Emulation is a facinating and incredible capability. Using the tools presented here, you can accurately test your 6502 code and perfect it before ever loading it into an actual machine. Emulators allow your computer to simulate the functions of a 6502 microprocessor (and in some cases the support chips) right on your computer, entirely through software. By eliminating the delays of transferring and testing your code on a "real" 6502 machine, emulators can dramatically speed up your development process.

  Generic 6502 Emulation and Simulators

• Visual Transistor-level Simulation of the 6502 CPU - This incredible browser-based simulator in JavaScript was made by photographing a 6502 chip die, converting those images to vector polygons, then building maps of transistor connections from those. It is an accurate representation of the 6502 in its most intricate details.
• 6502 Assembler & Emulator in JavaScript - This website is a small assembler and emulator written entirely in JavaScript that runs in your web browser.
• 6502 Emulation Core for 680X0 - Leslie Ayling has written this emulation core for 68020 and higher processors. While written for the Amiga to emulate the OSI Superboard II, it can be easily adapted to other applications.
• 65C02 Emulator for Windows - This Windows 95 program will emulate a 65C02 microprocessor in a basic system. It includes a simple ROM monitor to get started with. One of its interesting capabilities is the ability of the emulated processor to access PC resources like the LPT port.
• 6502 Macroassembler & Simulator - Michal Kowalski has created this integrated development environment for Windows that allows your to write, assemble, debug, and simulate your 6502 code.
• Virtual 6502 is JavaScript-based assembler, disassembler, and emulator that runs in your browser. Its CPU code is based on C-code for Macintosh by Earle F. Philhower III and available under the GPL. This page also includes a 6502 instruction set reference.
• Virtual6502 - Rich Whitehouse has built a multi-purpose emulator for the NMOS 6502 microprocessor that runs under Win32. Some of its features include a plugin system, disassembler, and debugging functionality.
• 6502SIM - Dan Boris's "6502 Processor Page" features his 6502 simulator for MS-DOS.
• lib6502 - Ian Piumarta's tools for emulating a 6502 microprocessor include lib6502, a C library, and run6502, a command line tool. (Download from 6502.org)
• Mac 65C02 Simulator - Ron Kneusel's "The Incredible 6502" page includes a few tutorials, portable 'C' source code for a simple 6502 assembler, and the first simulator for Macintosh.
• My Little Simulator - Mertkan YILDIRIMLI is developing a 6502, 65C02, and 65C816 macroassembler and simulator for Windows using Delphi 7.0. This is a work in progress and includes full source code.
• Py65 - Mike Naberezny has written a Python package that simulates the 6502 and 65C02. It includes a monitor program.
• Sim65 - Sheldon Simms' 65C02 simulator and debugger for Linux/GTK systems can load binary images or S-record files containing 65C02 code and execute it. Sim65 allows you to see and alter registers & memory, set breakpoints, single step, and more.
• Soft6502 - Charles R. Bond has written a 6502 simulator for Windows that resembles the early 6502 single board computers such as the KIM-1.
• SYS8 Platform & Simulator - SYS8 is an imaginary 6502 platform by Markku Alén. This page contains a simulator for it with full assemble and disassemble features that is capable of running Synertek Basic 1.1.
• Hardware Console Design - As a project for Princeton University, Ian Buck developed a hardware simulation of the original 6502-based Nintendo game console.