Emulating the Commodore 128
YOU’LL NEED THIS
ALMOST ANY PC Very little. Almost any PC will be catered for, we’ll focus on Windows and Linux. You won’t need any system ROMs – the emulator comes with a BIOS. VICE https://vice-emu.sourceforge.io/
SO FAR we’ve been covering home computing’s big hits, but we also want to highlight some of the more under-appreciated computers, in the hope that we can generate more interest toward these retro machines.
This month we’re covering the Commodore 128, the underrated follow-up to the phenomenal Commodore 64. Although there’s plenty of business and desktop software for the machine, very little exists in the way of native games or demos.
We hope to change that. The Commodore 128 provides a great opportunity for any C64 coders who want to enhance their existing titles with extra features and content.
After we take you through a brief history of the machine, we will show you how to emulate it. With any luck we can inspire you to learn the machine’s workings, and go on to code new games and demos!
–JOHN KNIGHT
1 DEVELOPMENT
Commodore’s final eight-bit machine, the C128, was developed as a halfway point between the Commodore 64 and the Amiga, intended to capture sales in the low-end business market. For the follow-up to the C64, Commodore listened to the demands of the press and stuffed the 128 full of features.