Emulators

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Vote for your favorite emulator

Software Platforms (Full OS independance)

Java Platform

Emulator name	External link	Current version	Latest release	Developer tools	Amstrad Plus	Also emulates	License
Arnold Jnr	[1]		Aug 27, 2001	❌	❌	-	Open source
JavaCPC Desktop	[2] JavaGX4000 CPCInAJar	3.0.2	Apr 8, 2022	✅	✅	KC Compact	Donationware & Open source
JEMU	[3]		Feb 19, 2007	❌	❌	ZX Spectrum, ZX80/81, BBC Micro, VZ-300	Open source
WebCPC	[4] JavaCPC Applet	r15	Dec 31, 2010	❌	❌	-	Open source

JS / Wasm / Web Platform

Emulator name	External link	Current version	Latest release	Developer tools	Amstrad Plus	Also emulates	License
CPCBox	[5] [6] BZH Games	beta	Dec 28, 2013	❌	❌	-	Freeware
CrocoDS	[7] Repo		Jun 9, 2020	⚠️	❌	-	Open source
Emularity (MAME)	[8] JSMESS Classic Reload CPC Games CPC Demos on Internet Archive		Jan 27, 2024	❌	✅	Tons of vintage computers, game consoles and arcade systems	Open source
Roland	[9]		Sep 24, 2011	❌	❌	-	Open source
Ronald	[10] Repo		Apr 1, 2024	⚠️	❌	-	Open source
RVMplayer	[11]	0.1.1	May 6, 2023	❌	❌	ZX Spectrum	Freeware
Tiny Emus	[12] CPC UI yakc Online Old Games BZH Games WebGL 3d 8-bit Retro Store Amstrad CPC Games zpz		Mar 2, 2024	✅	❌	KC Compact, ZX Spectrum, VIC-20, Commodore 64, Acorn Atom, KC 85, KC 87, Z9001, Z1013, LC80	Open source
Xiragon	[13]		Nov 28, 2012	❌	❌	-	Open source

LibRetro (API for emulators)

Emulator name	Type	External link	Current version	Latest release	Developer tools	Amstrad Plus	Also emulates	License
libretro-cap32	Emulation core	[14]	4.5.4	Dec 18, 2023	-	✅	-	Open source
libretro-crocods	Emulation core	[15]	0.1	Jul 26, 2022	-	❌	-	Open source
LRMAME	Emulation core	[16]	0.264	Apr 1, 2024	-	✅	Tons of vintage computers, game consoles and arcade systems	Open source
SugarLibRetro	Emulation core	[17] (wraps independent lib CPCCore)	git	Jan 10, 2020	-	✅	-	Open source
EmuVR	Frontend	[18]	1.0.11	Dec 24, 2022	❌	-	Depends on emulation cores	Donationware
Hackable Console	Frontend	[19]		Mar 27, 2022	✅	-	Depends on emulation cores	Open source
RetroArch	Frontend	[20] RetroAchievements	1.17.0	Feb 3, 2024	❌	-	Depends on emulation cores	Donationware & Open source

Current Operating Systems

Desktop

Emulator name	External link	Windows	macOS	Linux	Current version	Latest release	Developer tools	Amstrad Plus	Also emulates	License
ACE-DL	[21] Discord Based on ACE	✅	✅	✅		Apr 2, 2024	✅	✅	-	Freeware
AMSpiriT	[22] Discord Forum	✅	❌	❌	1.0 rc1	Apr 2, 2024	❌	❌	-	Freeware
Arnimedes	[23]	✅	❌	❌	1.02	Jul 7, 2012	❌	❌	-	Freeware
Arnold	[24] Aeliss fork Arnold TNG macOS	✅	⚠️	⚠️	WIP	May 13, 2017	⚠️	✅	KC Compact, Aleste 520EX	Open source
Caprice Forever	[25]	✅	❌	❌	24.2	Feb 10, 2024	✅	✅	-	Freeware & Outdated sources
Caprice32	[26] Old repo Linux Aleste Reloaded	✅	✅	✅	4.6.0	Oct 8, 2022	⚠️	✅	-	Donationware & Open source
Clock Signal	[27] Linux	❌	✅	✅		Jan 22, 2024	❌	❌	ZX Spectrum, ZX80/81, Enterprise, MSX, Oric, ColecoVision, Acorn Electron, Apple II, VIC-20, Atari 2600, Atari ST, Macintosh	Donationware & Open source
CoPaCabana	[28]	✅	❌	❌	0.74	Apr 12, 2006	⚠️	❌	-	Donationware
CPC++	[29]	✅	✅	⚠️	b700	May 31, 2015	❌	❌	-	Freeware
cpc4x	[30]	❌	❌	⚠️	0.26	Dec 11, 2004	❌	❌	-	Open source
CPCEC	[31] Repo CPCE CPCEG	✅	❌	⚠️		Mar 28, 2024	⚠️	✅	ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, MSX	Open source
cpcec-gtk	[32]	❌	❌	✅		Feb 4, 2023	✅	✅	-	Open source
CPCemu	[33]	✅	✅	✅	2.5	Aug 13, 2022	⚠️	❌	-	Freeware
CPCEPower	[34]	✅	✅	✅	2105	Jun 4, 2021	❌	✅	-	Donationware
CPCSharp	[35]	✅	✅	❌	1.0.0-beta1	Apr 7, 2021	⚠️	❌	-	Open source
CPvC	[36]	✅	❌	❌		Sep 30, 2022	❌	❌	-	Open source
CrocoDS	[37] Repo	✅	✅	❌	4.0 beta3	Dec 10, 2023	⚠️	❌	-	Open source
DSP	[38]	✅	⚠️	⚠️	0.23 wip1	Mar 25, 2024	❌	❌	ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Oric, ColecoVision, Game Boy, NES, SG-1000, Master System, Game Gear, Super Cassette Vision, PV-1000, PV-2000, Arcade	Open source
ep128emu	[39]	✅	⚠️	⚠️	2.0.11.2	Apr 19, 2019	⚠️	❌	ZX Spectrum, Enterprise	Donationware & Open source
MAME	[40] macOS Other ports	✅	✅	✅	0.264	Mar 27, 2024	⚠️	✅	Tons of vintage computers, game consoles and arcade systems	Open source
NO$CPC	[41]	✅	❌	❌	1.8	Nov 2, 2000	⚠️	✅	-	Donationware
PC-CPC	[42] Repo	✅	❌	❌	0.1at b29	Nov 17, 2011	⚠️	❌	-	Open source
Retro Virtual Machine	[43]	✅	✅	✅	2.1.11	Nov 13, 2023	❌ Removed	✅	ZX Spectrum, MSX 1, ColecoVision, SG-1000, Master System	Donationware
Roland	[44] Repo	✅	❌	✅	0.70	Apr 20, 2017	❌	❌	-	Open source
Ronald	[45]	❌	❌	⚠️		Apr 1, 2024	⚠️	❌	-	Open source
SugarBox	[46] Old site	✅	✅	✅	2.0.2	Nov 29, 2023	⚠️	✅	-	Open source
Virtual CPC	[47] Archive	✅	❌	❌	1.1	Aug 8, 2011	⚠️	❌	-	Freeware
WinAPE	[48] CPCwin	✅	❌	❌	2.0b2	Jan 5, 2016	✅	✅	-	Donationware
WinCPC / MacCPC	[49] vbCPC	✅	✅	❌	0.9.2	Jan 22, 2010	✅	❌	-	Freeware
Xcpc	[50]	❌	❌	✅	0.38.1	Apr 8, 2023	❌	❌	-	Open source
XNACPC	[51] CPC3D	✅	❌	❌	1.0	Nov 11, 2011	❌	❌	-	Open source
ZEsarUX	[52]	✅	✅	✅	X	Sep 8, 2023	⚠️	❌	PCW, ZX Spectrum, ZX80/81, MSX 1, ColecoVision, Spectravideo, Jupiter ACE, Sam Coupe, SG-1000, Master System, Sinclair QL, MK14, Z88	Donationware & Open source

Alternative OS

Emulator name	External link	AmigaOS PPC	AROS	MorphOS	Haiku	Developer tools	Amstrad Plus	Also emulates	License
ACE	Web site IRC channel Plugins' repo	⚠️	⚠️	v1.26 - Jan 1, 2024	v1.26.0 - Mar 2, 2024	✅	✅	Dozens of CPC hardware expansions thru plugins	Freeware (plugins are Open Source)
Arnold	AmigaOS AROS	v1.15 - Dec 17, 2012	Oct 24, 2010	❌	❌	⚠️	✅	KC Compact	Open source
Caprice32	[53]	❌	v4.2.0 - Oct 23, 2010	❌	❌	⚠️	❌	-	Open source
MAME	AmigaOS MorphOS Haiku	MESS v0.146u4 - Aug 19, 2012	❌	MESS v0.113 - Nov 1, 2007	v0.264-2 - Apr 3, 2024	⚠️	✅	Tons of vintage computers, game consoles and arcade systems	Open source
ZEsarUX	[54]	❌	❌	❌	v10.10-1 - Oct 28, 2023	⚠️	❌	PCW, ZX Spectrum, ZX80/81, MSX 1, ColecoVision, Spectravideo, Jupiter ACE, Sam Coupe, SG-1000, Master System, Sinclair QL, MK14, Z88	Donationware & Open source

Mobile

Host system	Emulator name	External link	Current version	Latest release	Amstrad Plus	Also emulates	License
Android	andcpc	[55]	1.5.1	Apr 4, 2011	❌	-	Open source
Android	Azimuth	[56]	1.11	Aug 22, 2023	❌	-	Adware and in-app purchases💲
Android	CPCDroid	[57]	1.5.1	Mar 2, 2011	❌	-	Open source
Android	CPCemu	[58]	2.5	Aug 14, 2022	❌	-	Freeware
Android	Droid-CPC	[59]	1.1.01	Dec 15, 2016	❌	-	Commercial💲
Android	MAME4droid 2024	[60] Repo	1.11.1 (0.264)	Mar 29, 2024	✅	Tons of vintage computers, game consoles and arcade systems	Open source
iOS	CPCemu	[61]	2.5	Aug 13, 2022	❌	-	Software available on request
iOS	CrocoDS	[62] Repo	2.1	Jun 21, 2013	❌	-	Open source

Discontinued Operating Systems

Host system	Emulator name	External link	Current version	Latest release	Amstrad Plus	Also emulates	License
Acorn RISC OS	!CPC	[63] [64]		Jul 28, 1996	❌	-	Open source
Acorn RISC OS	!CPCemu	[65]	1.21	Mar 22, 2016	❌	-	Open source
AmigaOS m68k	A-CPC	[66]	2.0	Mar 30, 2002	✅	-	Open source
AmigaOS m68k	Ami-cpc	[67] Ami-cpc2	0.46	Jan 21, 1998	❌	-	Open source
AmigaOS m68k	CPE	[68]		Feb 24, 1995	❌	-	Open source
AmigaOS m68k	EmuCPC	[69]	0.7	Sep 15, 1996	❌	-	Open source
BlackBerry OS	BB-CPC	[70] (dead link)	1.0.1.3	Jul 15, 2013	❌	-	Commercial💲
Classic Mac OS	CPC++	[71]	1.3.2	Oct 6, 1997	❌	-	Shareware💲
DOS	AdvanceMESS	[72]	3.9	Sep 8, 2018	✅	Tons of vintage computers and game consoles	Open source
DOS	Arnimedes	[73]	0.8a	Apr 15, 2000	❌	-	Freeware
DOS	Caprice32	[74]	1.11	Sep 20, 1999	❌	-	Open source
DOS	CPC	[75]	0.55b	May 16, 1997	❌	-	Freeware
DOS	CPC-em	[76]	0.4	Jul 7, 2004	❌	-	Open source
DOS	CPCE	[77]	1.94	Jun 2, 2011	❌	-	Freeware
DOS	CPCemu	[78]	1.5	Jul 7, 1998	❌	-	Freeware
DOS	CPE	[79]	5.2	Apr 21, 1997	❌	-	Open source
DOS	NO$CPC	[80]	1.8	Nov 2, 2000	✅	-	Freeware
DOS	PC-CPC	[81]		Feb 3, 1998	❌	-	Open source
DOS	RWCPC	[82]		Mar 23, 1995	❌	-	Freeware
DOS	SIMCPC	[83]		Dec 10, 1989	❌	-	Shareware💲
DOS	YAGE	[84]	0.91	Oct 24, 1998	❌	-	Freeware
EXOS	Software CPC Emulator	[85] [86]	1.3	Jan 11, 2013	❌	-	Open source
Maemo	CPCm	[87]	1.20-1	Apr 27, 2010	❌	-	Open source
MSX-DOS	EMU6CPC	[88]		Dec 17, 2018	❌	-	Freeware
Palm OS	CaPriCe for Palm OS	[89]	2.8	Jun 28, 2011	❌	-	Open source
Palm OS	CoPaCabana	[90]	0.75	Dec 4, 2007	❌	-	Freeware
Pocket PC	PocketCaprice	[91]	0.9	Aug 19, 2007	❌	-	Freeware
SunOS	CPC++	[92]	1.3.0	Feb 22, 1997	❌	-	Shareware💲
Symbian	S60-CPC	[93]	0.74	Feb 21, 2006	❌	-	Open source
Windows 9x	CPC-em	[94]	0.3	Jan 22, 2004	❌	-	Open source
Windows 9x	MTMW	[95]	1.30B	Jan 11, 2000	✅	ZX Spectrum, ZX80/81, Enterprise, Jupiter ACE	Freeware

Home Consoles

You can use RetroArch for Amstrad CPC emulation on Apple TV, Android TV, Nvidia Shield, Steam Link, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PS2, PS Vita TV, GameCube, Wii, Wii U and Switch. Or you can use these stand-alone CPC emulators:

Host system	Emulator name	External link	Current version	Latest release	Amstrad Plus	Also emulates	License
Microsoft XBOX	ArnoldX	[96] [97]	v5	Apr 20, 2010	✅	-	Freeware
Microsoft XBOX	CoinOPS (RetroFE)	[98]	5	Oct 18, 2012	❌	Tons of vintage computers, game consoles and arcade systems	Freeware
Microsoft Xbox 360	XNACPC	[99]	1.0	Nov 11, 2011	❌	-	Open source
Nintendo Wii	Wiituka	[100]	0.98.8	May 15, 2009	❌	-	Open source
Sega Dreamcast	CPCast	[101]		May 6, 2006	❌	-	Freeware
Sega Dreamcast	DreamCPC	[102]	Alpha 3	Oct 16, 2005	❌	-	Freeware
Sony PS2	CPC-em	[103]	0.4	Dec 22, 2004	❌	-	Freeware
Sony PS3	Caprice32	[104]	4.1.0 DBG	Apr 9, 2012	❌	-	Open source

Handheld Consoles

Note: Android-based handheld consoles (Razer Edge, Ayn Odin Pro, Retroid Pocket Flip, GPD XP, ...) will work with stand-alone Android CPC emulators or with RetroArch, same as an Android phone.

You can use RetroArch for Amstrad CPC emulation on PSP, PS Vita, DS, 3DS, Switch, Steam Deck, RetroFW, Miyoo, OpenDingux and ArkOS. Or you can use these stand-alone CPC emulators:

Host system	Emulator name	External link	Current version	Latest release	Amstrad Plus	Also emulates	License
Dingoo A320 / A330	Pituka Dingux	[105]	0.8pre	Aug 19, 2010	❌	-	Open source
Dingoo A320 / A330	Dingux-CAP32	[106]	1.1.2	Oct 17, 2009	❌	-	Open source
GamePark Caanoo	Caanoo-CAP32	[107]	1.1.3	Apr 24, 2011	❌	-	Open source
GamePark GP2x	CapriceGP2x	[108]	0.5	Feb 22, 2006	❌	-	Open source
GamePark GP2x	GP2X-CAP32	[109]	1.5.1	Aug 29, 2009	❌	-	Open source
GamePark GP32	Pituka GP32	[110]	1d	May 15, 2010	❌	-	Open source
GamePark Wiz	Wiz-CAP32	[111]	1.1.0	Aug 29, 2009	❌	-	Open source
GCW Zero	Dingux-CAP32	[112]	1.1.2	May 25, 2014	❌	-	Open source
JXD S5110 / S601 & Yinlips G18	JXD-CAP32	[113]	1.1.1	Oct 27, 2012	❌	-	Open source
Nintendo DS	AmeDS	[114]	4.0	Apr 25, 2010	❌	-	Freeware
Nintendo DS	CrocoDS	[115] Repo	2.0	Nov 9, 2007	❌	-	Open source
Nintendo GameBoy Advance	Mini Amstrad Emulator	[116]		Dec 26, 2005	❌	-	Open source
Odroid GO	CapriceESP32	[117]		Dec 3, 2020	❌	-	Open source
OpenDingux	CrocoDS	[118] Repo		Jan 15, 2020	❌	-	Open source
Pandora	Pandora-CAP32	[119]	1.1.0	Jun 27, 2010	❌	-	Open source
Sony PSP	Caprice32 PSP	[120]	4.2.0.2	Nov 28, 2007	❌	-	Open source
Sony PSP	CPCPSP	[121]	0.1	Dec 24, 2005	❌	-	Freeware
Sony PSP	PSPCAP32	[122]	1.5.1	Aug 21, 2009	❌	-	Open source
Trimui Model S	Arnold Trimui	[123]		Oct 19, 2021	✅	-	Open source

Single-Board Computers / Raspberry Pi

LibRetro / RetroArch is used as the foundation of Lakka, Recalbox, Batocera and RetroPie alternative OSes for the Raspberry Pi and other SBC. But you can also use RetroArch for Amstrad CPC emulation on a stock Raspberry Pi OS. Or you can use these stand-alone CPC emulators:

Emulator name	External link	Current version	Latest release	Amstrad Plus	Also emulates	License
#CPC4Rpi	[124]	1.1	Dec 19, 2013	❌	-	Commercial💲
CapriceRPI	[125]	1.3d	Feb 28, 2016	❌	-	Open source
Clock Signal	[126]		Dec 28, 2023	❌	ZX Spectrum, ZX80/81, Enterprise, MSX, Oric, ColecoVision, Acorn Electron, Apple II, VIC-20, Atari 2600, Atari ST, Macintosh	Donationware & Open source
CPC-PI	[127]	0.1	Feb 5, 2017	❌	-	Freeware
CPCEPower	[128]	2105	Jun 4, 2021	✅	-	Freeware
MAME	[129]	0.264	Mar 26, 2024	✅	Tons of vintage computers, game consoles and arcade systems	Open source
SugarPi	[130]	1.2.0	Feb 3, 2021	✅	-	Open source
ZEsarUX	[131]	X	Sep 8, 2023	❌	PCW, ZX Spectrum, ZX80/81, MSX 1, ColecoVision, Spectravideo, Jupiter ACE, Sam Coupe, SG-1000, Master System, Sinclair QL, MK14, Z88	Donationware & Open source

Hardware

Just CPC4ATX CPC clone made from NOS chips
CPC 464/6128 replica PCBs To be used as a direct replacement to the original PCBs
CPC TREX CPC-One TurboCPC core by TobiFlex running on different FPGA boards
CPC FPGA CPC emulation by Ranulf (Ralferoo) Doswell, running on a custom made FPGA board
FPGAmstrad CoreAmstrad CoreDocAmstrad Translation by Renaud (Freemac) Hélias of JavaCPC from Java into VHDL for MiST board
CPC for MiST and MiSTer Started by Alexey (Sorgelig) Melnikov as a port of CoreAmstrad, but every module has been either rewritten or replaced
CPC2 Project CPC emulation running on a Cyclone V FPGA board
ESP32 TinyCPC Port from CPC-em emulator to TTGO VGA32 v1.x board with ESP32
MCLZ8 Z80 emulator which runs on a Teensy 4.1 ARM board and can be used as a drop-in replacement
Nuked-MD-FPGA A-Z80 Verilog Z80 implementations reverse engineered from decapped chip Baltazar Ken Shirriff Instruction decode PLA table Technical documentation
Visual Z80 Remix Z80 Explorer Netlist-level ultra accurate Z80 simulators
Forum thread Reverse engineered Gate Array by Gerald from decapped chips Ash Evans Gyorgy Szombathelyi AMSGateArray Subsequent Verilog/VHDL implementations Signals analysis by Bread80
ASIC and Pre-ASIC Gate Array Z80 CPU HD6845SP CRTC AY-3-8912 PSG NEC D765 FDC Die shots of decapped CPC chips. How to: Optically decode the ROM of a decapped chip Automate ROM decoding Decap, image and reverse engineer the C128 PLA chip Reverse engineered Oric ULA chip
Multi-CRTC Board Host and select between multiple CRTC chip types in one CPC
SDiskEmul Floppy-drive emulator released in 2007. Abandoned now. Supports DSK, EDSK disk-images
HxC Floppy Emulator Commercial floppy-drive emulator. Supports directly DSK, EDSK, HFE disk-images. IPF, CTRAW, SCP disk-images supported through conversion to HFE disk-image [132]
FlashFloppy Open source floppy-drive emulator for the ubiquitous Gotek hardware. Supports DSK, EDSK, HFE disk-images
GreaseWeazle Open source USB floppy adapter Flux reader writer
Pauline FPGA-based floppy-drive dumper and emulator
DDI-3 USB floppy-drive emulator with an integrated FDC chip for CPC464
TZXduino Arduino-based tape deck emulator. Supports many formats of tape-images including CDT and TZX
PlayUEF Web-browser based tape deck emulator, supporting CDT and TZX tape-images
Amstrad CPC Printer Emulator Arduino-based CPC printer emulator that can output text, markdown or HTML
Retro-Printer Plugin module for the Raspberry Pi that makes it possible to connect retro computers to modern USB or network printers
ESCParser Command-line utility, ESC/P printer emulator that can output PostScript, SVG or PDF
CPC-plus-cartridge Different PCB designs and code to make a CPC-plus cartridge
Amstrad Multicart 16-in-1 cartridge for the GX4000 or Amstrad Plus computer
C4CPC Cartridge replacement for the Amstrad Plus range and the GX4000
Flash+ cartridge Amstrad CPC+ GX4000 reflashable cartridge

Mass storage devices

Emulator support is as follows:

Dobbertin Harddisc is emulated by MAME
uIDE is emulated by Arnold
Symbiface II IDE/PATA interface or compatible (X-Mass, Cyboard) is emulated by ACE, Caprice Forever, MAME, WinAPE, WinCPC, Arnold, Virtual CPC
Albireo is emulated by ACE, Caprice Forever
M4 Board is emulated by CPCemu
Vortex Winchester Drive, USIfAC / ULIfAC and Symbiface3 / RSF3 are not supported by emulators

Audio devices

Emulator support is as follows:

SSA-1 speech synthesizer is emulated by ACE, Caprice Forever, JavaCPC, MAME
Dk'Tronics speech synthesizer is emulated by ACE, Caprice Forever, JavaCPC, MAME
Techni-Musique speech synthesizer is emulated by ACE, Caprice Forever
Amdrum is emulated by ACE, JavaCPC, MAME, WinAPE
Digiblaster is emulated by ACE, Caprice Forever, JavaCPC, MAME, WinAPE, CPCEC, CPCEPower, WinCPC, Virtual CPC
PlayCity is fully emulated by ACE, MAME, Arnold, SugarBox. It is partially emulated by Caprice Forever, JavaCPC, CPCEC
Play2CPC is emulated by ACE
Willy OPL3 is emulated by ACE
Willy MIDI is emulated by ACE (software synth emulation on Haiku, full MIDI support on MorphOS)
Music Machine, Speak&SID, LambdaSpeak, Amsdap (SE-One, Moonsound, etc...) are not supported by emulators

Printers

Support for CPC printers is abysmal in all emulators. The only emulators that at least do some print rendering emulation are JavaCPC and Caprice Forever.

Rewind feature

ACE-DL has a rewind feature, but it is not as good as it could be: Demonstration of rewind in ACE-DL

Only the RetroArch CPC emulator has a proper rewind feature: Demonstration of rewind in RetroArch. To reverse the game, the user press and hold the rewind button. And at any point, releasing the button makes time goes forward again.

A very simple approach would be to make a SNA for each frame and limit the RAM snapshot to 128KB, which is ok for 99% of CPC software. For a 10-seconds long rewind functionality, only 64MB RAM is needed (128KB * 50 frames * 10 seconds).

A more efficient approach is to store only the values that are changed in RAM between two frames, so that RAM can be restored when rewinding. This allows for long rewinds, even of a CPC equipped with a 4MB RAM expansion. Proof of it is the GBA emulator SkyEmu demonstrating super long rewind while needing very few RAM.

For debugging, going back to the previous instruction is easily implemented. The emulator has to store the time when the previous instruction was executed so that he can go back to that instruction. In the same way, emulators can provide access to the previous HBL, IRQ, VBL, etc.

Emulator accuracy checking tools

Quick evaluation

From Scratch demo with reference images (CRTC 1): Media:From Scratch logo.png Media:From Scratch tetris.png Media:From Scratch ovl.png
DSC #4 demo with reference images (CRTC 1): Media:DSC4 reference1.png Media:DSC4 reference2.png
Camembert 4 demo with reference images (CRTC 0/1/3/4): Media:Camembert-real.jpg Media:Camembert 4 Pixel Precise.jpg
BSC7 Interlace demo with reference image (CRTC 0/2/3/4): Media:BSC7 reference.png

Z80 CPU

🔥Raxoft tests CPC port of z80test ZEX Z80 CPU instruction set exercisers
Arkanoid (using Z80 Interrupt Mode 2) L'anneau de Zengara (using Z80 register R) Light Corridor (Z80 useless instruction prefixes) Dogsbody (accessing non-standard I/O ports)
Z80 instruction set Z80 MEMPTR (aka WZ) internal register Even weirder Z80 behaviour To get to the bottom of it Z80 is always NMOS on CPC and Plus How the Z80 behaves
Z80 T-state timings Other source about T-state timings Ultra accurate timing behaviour I/O port allocation RAM/ROM mapping Technical documentation

Diagnostics

Amstest Amstrad Diagnostics STS SysInfo Tests CRTC type [133] Identifying CRTC visually Basic Program Status Window Version du Firmware Basic
RAM Expansion Test MemTest RAM Test CRTC4 Test RAM de McLeod Ideafix RAM Check Testprogram For All ERAM Test RAM Basic Xenon 2 Take On Me Trololo Experiments Still The One Post Scriptum Onescreen Colonies #2 256K Chany 512K cracks Anti-Multiface Expanded RAM software list RAM exercisers
FutureOS CP/M Plus Behaviour of RAM mode &C3 More on the issue RAM expansion hardware bug on CPC464/664
🔥Kevin Thacker's "Acid tests" suite Older version Forum thread Tests results in ACE Collection of tests which are used to verify emulators operation against real CPC, Plus and expansions
🔥Richard Wilson's Plus Test suite [134] CPC and CPC+ Emulator test suite (including Instruction and Interrupt timing tests)

Amstrad Plus

Official Plus diagnostics cartridge 4096 Colors Preview 4096K tester File:Roudoudou CPR tests.zip [135] No Exit Plus testing tools
6128 Plus DMA Fairy Soundtracker DMA To test DMA sound
Delirium Tremens Delirium Tremens running on real hardware Bulles Funerapolis X-mas 2008 USS Cygnus 192 To test hardware sprites
Arnoldemu T&J Sylvestre Offset [136] Plus Vectored Interrupt Bug Plus hardware bugs documented
Plus Games Plus Demos Search filters to verify the entire Plus software library

Colorimetry

Raster Toutes les couleurs du CPC Les split-rasters Mir'Color Test Interlace Color Mode 1 Tramage et Choix des Couleurs Colour calibration
Minor difference in colorimetry between CPC and Plus On CPC (not Plus!), green half-intensity is significantly higher than red and blue half-intensities
Major difference in colorimetry between the real Amstrad CTM display and emulators display:

Border 8 on real CPC
Border 8 on real Plus
Border 8 on emulators
Palette on real CPC
Palette on real Plus
Palette on emulators
Colorimetry on real CPC
Colorimetry on emulators

Graphics

🔥Shakerland Ultra accurate CRTC documentation and its associated CPC testing tool
Equalizor Revolog Technical explanation Unpredictable behaviour of the real CRTC type 1 chip. We can classify these behaviours as CRTC types 1a and 1b
HSYNC test Split-Rasters Test CRTC1 CRTC Programmierung Côté Gamers Out-Screen II CRTC editor CRTC software CRTC testing tools
Pixel 1 Horizontal Hard Scroll for all CRTCs Vertical Hard Scroll 100% Smooth CRTC Register 3 scrolling test Skate Wars Jinks Out of this World Killer Cobra Edge Grinder Relentless Warhawk Mission Genocide Axys Red Sunset Ghosts'n Goblins Legend of Kage Profanation Super Cauldron Smooth CRTC R3/R5 hardware scrolling
BSC 91 Voyage 1993 OVL '96 Byte 98 Ze Meeting 2003 Divine Paradise Power System Prodatron Longshot Amazing KKB First Chany Dream End Welcom-X 2 S&Koh Other World 3 Overflow Previews Big'O Full'O Dem'O Not Dead Plasma Wobbler Mad Rast Odyssey Croco Chanel Tire Au Flan Early demos, so they were developed without CPC emulator bias
Still Rising Still the Bests Still Scrolling River Scroll Scroll Factory Battro Arôme Tomate PhX Bloc Us Wake Up Stand Up Wunderbar Foursome Yet Another Plasma Checkmate Octopus Pocus Isometrikum Logon's Run Onescreen Colonies Debris DTC Points Barres Synergy 2 The One DemoIzArt Sugarlumps Ghost Nop CRTC effects
Les Mondes Parallèles Paranoia Molecularr 2 Megablasters Quadraster Groops Sudoku Master Overkoban Prince Dastan Sokoban Within Deva Drifter Hexavirus v0 A tribute to the sisters True overscan games
Mode 3 Test "Mode 5" Viewer Fugitif Final Exams Flush Wishes You a Happy New Year Pixel Free Interlace viewer Climax Flipraster Perfect Pix Paint Tetris Imperial Mahjong Special graphics modes
Mire Climax-G Fatal Beauties 4 Sins Twinblast MCS 6 Schadel Wavy Thunder Blade Turrican Bonanza Bros To test the VDU

Audio

Trantor 3D Starfighter Treasure Island Dizzy Ghost Hunters Super Robin Hood Advanced Pinball Simulator Jet Bike Simulator Grand Prix Simulator Darts 180 Killapede Jail Break Robocop Chase HQ Shinobi Fly Spy 4-Bit Digi Try Software English vocal digits
El Enigma de Aceps Le Manoir de Mortvielle Hold-Up Forteresse Canadair L'île Jaws Holocauste Afteroids Fire & Forget Xyphoes Fantasy Space Race Josh Yao demo Face Hugger Ultimate Smallest Scroll AC/DC DragonBreed Musik100 Other software sound effects Audio-tape included software list
Now that's what I call Chip Tunes Amstream music-disk We Are All Old AYC Sound Shap Audio Amstrad CPC Mix YM!Rulez (real hardware recordings) Ams'Orgue Sintetizador de Sonidos Mega Sound To test the PSG emulation

Peripherals

SSA-1 software list Dk'Tronics software list TMPI software list To test speech synthesizers emulation
Digital Orgasm Digitracker File:DigiTracker Amdrum.zip [137] Amdrum To test Digiblaster and Amdrum soundcards emulation
VGMplay OPL3 VGM pack BluePillCPC To test Willy OPL3 and MIDI emulation
Magnum Light Phaser SkeetShoot The Enforcer Dk'Tronics Light Pen Light Pen Mark II Dart Light Pen To test lightguns and lightpens connected to expansion port
West Phaser Gunstick Trojan LP-1 To test lightguns and lightpens connected to joystick port
AMX Art SymbOS Advanced OCP Art Studio To test AMX and Kempston mouse emulation
Tasword Tasprint ProText ProType ProPrint Miraprint Qualitas Plus BrunWord MicroDesign Page Printer AMX Pagemaker Speedtrans screen dump Kdump Impr'Image Scrypte Impression RSX Imprimante Machine à écrire DemoImp To test printer emulation

HDCPM SymbOS UniDOS UniLoad LiliCPC M4FE To test RTC and mass-storage emulation
RulezCharge Amsteam CPChessNet Ewen SymbOS UniDOS To test the network emulation
X-MEM FW CatRun CowSay iMPsuite GOS+ Nirvana Utopia CP/M Plus on ROM SymbOS UniDOS To test ROMboard emulation
Alcon 2020 Hyperdrive Puzzle Bobble Revenge of Trasmoz Crazy Piri Chronicle Converted GX4000 Software SymbOS UniDOS To test CPC cartridge slot expansion
Multiface Protector Anti-Multiface II software list RX 220 War in Middle Earth Zap't'Balls advanced The Insider MF2RR Technical documentation To test Multiface II emulation
Dart Scanner Vidi Digitizer LensLok Dandanator MultiPlay KDS 8-Bit Printer Port Exotic pieces of hardware

Copy-protection

FDC test suite Disk drive tests CDT/TZX test suite Set of tests by arnoldemu
Azimut Locator Tape Speed Checker Catalogueur de Cassettes Ultra Son Soft-Lok Bonzo Super Meddler SpeedTrans Transformateur Deconnect NoAMSDOS software list Computer Hits Marmelade Mickey Mouse Split Personalities Frank Bruno's Boxing Baudload software list Keytone software list To test Tape emulation
Musical Loader FatMag 2 Backtro Unique The Demo CPC 30th Anniversary Midline Process Can Robots Take Control Phortem Batman Forever Pinball Dreams R-Type 128K Nheredia Doomsday Lost Echoes Orion Prime JavaCPC Overscan Musical loader, Multi-drives, 3.5 inch (dual-head and 80 tracks) floppy drives support
RPM DskTest Discover Crazy Dlfrsilver Dump Tool Test Suite Format II ParaDOS Xexor Discology Hercule II UltraDisc Disc+Ultra Disc'o'Magic Multi Mark To test FDC emulation
FatMag (HFE version) Open Tower Defense Rigorous FDC tests by Roudoudou Disk Swapping Autodetect software list Superpix Disk swapping detection Unique Diskmaker Generate discs in noiseload format Demonstration of KBI protection Protector
Weak Sectors Custom Gaps Custom Gap2 Sector SizeX Sector Size8 Sector Size7 Sector Size6 Sector Erased 64 Sectors Custom Rémi Herbulot Brice Rive Rubi MBC Logiciel 44 Protected software lists
Prehistorik Profession Détective Emlyn Hugues Arcade Quiz Other copy-protection schemes Dark Sceptre Krypton Factor Works only on older floppy drives
1001 BC Scott Winder Reporter Holocauste Speedlock AAAA Destructive copy-protection Sir Lancelot Secret Defense M'enfin Turbo Cup Erebus Le Passager du Temps Anti-copy bug software list Exotic copy-protection
Protection schemes documented Gaps Latis Copy-protection in EDSK images Implementation in SugarBox emulator FDC blog articles Autoboot Amsdos disk format Disk structure DiscSys Speedlock K7 Technical explanations

Other

The Eternal Light Paulina's Potions Druid & Droid Claudia BMP Converter Software that only run on flawed emulators but not on real machines
Octoplex (crtc1) Dynamic Duo (crtc1) 007 The Living Daylights (crtc1) Madness (crtc0) FMR (crtc1) Not Dead (crtc2) Some known CRTC problems on real hardware
The Untouchables Batman The Movie Turrican Technical explanation CPC keyboard clash
Raytracing in BASIC Julia Fractal 5KB 3 (Cray II emulator part) To benchmark emulators using their fullspeed mode

File format specifications

DSK / EDSK HFE IPF CTRAW SCP File formats of disk-image
CDT / TZX PZX CSW FLAC WAV MP3 File formats of tape-image
CPR cartridge SNA snapshot Other file formats used in CPC emulators
Official SNR session spec Discussion about SNR format Archive of SNR sessions
YM AYC VGM Soundchip logging file formats
CSL Cpc Scripting Language, a macro/scripting system to automate emulators

Emulation Tools

CPCDiskXP DiskUtil SugarConvDsk DSK iDSK Dsktools ManageDSK WriteDSK SAMdisk Disk Image Manager sector-cpc HxCFloppyEmulator software Disk Utilities dsk-lua Amstrad DSK Explorer Set of tools about disk-images
CPCTapeXP TapeUtil SugarConvTape CDTMaster 2CDT CSW2CDT CDT2WAV tzxtools Set of tools about tape-images
CPRTools UniDOS Cartridge Creator Edit Amstrad Plus CPR cartridge-images
WinImage, DiskExplorer, Mtools Ultimate Imager CP/M Image File Explorer Access and edit hard-drive images
CPC Analyser ImHex Other tools
Emulator tooling UI screenshots of tooling in CPC emulators
WinAPE WinCPC JavaCPC Caprice Reloaded Caprice Forever Emulators with an integrated Z80 Assembler
Java Z80Assembler Glass Pasmo UZ80 Rasm BASM zasm vasm SjASMPlus cpctools cpclib Disark MDL ASM Code Lens KC IDE Tools for CPC cross-development in Z80 Assembler
SDCC SDCC vs PhrozenC SDCC vs z88dk z88dk can be used with SDCC and provides a huge library Phactory cpc-dev-tool-chain CPCtelera WinCPCtelera Cross-platform CPC development in C
Millfork ccz80 Java Grinder CPC cross-development with C-like or Java-like programming languages
Turbo Rascal Syntax Error CPC demo made with TRSE TRSE CPC tutorial A complete suite (IDE, compiler, resource editor) for developing CPC games/demos in Pascal
Multi-Platform Arcade Game Designer The most user-friendly Windows tool for creating CPC games
Quigs IDE Suite of PC-based tools and editors for SymbOS application development
CPC Basic cross-compiler CPCBasic Unchained Amstrad Basic Helper CpcAlive ugBASIC Cross-platform CPC development in BASIC
ZX0 ZX0 decompressor in BASIC Comparative study Compression tools
ConvImgCPC ImgToCpc img2cpc gfx2crtc DaDither Martine Splitraster+ UniPixelViewer UniPixelViewer tutorial Image converters from PC to CPC
Multipaint GrafX2 CPCPaint Amstrad CPC Tools Kit Retro Game Asset Studio AkuSprite Editor Sprite Creator Aseprite Maped Cross-platform CPC pixel art editors
vgm-conv YMcruncher wav2ay Music converters
CHIPNSFX Vortex Tracker II WYZTracker Arkos Tracker 2 Furnace Bintracker Cross-platform CPC music creation suites

Emulator Detection

If you want to promote usage of real CPC computers, you can detect CPC emulators by:

Checking if the memory is initialized with zeroes, as real machines have random memory values at boot
Focusing on the minute details in Z80, CRTC and PPI chips. They are most often wrong in emulators
Examining the FDC chip. It is only replicated more or less superficially in all emulators because the internals of the chip are still unknown

Combining these methods will definitely get you a 100% success rate in detecting emulators, even the toughest ones.

Emulator undetected
Emulator detected

There is also this initiative for emulators who willingly want to be detected: Emulator IDs

Emulators running on the Amstrad CPC

Emulator name	External link	Current version	Latest release	License	Emulates
Amstrad BBC BASIC	[138]	2.30	Apr 2, 1986	Commercial💲	BBC BASIC
BASIC 1.1 Fuer CPC464	[139]		Oct 1986	Open source	Locomotive BASIC 1.1
CPvM	[140]		Mar 29, 2024	Open source	CP/M
CPCZVM	[141]		Jul 6, 2019	Open source	Z-Machine
Pac-Man	[142]	1.1	Jun 5, 2014	Open source	Pac-Man arcade
Phoenix	[143]		Jan 6, 2019	Freeware	Phoenix arcade
Space Invaders	[144]	1.0	Jun 11, 2016	Freeware	Space Invaders arcade
Vezza	[145]		Oct 7, 2023	Open source	Z-Machine
ZXM	[146]		1993	Freeware	ZX Spectrum
Zym	[147]	0.9	Feb 19, 2022	Open source	Z-Machine

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