C64 Drag Race Eliminator screen shot Image by Bob Kodadek, via Wikimedia Commons (GPL).

vAmiga

COMMODORE 64 AMIGA EMULATOR

vAmiga

vAmiga is an open-source Amiga computer emulator originally targeted at macOS that emulates Amiga 500 / 1000 / 2000 models and has web / mobile WebAssembly ports (vAmigaWeb).

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C64 Drag Race Eliminator screen shot Image by Bob Kodadek, via Wikimedia Commons (GPL).

commodore 64 amigaPRIMARY SYSTEM

History documentedPROJECT BEGAN

Open sourcePROJECT MODEL

WHY IT MATTERS

Why use vAmiga?

vAmiga focuses on accuracy and usability for classic Commodore Amiga models (A500/1000/2000). It is actively maintained, provides an extensive user manual and tutorials, and has WebAssembly ports that make the emulator available in browsers and on mobile devices.

BEST FOR

What vAmiga does best

Well-documented Amiga system emulation with a Mac-native GUI and a working WebAssembly port (vAmigaWeb). The project includes a detailed user manual and developer documentation, and supports creating and importing workspace files for convenient session management.

Gameplay from Maniac Mansion on Commodore 64.

The people behind vAmiga

History and status

vAmiga is developed and published on GitHub by dirkwhoffmann. The project repository shows active development and an extensive commit history; the project documentation and the public website describe releases and ports (including a web/browser port called vAmigaWeb). The project is published under an open-source license and the author notes a successor project (Silicium) that unifies multiple emulators, while vAmiga itself remains available and documented. Because the repository contains long commit history and recent documentation updates, the project should be considered actively maintained at the time referenced in the documentation.

What vAmiga supports

Commodore Amiga 500
Commodore Amiga 1000
Commodore Amiga 2000
OCS/ECS (classic Amiga chipset)
WebAssembly-based browser runtime (vAmigaWeb) / iOS and iPad via web port

Download and availability

OFFICIAL DOWNLOADS

Get vAmiga

Official downloads and binaries are published on the project's GitHub Releases page. The emulator does not include Amiga Kickstart ROMs or other proprietary firmware — those must be obtained separately and legally by the user.

Get vAmiga ↗

DOCUMENTATION

Official documentation

Read the official configuration, compatibility, and troubleshooting material before changing advanced options.

Read official documentation ↗

Broken or missing download? Emulator projects move and official links sometimes change. Please contact Retro Replay so the source can be verified and updated.

vAmiga setup guide

Setup note: Below are practical setup steps distilled from the official documentation and project resources. Follow the exact steps in the project's manual for configuration details; this guide highlights the core, emulator-specific tasks you'll encounter when setting up vAmiga.

1) Get the official build or build from source: Visit the project's GitHub repository and the Releases page to download published macOS builds or source archives. If you prefer building yourself, open the repository in Xcode (the repo contains an Xcode project) and follow the build instructions in the manual. Official downloads are provided on the project's GitHub Releases page.
2) Obtain Kickstart ROMs (not included): vAmiga requires original Amiga Kickstart ROM images (legal ownership required). The emulator and its web port explicitly state that Kickstart ROMs are not bundled and must be provided by the user. Place the ROM files where vAmiga expects them or point the emulator to the files when first launched.
3) First run and workspace creation: On first launch vAmiga will prompt for Kickstart ROMs (per the official Getting Started guide). Create a new workspace for the machine model you want (A500/A1000/A2000). Workspaces store the configured disk images, memory, and device settings for quick reloading.
4) Configuring disks and drives: Use the GUI to attach disk images (ADF, ADF/ZIP archives) to floppy drives and to attach hard disk images. The manual documents supported image formats and how to import/export disk files. For multi-disk software, attach the appropriate images to the emulated drives or use the workspace features that remember disk sets.
5) Joystick and input setup: vAmiga supports keyboard emulation of joysticks and can use USB controllers. The documentation notes tested controllers. Configure joystick and keyboard mappings through the GUI; consult the manual for mapping details and troubleshooting if input is not detected.
6) Audio, video and performance: Adjust audio buffer sizes and video scaling in the emulator settings in response to performance and latency. The user manual contains guidance on frame skipping, warp (fast-forward) features, and other performance-related controls, especially useful for web and mobile runs.
7) Using vAmigaWeb (browser / mobile): vAmiga has a WebAssembly-based web port (vAmigaWeb) that runs in modern browsers and provides features like multi-disk support and workspace import/export. The web port still requires Kickstart ROMs and supports dragging workspaces exported from the desktop app (zipped). Use the web port when you need platform-agnostic access or to run on iOS via the browser.
8) Advanced: developer and debugging features: Developer documentation provides details about the emulator's internal message queue and developer hooks (useful if you plan to extend or port the core). The project also documents how the GUI and core interact for debugging or integration with other front-ends.

Software reminder: vAmiga does not ship proprietary Amiga Kickstart ROMs or commercial game files. You must supply legally obtained ROM and software images yourself.