If you had asked anyone in the Commodore 64 scene whether we’d ever see a new C64 emulator, you’d probably get the same answer as I get from friends the last days:
“No way. Why would anyone try? VICE already does everything.”
VICE (aka WinVICE) has been the undisputed king of C64 emulation since 1993.
It’s mature, highly compatible, and endlessly polished after decades of work. So naturally, the idea that someone might come along with a new emulator in 2025 and be taken seriously – it just feels impossible.
And then along came C64emu, developed by a single developer known as DaemonPig.
When I first heard about it, I didn’t believe it.
When I told others, they didn’t believe it.
And honestly, disbelief is still the most common reaction I get when I mention it today.
Initially released to the masses here: https://csdb.dk/release/?id=255655 And the low amount of responses already clearly shows you, it just flew under the radar so far.
Official Website: https://c64emu.blogspot.com/ – Current version at the time of writing: 20250929_1510_UTC (check the site for the latest).
A Display That Looks Shockingly Real
Let’s get to the star feature – the reason this emulator is suddenly on everyone’s radar:
The most convincing CRT-style display of any C64 emulator ever released.
This isn’t just about scanlines, curvature, or glow, and it’s a detail I bet you didn’t even notice in the screenshot I deliberately put above in this post either – It simulates the monitor bezel reflection!
Look closer at the example, that tiny detail might slip through on first glace, but it really is an actual reflective effect that behaves consistently with the content on the display.
And here’s where things get fun:
C64 demos especially love using the border areas for effect. That means more bright colors, more fast movement, more effects – and that’s an area Vice has always let down enthusiasts – Demos are meant for CRTs and -thanks to C64emu – emulation just took a giant leap forward making an EMU for more convincing, because it’s showing the reflections you’d see on a CRT monitor or tv.
As an example see TempesT’s 2018 demo “Rewind.” – recorded via OBS at 1920×1080 full-screen.
The results?
Judge for yourself, here’s a screenshot though what to look for, and remember that it’s not moving, yet you can clearly see the left and right of the screen in this effect give the demo a whole different look and feel – something that’s taken into account during demo production and not visible in Vice.
And I haven’t even played with the settings, just made sure I use an 8580 (which I prefer) and on the video recording from OBS I’ve only added +10db in volume (probably an OBS issue) and added my logo.
No Fancy Website. Just a Dev Who’s Cooking.
One thing you’ll notice right away is that C64emu doesn’t come wrapped in marketing polish. No slick landing pages. No documentation empire. No multi-page feature matrix. Just a simple page, a download link, and a developer who is clearly busy building.
Honestly? For me that makes it even more amazing, a dev that clearly says let me cock and lets the emulator do the talking, all part of the charm – and why I’m an instant fan-boi now!
The emulator is growing fast, checkboxes are getting ticked, and the community is watching in real time as DaemonPig ships feature after feature. It feels raw, but in the best possible way – exiting!
So… Is It a Good Emulator?
Shockingly, yes. And not just “promising” or “interesting” – actually good.
Is it perfect? No.
Does it claim to be? Also no.
But here’s why it’s worth talking about – especially as it is something entirely new after 32 years of VICE dominating the scene. That’s right, let that sink in for a moment, Vice is 32 years old!!! 🙂
C64emu at least looks like a real CRT.
Not sort of.
Not close enough.
Not “good if you squint.”
Good. Really good. Better than VICE by a huge margin in this area. It’s probably why every person I’ve shown it to in private is now using it alongside Vice, and I expect that number to just grow and grow.
Look – for many of us who love using real hardware, C64emu hits that sweet spot:
When I can’t fire up a genuine C64, this is the best alternative I’ve ever had. let’s be honest – we travel with laptops, not C64s… (at least most of us don’t!)
Final Thoughts
C64emu came out of nowhere and instantly became something special. Its display alone makes it stand out in a way no emulator has in decades. Combined with rapid development, it’s easily one of the most exciting things to happen in the C64 world in years.
Well – second most I guess.. The whole Commodore return saga is first, of course bigger 🙂
Go try it. Seriously.
👉 Download and check for updates:
https://c64emu.blogspot.com/
Oh and, don’t forget to give the boys in Tempest a vote on CSDB for Rewind! https://csdb.dk/release/?id=170949 – Not only was it a category winner at the X-2018 party, it’s also my favorite C64 single-file demo of all time!