Atari 2600 emulators

Atari VCS / Atari 2600

Developer	Atari, Inc.
Type	Home video game console
Generation	Second generation
Release date	1977
Discontinued	1992
Predecessor	Home Pong, Super Pong, Video Pinball
Successor	5200 SuperSystem
Emulated	✓

The Atari 2600 (also known as Video Computer System or simply VCS) is a second-generation console released by Atari on September 11, 1977. It had a 6507 CPU at 1.19 MHz with 128 bytes of RAM. It had a 160x192 16-color, out of 128, display.

Despite the apparent simplicity of the console and its games, emulation of the 2600 is surprisingly difficult relative to other early consoles due to its unusual primitive hardware designed as a cost-saving measure, including the complete lack of a framebuffer and resulting need to "race the beam" to display graphics. Despite this, at least two emulators have offered highly accurate 2600 emulation for years.

Emulators

Name	Platform(s)	Latest version	RetroAchievements	Hardware features and peripherals	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
x86
Stella stella_libretro stella2014_libretro		7.0 libretro core^{[N 1]} web	✓^{[N 2]}	~	Cycle	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
MAME		git artifacts^{[N 3]} 0.289 libretro core^{[N 4]}	✗	?	Cycle	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✓
Pantheon		16.458	✗	?	High	Proprietary	✓	~
ares		git Artifacts v148	roadmap	?	?	ISC (Permissive	✓	~
PCAE		2.6 2.7	✗	?	High	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	~
z26		4.07	✗	?	High	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	~
javatari javatari.js (old)		5.0.3	✗	?	?	AGPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	~
BizHawk (Original)(Stella)		Dev builds 2.11.1	✓	?	? (Core dependent)	MIT (Permissive) GPL	✓	~
Gopher2600		0.56.1	✗	?	High	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
CLK		2026-07-23	✗	?	Mid	MIT (Permissive)	✓	✗
EMU7800		5.7.0.0	✗	?	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
Stellarator		git	✗	?	?	BSD-3-Clause (Permissive)	✓	✗
ARM
ares		git Artifacts v148	?	?	?	ISC (Permissive)	✓	~
Z64K		3.0.0	✗	?	Cycle	Proprietary	✓	✓
stella_libretro stella2014_libretro		libretro core	✓	~	?	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Stella - Pyra		0.1	✗	?	?	?	✗	✓
2600.emu		1.5.85 1.5.46.02 Pyra	✗	?	?	Proprietary	✓	✓
Ataroid		1.0.4	✗	?	?	Proprietary	✗	✗
g2600		7.2.0	✗	?	?	Proprietary	✗	✗
Provenance		3.3.0 git	?	?	?	?	✓	?
Console
stella_libretro stella2014_libretro		libretro core	✓	~	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
StellaDS		git 1.2 Phoenix Edition	✗	?	?	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓ (Phoenix Edition)	✓
Wii2600		git	✗	?	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	~	✓
PSP2600		1.2.0 Source (1.2.0)	✗	?	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✓
Stella GC		18-12-2007	✗	?	Mid	?	✗	✓
PVCS Reloaded		0.3	✗	?	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✓
Stella DC		0.2F	✗	?	?	Proprietary	✗	✓
Game
1FPS Atari 2600 Emulator	Minecraft	0.2	✗	?	?	?	✓	✗

↑ Even though it's updated frequently, some hardware features are exclusive to the standalone version. Therefore, using the standalone version is recommended.
↑ Exclusive to libretro core.
↑ CI-Windows CI-Linux CI-Macos
↑ As 0.251, 0.139 (2010), 0.78 (2003), 0.37b5 (2000)

Comparisons

Stella has been the go-to emulator for this system for many years. While the user interface is dated, its feature set is extensive, including support for multiple peripherals and debugging capabilities. It is one of the oldest console emulators still in active development.

MAME is a respectable alternative to Stella. It is also cycle-accurate, and accuracy is likely comparable between both emulators in most cases.

Enhancements

Name		Stella	MAME	Pantheon	ares	PCAE	z26	javatari	BizHawk

Hardware features and peripherals

This article is a stub. You can help Emulation General Wiki by expanding it.

Name		Stella	MAME	Pantheon	ares	PCAE	z26	javatari	BizHawk
Hardware features	Atari 2800's 4 controller ports	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Hardware features
Peripherals	Accu-Play Control Board	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Amiga mouse	✓	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Atari Keypad	✓	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Atari mouse	✓	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Atari Paddles	✓	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Atari Pro-Line Joystick	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Atari Space Age Joystick	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	AtariVox	✓	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	BC-Blaster	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Booster Grip	✓	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Coleco Gemini Dual Command Wye Connector	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	CompuMate	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Cosmic Commander	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Driving Controller	✓	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Faster Blaster	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Flight Commander	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Foot Craz	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	GameLine Master Module	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	HyperShot	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Joy 2B+	✓	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Joyboard	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Kid Vid Controller	✓	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Kid's Controller	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	MarJac Romscanner	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	MindLink	✓	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Overlay	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	QuadTari	✓	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Remote Control Joysticks	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	SaveKey	✓	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Sega Control Stick	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Sega Genesis Controller	✓	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Space Shuttle	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Starpath Supercharger	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Starplex Controller	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Star Trak	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Track & Field Controller	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Trak-Ball	✓	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Video Fitness System	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Video Touch Pad	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	Wico button controller	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
	XE Light Gun	✓	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Misc.	Atari 7800 console button	✓	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Misc.	Frying	✓	?	?	?	?	?	?	?

External links

Atari 2600 VCS ROM Collection by Rom Hunter

Internet Archive

Atari(edit)

Consoles: Atari 2600 • Atari 5200 • Atari 7800 • Atari XEGS • Atari Jaguar • Atari VCS
Handhelds: Atari Lynx
Arcade: CoJag
Home computers: Atari 8-bit • Atari ST

[1] Even though it's updated frequently, some hardware features are exclusive to the standalone version. Therefore, using the standalone version is recommended.

[2] Exclusive to libretro core.

[3] CI-Windows CI-Linux CI-Macos

[4] As 0.251, 0.139 (2010), 0.78 (2003), 0.37b5 (2000)

[N 1]

[N 2]

[N 3]

[N 4]