 game for the Commodore VIC-20, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and Atari 8-bit family.
It is one of a number of game titles produced by Thorn EMI Computer Software (later known as Creative Sparks) during 1982 and 1983.
↓ Read more
A TI-99/4A version was announced but never released.
River Rescue is similar in concept and gameplay to the 1981 Orca arcade game River Patrol.
The player guides a boat along a river, which scrolls from right to left across the screen in a top-down view.
The boat must avoid colliding with various hazards in the river - these include small islands, crocodiles and logs.
The aim is to rescue explorers lost in the jungle.
The boat periodically passes a pair of docks arranged across from each other on either side of the river.
If the boat moves to the upper dock, and explorer will run out of the jungle onto the boat.
Stopping at the lower dock causes any explorers already on the ship walk back off to safety.
Because of the scrolling motion, it is not possible to land at both docks in one go, you must pick up an explorer and then continue along the river until the dock reappears.
Depending on the version and level, between three and five explorers have to be rescued to complete a round.
Once the round is complete, the game starts again, faster.
About Commodore 64
Released in 1982, the Commodore 64 is the best-selling home computer model of all time, with an enormous software library spanning games, productivity tools, and everything in between. C64 game collecting centers on cassette tapes and floppy disks in their original packaging — physical media that's inherently fragile, so complete, working copies from the era are increasingly prized by retro computing collectors.
Gamevaro tracks River Rescue for Commodore 64 with separate market values for loose, complete-in-box (CIB) and factory-sealed copies, sourced from real eBay sales. Prices also vary by region — PAL, NTSC-U and NTSC-J releases of the same game often sell for different amounts due to print run sizes and regional collector demand.
Adding River Rescue to a Gamevaro collection takes seconds — search by title or scan the box barcode, and the app fills in cover art, release details and current pricing automatically. This C64 release dates back to 1982.
Market values by condition
PAL
Recent sales
| Date | Type | Region | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-17 | Loose / Item only | PAL | €14.08 |
Rarity & condition
Only a handful of market sales have been tracked for River Rescue, suggesting it doesn't trade hands very often — a sign of relative scarcity compared to more common Commodore 64 titles.
Complete-in-box (CIB) copies typically command a premium over loose cartridges/discs because the original box and manual are more fragile and get discarded or damaged over time — fewer complete sets survive.
Frequently asked questions
How much is River Rescue worth?
River Rescue for Commodore 64 is currently worth €14.08 loose. Prices are based on real sales and update regularly on Gamevaro.
Is River Rescue rare?
River Rescue has only a handful of tracked market sales, suggesting relative scarcity compared to more common Commodore 64 titles.
What's the difference between loose, CIB and sealed for River Rescue?
Loose means cartridge or disc only, CIB (complete in box) includes the original box and manual, and sealed means factory-sealed and never opened. These are tracked as separate market values because the price gap between them can be significant, especially for older releases.
Ratings & Reviews
More Commodore 64 games
