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Emulation

Set Up VICE for Commodore 64 Games

VICE emulates the C64 including the disk drive timing that many games depend on. The two settings that matter are the true-drive emulation and the joystick mapping.

by@guidox updated:10/31/26 time:25 min level:Intermediate tested on:VICE 3.9 works on:Windows 10, Windows 11 tools:VICE
TL;DR

Install **VICE**, enable **True Drive Emulation** for disk images, map the joystick to port 2 for games, and pick the correct video standard for the image you loaded.

Before you start

Requirements

  • VICE
  • C64 disk or tape images
  • Twenty minutes
Step by step

Instructions

01

Start with the right machine model

The C64 and the C128 behave differently, and a few titles need the older kernel. The model selector is in the settings and applies per launch.

02

Keep drive emulation on for disks

True Drive Emulation makes the emulated 1541 behave like the real drive, including load times and copy protection. Turning it off speeds up loading and breaks most protected disks.

Settings > Drive > True drive emulation
⚠ warningA fast loader cartridge setting also changes timing. Use it only for titles that shipped with the cartridge.
03

Attach the image and type the load command

Disks are attached to device 8. The classic command loads the first program from the directory and starts it.

LOAD "*",8,1
04

Map the joystick to port 2

Most games read port 2, while some early ones use port 1. The keyboard mapping keeps arrow keys working when you have no pad connected.

Settings > Joystick > Joystick settings
tipA modern USB gamepad appears as a standard controller. Map the fire button to the same control the emulator uses for space.
05

Choose PAL or NTSC deliberately

European games assume 50 Hz, American ones 60 Hz. The wrong standard changes the speed and can break timing-sensitive titles.

Settings > VIC-II > Machine settings
06

Save the session settings

VICE stores per-machine settings so a second title can use different values without redoing the work. Save after each working configuration.

Troubleshooting

Common issues

The game loads and stops at a prompt

Type RUN, or use the boot command for a disk with an autostart.

Loading takes minutes

That is the real drive. Turn off true drive emulation for unprotected disks.

Joystick does nothing

The wrong port. Switch to port 2.

The picture rolls

PAL versus NTSC mismatch. Change the machine setting.

FAQ

Frequently asked

Do I need original ROMs?

VICE ships compatible ROM images, and real dumps work if you own the machine.

Can it run cartridge images?

Yes, as a CRT file attached from the cartridge menu.

How to undo this

Delete the per-machine settings from the VICE config folder to return to the defaults. No game files are modified.

Changelog · 1 entry
  1. 2026-10-31
    First version
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