Excellent
Good Average Poor
Very PoorThe CCS 64 Emulator is the best emulator for the 64 on the PC, infact for any computer. The quality of emulation is of such a high standard that you soon forget that you're actually using an emulator, in many ways its better than the real thing! One of the only drawbacks with CCS 64 was that it had no built in facility to fastload games, thankfully the new version 2.0 beta, includes such a facility and some games will load in extremely quickly. The VIC chip and SID chip of the 64 is emulated too perfection and even the most demanding demos and games, like Mayhem In Monsterland or the Creatures series will run without problems. The sound emulation is excellent and all the Hubbard/Galway classics play without a hitch. CCS 64 2.0 includes support for 64 cartridges (e.g. Action Replay) and system roms (e.g. Speed Dos). If you use CCS 64 on a regular basis then please register it, to ensure continued development of this superb emulator.
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Please read the Commodore Zone FAQ Page for the CCS 64 emulator for help in using it and to solve any problems.
Download: CCS 64 V1.09 (DOS - shareware), CCS 64 V.2.0 (DOS - shareware), CCS 64 V.2.0 (WIN - shareware)
Web Page: The CCS 64 Emulator Home Page and The Computerbrains Headquarters!
Other: The CCS 64 Cartridge and System Roms Page!
C64s
One of the oldest 64 emulators and one of the best, its emulation is excellent, graphically its very good, except it does have problems with a few titles such as Mayhem in Monsterland where the screen corrupts. The sound emulation is superb and is on a par with CCS. It will load most games but it does have a few drawbacks, a few titles will not run through the emulator and a few titles, like Little Computer People or Borrowed Time require the full emulation mode on which really slows down the loading process considerably. The interface is very good and is easy to use. This emulator competes very favourably with CCS but its not as good and considering the price tag to purchase the full commercial version it is highly overpriced.
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Download: C64s 2.52 (shareware)
Web Page: PHS - The C64S Emulator
VICE
Vice is a good emulator, but although it emulates the graphics and sound well, its the 1541 emulation where it excells, it will load some games like Nine Princes in Amber which simply will not load on any other emulator. However, its more difficult to use due to an over complicated dos interface. Still, this is a recommended emulator and one that you should have installed on your system. It also emulates the Commodore 128, PET and Vic 20, so you can load and run software for these systems as well.
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Download: Vice
1.1 (dos) or WinVice
1.1 (windows)
Web Page: The VICE - C64, C128, Vic 20 and PET
Emulator Home Page
FRODO
Frodo is possibly the best 64 emulator for Windows, as it uses DirectX to full effect, the
quality of emulation is very high. Its user interface is a bit weak and not as easy to use
as it should be, but it does have most of the options you will require. Running the 64 in
a small window on your Windows 95 desktop is possible and with a fast pentium the results
are impressive. If you want an emulator compatible with Windows 95 then this is the best.
Other machines are also catered for, versions for Amiga and Macintosh and other computer
platforms are available.
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Download: Frodo
(public domain)
Web Page: The Official FRODO 64 (PC)
Emulator Home Page and for other platforms: Christian Bauer's Home Page
PC 64
Although some users rate PC64 as one of the best 64 emulators. I think it is one of the
worst - this is due to its clumsy dos interface and it has a habbit of making the most
simple tasks more complicated then they should be. The sound emulation is the worst of any
64 emulator. The graphics are reasonably handled but some games have problems, e.g.
Masquerade. One advantage this emulator does have over every other 64 emulator is that it
does run the Spinnaker titles superbly - Perry Mason will work with this emulator, but it
will not run on any other. So if you're a fan of Spinnaker titles then this is the only
emulator worth using.
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Download: PC64
V1.22 (dos) and PC64 V.2.14
(windows)
Web Page: Personal C64
Emulator Download Page
MagiC64
This is the best Commodore 64 Emulator available for the Amiga computer. The
graphics are well implemented and the SID chip sound is handled through PlaySID or the
6581sid.library. It will load most games, although the 1541 emulation is not as good as it
should be, and certainly poor compared to the CCS 64 Emulator for the PC. The emulator
runs through the Amiga's superb Workbench operating system, so the interface is fully
mouse driven and easy to use. This emulator will also multitask. The Amiga is about the
only computer that can multitask properly, so its nice to see this feature included in the
emulator.
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Download: MagiC64 V.1.81
Web Page: MagiC64 Emulator
Page
COME BACK 64
This is a Commodore 64 Emulator for the PC that is in an early stage of
development. We will review a future version.
Download: Come
Back 64 V.0.99
Web Page: Come
Back 64 Emulator Page
WIN 64
This is a Commodore 64 Emulator for the PC that is in an early stage of
development. We will review a future version.
Download: Win
64 V.0.40
Web Page: Win 64 Emulator Page