ZX Spectrum emulators for Windows

Fuse ZX Spectrum emulator

As the (presumably) most complete and recently updated ZX Spectrum emulators are not freeware (like Spectaculator and ZXSpectrum4.net), we had to broaden our search and perhaps settle with a less user friendly emulator. Our search ended with the encounter of the Fuse ZX Spectrum emulator, which initially was developed for Unix (Fuse stands for Free Unix Spectrum Emulator), but there's also a good working version for a massive amount of platforms, including Linux, MacOSX, Android, Windows 11, Windows 10 and older Windows versions.

Fuse ZX Spectrum emulator.

  • Latest version 1.6.0 (27 February 2021)
  • Works on Windows 11, Windows 10 and older, 32 and 64 bits
  • Emulates the ZX Spectrum 16k, 48k, 128k, +2, +2A, +3, Timex Sinclair, Pentagon, and Scorpion home computers
  • Supports .TAP and .TZX tape image files and .DSK, .UDI, .FDI, .TR0, .SDF, .MGT, .IMG, .SAD, .TRD, .SCL and .OPD disk images
  • Comments: It speeds up automatically when files are being loaded. Good emulator, although there's no full screen option (but you can stretch the screen to 400%) and you can't configure the arrow keys.
  • Project website http://fuse-emulator.sourceforge.net

Play ZX Spectrum games with Fuse on Windows 11 and Windows 10

So, what to do to play ZX Spectrum games with Fuse?

  • Download Fuse (zip file, fuse-1.x.x-win32-setup.exe)
  • Copy the installer file (fuse-1.x.x-setup.exe) from the zip file to a temporary folder of choice
  • Install Fuse by running the installer file and follow instructions
  • Create a folder "games" in the folder wherein Fuse is installed
  • Download a ZX Spectrum game, for example Manic Miner
  • Copy the contents of the zip file to the games folder you've created
     
  • Start Fuse for Windows from the desktop or start menu. By default, Fuse starts with the Spectrum 48K
  • You might want to change the machine to 128K with Machine - Select and choose Spectrum 128K
  • Default controller keys are Q and A for up and down, and O and P for left and right
  • Change controller keys with Options - Joysticks - Keyboard, set joystick type to cursor and configure the keys
  • Choose Options - Save to save your changes to the configuration
  • Start a game file with File - Open

The full manual is included with the installation, you can find it in the installation folder. Open fuse.html to read it.

When a game doesn't start

It is possible that you use an emulator which is incompatible with the game file (for example you want to use the Spectrum 48K for a 128K game file).

  • Try changing the emulated computer with Machine - Select or press F9
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