You're right, there was no direct CIRCLE or BOX or other easy BASIC commands on the 64 unless you had a Simon's BASIC cart or something similar.
That said, I didn't have any trouble doing graphics on the 64 with PEEKS and POKES that was good enough to get one of my screens on the cover of Run Magazine. It wasn't easy, but once you got your brain around it, I remember it being pretty fun.
Sound, however... no argument there. But that could be because I've never been musical in any way whatsoever. Never understood notes and scales and such.
