Commodore 64 Emulator Guide: VICE Setup and THEC64

Last updated: October 2026

The Commodore 64 is the best-selling single computer model ever made, and it has one emulator that matters: VICE. It is free, accurate, and, unlike most emulators, it ships with the C64’s own system firmware built in, so there is no BIOS file to sort out.

This guide covers installing VICE on Windows, setting up a joystick (the part that trips most people up), loading disk and tape images, and running C64 games on a Steam Deck or Android handheld. If you would rather skip setup entirely, the licensed THEC64 hardware is covered at the end.

What You Need

Which VICE Version

The current release is VICE 3.10 (December 2025). On Windows it comes in two builds:

Inside the download you get separate programs for each machine VICE emulates. For the Commodore 64, run x64sc, the cycle-exact C64 emulator. The others cover the C128, VIC-20, Plus/4, PET and more.

VICE 3.9 rewrote joystick mapping so the GTK3 and SDL builds share the same code and the same mapping files, which made controller setup much less painful than in older versions.

Install VICE on Windows

1. Download the GTK3VICE win64 zip from the VICE site.
2. Unzip it to a folder, for example C:\Emulators\VICE.
3. Open the bin folder and run x64sc.exe.

You land on the blue C64 BASIC screen with the READY. prompt. That is a working Commodore 64.

Joystick Mapping

Here is the thing nobody tells you: most C64 games read the joystick in port 2, not port 1. If your stick does nothing in a game, it is almost always plugged into the wrong virtual port.

1. Open Preferences > Settings > Input devices > Joystick.
2. Set Joystick #2 to your USB controller. Leave Joystick #1 empty or assign it to a second player.
3. If a game uses port 1 instead, swap the ports from the joystick menu rather than remapping.
4. To bind extra buttons (for example, Space or F1 on a pad button, which many games need to start), use the controller mapping options in the same section.

No controller? VICE can map a joystick to keyboard keys (a “keyset”), which works for testing but is awkward for real play.

Disk, Tape and Cartridge Images

C64 software comes in a few image formats:

The quick way: drag the image onto the VICE window, or use File > Smart attach. VICE detects the type, attaches it and runs it automatically.

The authentic way: attach a .d64 to drive 8, then at the prompt type:

LOAD"*",8,1
RUN

Tape loading is slow because the real thing was slow. Use warp mode (in the Speed menu) to fast-forward through loading, then turn it off to play at normal speed.

Multi-disk games ask you to flip the disk. Attach the next image to drive 8 when prompted.

Legal software

• Your own disks and tapes. C64 disks need a real 1541 drive and an adapter to image them; a PC floppy drive cannot read them.
• Licensed collections. Cloanto’s C64 Forever bundles licensed games and a preconfigured emulator.
• New releases. The C64 scene still publishes new games and demos. Buy or download them directly from the developers and publishers who release them, such as Psytronik Software and individual creators’ own pages.

C64 on a Steam Deck or Android Handheld

VICE does not have an official Android app, but RetroArch carries VICE as a core, and that works on Android and the Steam Deck alike.

1. Install RetroArch (RetroArch setup guide), or on the Steam Deck let EmuDeck install it.
2. In Online Updater > Core Downloader, get the Commodore - C64 (VICE x64sc) core.
3. Load your image. The core includes the C64 system firmware, so nothing goes in the BIOS folder. See RetroArch BIOS for the systems that do need files.
4. Open the core options to set joystick port 2 and map pad buttons to keys like Space and F1. The core also has a virtual keyboard for typing commands.

On the Steam Deck you can also install the Linux version of VICE and run it in Desktop Mode.

For a wider look at Android options, see the Android emulation guide.

THEC64: The No-Setup Alternative

If you want C64 games on a TV without touching a config file, Retro Games Ltd makes licensed C64 hardware:

The Maxi ships with a micro switch joystick and has USB ports for extra controllers and keyboards. It is the closer match to a real C64, because you can type BASIC on a real keyboard. Both versions run your own disk and tape images from USB, so they double as an easy home for software you already own. The full-size version is out of production and US listings are mostly resellers well above its original price; the Mini is still sold new: THEC64 Mini.

VICE is free and more flexible; THEC64 is the plug-in-and-play option, and the joystick alone is a good match for desktop VICE.

FAQ

Do I need a separate C64 BIOS file for VICE?

No. VICE includes the Commodore 64 system firmware. Only some Linux distribution packages strip them out; the official downloads have them.

Why doesn’t my joystick work in a C64 game?

It is in the wrong port. Most C64 games use port 2. Assign your controller to Joystick #2 or swap ports.

What is the best Commodore 64 emulator?

VICE, specifically the x64sc program for the C64. On Android and handhelds, the VICE core in RetroArch.

Can THEC64 load my own games?

Yes. Both the Maxi and Mini load disk and tape images from a USB stick.

Is VICE good for the VIC-20 and C128 too?

Yes. VICE emulates the whole 8-bit Commodore line, each as its own program in the same download.

VICE | VICE manual

More retro computer guides: DOSBox setup guide | Amiga emulator guide | 86Box and PCem guide

Last verified: October 2026