Download VICE – Versatile Commodore Emulator for C64, C128, VIC-20 and More

VICE (Versatile Commodore Emulator) is a free, open-source emulator that accurately replicates the hardware of Commodore 8-bit home computers, allowing you to run original software, games, and operating systems from machines like the Commodore 64, Commodore 128, VIC-20, PET, CBM-II, and PLUS/4 on modern computers.

VICE achieves high accuracy in emulating the original hardware including the MOS 6510/8500 CPU, SID sound chip, VIC-II video chip, and CIA I/O chips, resulting in authentic audio and visual output that closely matches the original machines. It supports loading original disk images (.d64, .d81), tape images (.tap), and cartridge images (.crt) so you can run your complete Commodore software library.

VICE is a cornerstone tool in the retro computing and demoscene communities, used for playing classic games, running old productivity software, developing new homebrew programs for Commodore hardware, and preserving the digital legacy of the Commodore era. It runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, and many other platforms.

Key Features

• Multiple Commodore machine support – Emulates C64, C128, VIC-20, PET, CBM-II, PLUS/4, and C64DTV in separate emulator modules.
• High hardware accuracy – Precise emulation of the 6510/8500 CPU, SID chip, VIC-II, VDC, TED, and CIA chips for authentic behavior.
• Disk and tape image support – Load and save .d64, .d71, .d81 disk images and .tap tape images for running original software libraries.
• Cartridge emulation – Support for hundreds of original Commodore cartridge types in .crt format for games and utilities.
• SID sound emulation – Accurate SID chip emulation with optional reSID engine for high-quality Commodore music playback.
• Snapshot and warp mode – Save and restore emulation state snapshots, and use warp mode to run the emulator faster than real-time.
• Cross-platform – Runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, and other POSIX systems with consistent emulation quality.

How to Install

1. Download the latest VICE release for your platform from the official website (vice-emu.sourceforge.io) or the link provided above.
2. On Windows, run the installer or extract the ZIP package to any folder — VICE can run as a portable application.
3. On Linux, install VICE via your package manager: sudo apt install vice (Ubuntu/Debian) or compile from source for the latest version.
4. Launch the emulator for your target machine — for example, run x64sc.exe for the C64 emulator or x128.exe for the C128.
5. Load a disk image via File > Attach Disk Image or drag and drop a .d64/.prg file onto the emulator window to start running Commodore software.