Emulators, clones of all sorts, reproductions of the original hardware... the Commodore 64 has given rise to a great number of fabulous projects, and the best part is that there is always something new to learn. Today it's the turn of Ty64, an emulator that works in our browser. We can load games and programs quickly, configure the controls without difficulty, and even apply filters to mimic old CRT monitors.
One of the most important technological contradictions of my life is that I adore the Commodore 64... but I don't own one. In fact, the only two pieces of retro hardware in my possession are a PlayStation 1 and a Sega Mega Drive, both stored in a box. My problem is quite common: a computer like the Commodore 64 deserves time and space, two things I can't give it at the moment. It would be very sad if it ended up in a corner gathering dust and humidity, not to mention the potential failures of hardware that is over 40 years old.
For that reason, all my testing related to the Commodore 64 goes directly through emulators. VICE and CCS64 are my favorites (not to say "the best"), but a couple of days ago I discovered Ty64. Its creator Krisztián Tóth explains that the main goal of the emulator is learning, but due to the enormous interest, he decided to make it available to the public... and honestly I think he hit the nail on the head.
Ty64: How to emulate the Commodore 64 in your browser
Ty64 uses a combination of WebGL2, Web Audio API, and WebAssembly to run correctly (any updated version of Firefox or Chrome should be enough). At the bottom, we find commands to load tape dumps or disk images, save and load savestates, activate the virtual keyboard, and modify joystick emulation mappings. We can also do a dynamic swap of the joystick ports (required by some games), and configure the use of a real gamepad.
On the right side of the bottom bar, there are three more icons. One is for capturing the screen, and the other two are for applying filters and color palettes. The default option in Ty64 mimics old tube TVs, but nothing stops us from disabling it completely, or using the alternative flat screen mode. The screen size goes up to 5x, and includes two additional commands, fit to screen and cover screen. On the palette side, Ty64 offers eleven different combinations, and it's definitely worth experimenting with them.
Ty64 is a work in progress, but beyond some audio artifacts, I must say it works very well. MicroProse Soccer and Giana Sisters loaded perfectly, with a correct framerate and no visual errors. My only recommendation is to disable the sounds that emulate keystrokes and joystick movements, because they don't sound good. Link below!
Official site: Click here
