COMPOS

GENERAL RULES

Individual competitions (Graphics, PETSCII, Music) are restricted to only one entry per author, except Zoo Kids Compo that allows two entries per author.

Number of entries in other categories is not limited. However we all love quality over quantity.

Remote entries are accepted!

SUBMITTING YOUR ENTRY

Submit your entry either as a .PRG or a .D64 file. If your entry has more than one file (info, workstages, etc), compress all of them into zip or other common format and submit that. Submitting an entry is possible only for the registered Partyman users. Registration and submitting of entries will be opened closer to the event – follow our channels for info!

DEADLINE

Deadlines are released in the main schedule.

CONTENT RESTRICTIONS

All pieces shall be previously unreleased original art. Offensive, racist, sexistic, plain boring or illegal content will be disqualified. We’ll reserve ourselves the right to decide what is to be left out.

Please note that use of AI is prohibited in Graphics and PETSCII competitions while with Demo Compo the use of AI is preferred to be mentioned.

All entries shall be runnable with a vanilla C64 (PAL) and loadable either from 1541(-II) floppy drive or 1530 C2N Datasette.

In order of preference, please provide your C64 entries either as executable files in .D64 or .PRG file format.

VOTING

Voting will start when the compos are presented. The final results in all the competition categories will be based on average votes.

Voting will be done in Partyman (that will open closer to the event) and be available for both the people present and remote.

We are encouraging our audience for ‘fair play voting’  (FPV) meaning the following:

  • Respect original art and ideas.
  • Base your voting on your own opinion – group-voting is for lamers.
  • If you vote, give a vote to every entry in the compo series.
  • Voting your own entry? No problemos – just do it fairly.

Our aim is to present the competitions as fair as possible. With FPV we will as well make the scene more welcoming for newcomers.

PRIZES

Each series winner will receive a custom handmade trophy made by Finnish-German sculptor Christian Jütte plus special prizes. We may also give out a special prize of ‘Best Onefiler’ selected from all the compo series (in case exceptionally good onefiler is released).

The traditional ‘Scene Act of The Year’ -prize will be given out to a Finnish person / authority / group of people that has done good things for the scene since our last party.

COMPO SERIES

DEMO

  • Prove your creativity – boast with your skills!
  • If your demo requires user interaction, please let the organizers know it in advance.
  • No size limits.
  • Maximum length shown is 10 minutes. Info about the duration of your demo is highly appreciated.
  • In case your demo uses material made with AI please mention this in the entry information.
  • If your entry is a music collection it should be submitted to the Wild Compo.

TWO BLOCKS

  • Double Your Dreams – Double The Quality!
  • Entries must fit into two standard size blocks on a standard C64 floppy disk, so maximum .prg file size is 508 bytes (Including the start address).
  • Entries must be delivered as .prg files (Disk images are not accepted).
  • Entries must run on a standard C64 with a floppy disk drive. *
  • Entries must start with RUN -command (Entries with custom SYS-startup are not accepted).
  • No “Autorun on load” -techniques allowed.
  • You may assume “after hard reset” -conditions. *
  • Basic entries are allowed (Please let the organizers know, if you want the listing to be shown).

*) Be aware that the compo machine will have some version of Ultimate-1541 cartridge installed, but still your entry must be capable of running without any cartridges installed.

MUSIC

  • SID sounds all day long!
  • Provide your original and previously unreleased song as an executable. The executable shall include the name and credits for the tune. Only compo slides will be shown during the music compo, not players nor visualizations. We will play out maximum of 3 minutes per tune, depending on the number of entries. The compo will be played in random order as two sections with a short break in-between.
  • No cover songs are accepted – submit only your own compositions.
  • Use only one SID chip! Tunes using two or more SID chips will participate in WILD compo.
  • If your song does include a loop, please let us know the exact loop point so the fade-out will be smooth.
  • Please inform us if you want your song to be played either with 8580 or 6581.
  • Providing additional information (player, speed, use of samples etc.) on your entry is highly recommended.
  • Note that the deadline for Music Compo is this year earlier, at Thursday 29-Oct-2026 4PM (UTC/GMT +2 hours).
  • All the Music Compo entries will be available for relistening straight after the compo in the Zooparty TV YouTube channel and as executables from Zoo’26 event in CSDB.

GRAPHICS

  • Pixel magic without restrictions!
  • Any graphics format (Hires, multicolor, interlace,…) is accepted. Converting is not accepted at any stage of the image. This concerns scans or googled images or collages out of these. However, you may use a reference image such as a photo taken by you or sketch you have drawn. Handmade remakes are accepted but in such case please provide all necessary information on the original art (author, title etc.) – this information will be shown along the image. However, we encourage you to focus on your own handmade unique art and ideas.
  • Graphics will be shown for one minute per piece. Audio of the release will be muted during the graphics compo. You may have your signature in the image.
  • We require minimum of fifteen (15) workstages of every image. Provide the stages or timelapse video in zip package along the executable file. Make the workstages so that they truly present the creation of the image from blank screen to the final stage. In the era of AI our jury will pay great attention to the early stages of each image submitted. An image without proper presentation of the workflow will be disqualified. Also the workstages may be released for public after the party.
  • Use of AI is not accepted at any stage of the image.
  • Any additional information (format, tools, motif…) about your workflow is highly encouraged.
  • To learn more about healthy ways of making pixel art for C64 demoscene please read the document Pixel Art in The C64 Demoscene.
  • Entries with unclear originality will be disqualified.

PETSCII GRAPHICS

  • Scii or PET!
  • Submit an image drawn with the original PETSCII character set using standard character mode. Maximum size is 40×25 characters. You may tune the screen colours ($d021 / $d020) while using rasters or animation is a no-no. Entry shall be provided as an executable. Audio of the release will be muted during the compo. You may have your signature in the image. PETSCII will be shown for one minute per piece.
  • Converting is not accepted at any stage of the image. This concerns scans or googled images or collages out of these. However, you may use a reference images such as a photo taken by you or sketch you have drawn. Handmade remakes are accepted but in such case please provide all necessary information on the original art (author, title etc.) – this information will be shown along the image. However, we encourage you to focus on your own handmade unique art and ideas.
  • We require minimum of fifteen (15) workstages of PETSCII graphics as well. Provide the stages or timelapse video in zip package along the executable file. Make the workstages so that they truly present the creation of the image from blank screen to the final stage. In the era of AI our jury will pay great attention to the early stages of each image submitted. An image without proper presentation of the workflow will be disqualified. Also the workstages may be released for public after the party.
  • Use of AI is not accepted at any stage of the image.
  • To learn more about healthy ways of making graphics for C64 demoscene please read the document Pixel Art in The C64 Demoscene.
  • Entries with unclear originality will be disqualified.

BASIC EFFECT

  • Pure Commodore Basic V2 – unleash your syntax!
  • In this category we encourage you to create one mindblowing effect with good old C64 Basic – can you do it? Let that be a one-liner or blast the screen with data – it’s all appreciated.
  • The entry needs to be a single screen effect. Sounds and music are allowed, as long as it’s pure basic.
  • Each entry will be shown for minimum of one minute or through the length of the presentation. Please notify the staff whether your entry loops or has an end.
  • No SYS into RAM allowed! SYS commands are allowed only for jumping into standard ROM-codes.
  • Any entry running custom machine code will be disqualified. (Regardless of the method used)
  • The entries will be run on standard breadbox. You may load but note that such luxury as Action Replay turbo is not available.

DISK COVER

  • Cover your disks – create a Disk cover for a 5.25″ floppy. Drawn artwork, paper weaving, origami, etc. Surprise us!
  • Shall be distributable as a single-sided A4, PDF with resolution of 300dpi or higher. At least one assembled sample is required.
Download Zoo Disk Cover Template
ZOO_disc_cover_template_Download

PARTY FEATURE

  • Cherish and develop the Commodore culture!
  • Now this is a place for your creativity! Your party feature entry may be the coolest banner for your group, a hacked and pimped C64, the craziest set-up of CBM hardware, publish a novel C64 program or game, present a new clever way to utilize C64 in your application, decorate the party place, throw a video presentation… Use your imagination! Contact the organizers before the party for the practical things. Loud noisemakers and epilepsy-inducing stroboscopic lights are not preferred
  • Be prepared to get interviewed by our compo hosts about your entry.
  • Made your own remote party studio? Feel free to compete with that via photos / video.

WILD DEMO

  • Wild means Wild and due that we’ve extended our previous parties’ rules a bit. This year your entry for Wild Compo may be ‘anything we can run or play’ – let that be a demo on some strange machine, a production on echanced C64, video footage of you imitating rasterbars – whatever. Just make sure it’s somehow related with 8-bit machinery and we’re happy.
  • Demos running with non-standard C64 set-up fall also into this category.
  • If your device is something exotic, contact the organizers early enough (prior 16-Oct-2026) to minimize incompatibility issues. We’ll figure it out.
  • Maximum run-time per entry is 10 minutes.
  • IMPORTANT! Please provide a capture video of your entry in 1080p50 format that plays in VLC media player so you can get the best possible result. We will run the whole compo at 50 hz. If you cannot make a capture yourself then please contact Zookeepers as soon as possible. We can try make captures on Friday from most common video outs but we cannot promise quality.
  • If your entry is a music collection it should be submitted to the Wild Compo.

ZOO KIDS

  • Due the earlier success with The Zoo Kids (TZK) compo we will continue to raise the next generation of C64 demo sceners.
  • No limits what it can be if it only runs on standard breadbox – let that be graphics, music or whatever.
  • The limit of entries is two (2) per kid.
  • Age limit for participants is 13yo or younger. No documents needed for this – we trust you.
  • Give the age of the participant along the entry and we’ll announce it when running the work on the screen.
  • Make sure the creative process of the entry is done by the kid – this includes all the particles from sounds (music) to patterns (graphics). If the entry requires help from adult (let that be for example simple code) you’re free to provide it – just mention the possible help in the entry details.
  • The party results will announce only Top 5 and all the participants will get a prize.

GAME DEV COMPO

  • We invite both sceners and pro developers to send us games for a game development compo.
  • Got that ‘something’ on your floppy that never got finished? Well, it’s time to get it out!
  • Anything ‘playable’ ran on standard C64 is allowed as long as your entry can be considered as a game of its own – go simple, complex or nuts!
  • SEUCK and other game making tools are allowed.
  • Playable versions of games upcoming accepted as well BUT please note we will release all the entries for public after the party.
  • Let your game happen on basic or machine language – all good.
  • You may release your entry for public testing on Monday 4pm 26-Oct-2026. Release your entry in CSDB under the official Zoo’26 event with the release type “C64 Game”.
  • The entries must be submitted with a max. 3-minute long video clip from the developer.

GAMING

  • One game that will be announced later.
  • Joysticks: bring your own weapon of choice! Auto-fire and auto-movement trickery are not allowed.
  • Enroll to the gaming competitions at the partyplace. The qualifications and the grande finale are both on Saturday.
  • The winners will be rewarded with medals and prizes by a specific sponsor.