Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Odds and ends, Apple, iPhone
C64 emulator for iPhone
Unfortunately we don't have much more than a splash screen on this one, but Stuart Carnie sends word that he's used the Apple SDK to port a Commodore 64 emulator on to the iPhone. He has yet to put in a Save/Resume state mechanism, a way to browse for files and disks, or a virtual keyboard/joystiq to control it with, but the hard stuff is done, so by the time the App Store comes around, we may have a working C64 emu in there ready to go.As long as it's ok with Apple. In point of fact, we have no idea how any emulators might work in the App Store -- actually, we have no idea how any apps will get in the App Store. Sure, it would be cool to play the original versions of Sim City or Maniac Mansion or Elite, but without Apple's OK to let any of those on the platform, we may not be able to do so without jailbreaking the thing anyway. We'll see -- if Carnie, once his work is done, can't get an official emulator in the App Store, maybe we'll be able to try it out and put it to use in some other, less official way.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
DistortedLoop said 11:51AM on 5-09-2008
I'm bound to get flamed for asking, but other than nostalgia, what's the purpose of having a C64 emulator? Is there really some app or game that can only be ran on one that is still better than any alternative? That's a reasonable enough purpose for this, but I'm curious what is?
Reply
jizzknob said 5:51AM on 7-16-2008
Video Games 101, Lesson 1-
As well as having awesome video and audio hardware, the C64 sold very well (understatement) and as a result there are many games for it (understatement). The list of games that are unique to the C64, or that have a superior version on the C64 is endless. The choice hardware gives the games a distinctive look and sound I have not seen travel to ports or remakes. Some of my current faves are:
Wizball (superior version of a choice game),
Monty on the Run (oddly dark mood. Best music ever),
Parallax (unique, choice music),
Ankh (spooky and unique),
Sentinel (superior version of choice game).
I can only gather from your comments you have either never used a C64 or have no taste in games. If the former is the case I recommend you look at some lists of greatest C64 games and try some of them on an emulator or preferably a real C64. Provided you have taste in games it should be a highly rewarding experience.
PS There is always a nostalgia factor but a good game is a good game :)
luz said 11:49AM on 5-09-2008
Wouldn't that be the same story as Java? The SDK license forbids any form of interpreters. A 6502 processor emulator is an interpreter (interpreting 6502 machine code) like JavaVM is one (interpreting byte code).
So I'd bet we'll not see this nice work in AppStore but rather in Installer.app (once jailbreak is out for iPhoneOS 2.0)...
Reply
gil said 11:47AM on 5-09-2008
Heart be still, Colonial Conquest here I come.
Reply
Marcus Heller said 1:01PM on 5-09-2008
I wonder if it'll be good enough to play demos, or will only time tell? If I can listen to some SID tunes, I might have to get myself an iPhone just for this!
Hopefully this'll mean an iPhone native version of SIDplay..
Reply
Stuart Carnie said 3:34PM on 5-09-2008
Sidplay is next...
Stuart Carnie said 3:34PM on 5-09-2008
As for performance - if the simulator is equivalent to the hardware, it is hardly taxing the CPU right now. I'm using the scan-line emulation; however, I'll give the single-cycle a try.
"Frodo is capable of running most games and demos correctly, even those with FLI, FLD, DYCP, open borders, multiplexed sprites, timing dependent decoders, fast loaders etc."
miguel falconi said 8:30PM on 5-10-2008
Please do note that this could be a hoax... Vwallpaper which allows you to play videos as backgrounds for your iphone has a downloadable video which resembles the C-64's interphase.. Do check your source and if this is no a hoax a beta or even alpha release will settle our minds...
Reply
Stuart Carnie said 12:57AM on 5-11-2008
It is no hoax. I will try to post a video tonight with something primative running :) No sound yet, but that is in the works. Once the basic hardward is emulated, I'll have to write my own 'virtual keyboard' from scratch, which could take a week...
Given the interest, I'll probably make the virtual keyboard / joystick generic enough to try my hand at an Apple II and Atari 800XL...
Stuart Carnie said 1:01AM on 5-11-2008
BTW, check my blog, as I've converted the same emulator to .NET / C#, with the code available on source forge, here:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/sharp-c64
Reply