CLAY

A cycle-accurate ZX Spectrum emulator covering the 48K, 128, and +3. Clay models the Z80 alongside the ULA in the detail the machine actually demands, memory contention and the floating bus included, so the timing-sensitive code that defines the platform, from multicolour effects to games that sync themselves to the display by reading the bus, behaves the way it does on real hardware. The +3 brings its uPD765 floppy controller with it.

Content loads out of the box: SZX, Z80, and SNA snapshots, TAP, TZX, and PZX tapes, DSK disks on the +3, and M3U playlists for the multi-tape and multi-disk titles that would otherwise mean swapping media by hand. Tapes can auto-play, load instantly through a ROM trap, or run at high speed, whichever suits the game.

The beeper and the 128's AY-3-8910 are synthesised band-limited into a single mix, each with its own volume control and weighted so a 48K is never quietened to make room for a chip it does not have. Keyboard and Kempston joystick input, a border you can resize or switch off, save states, and battery-backed saves round it out.

Available on Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, and WebAssembly. Clay is plain, portable C11 with no exotic dependencies, so a port to video game consoles is well within reach. Contact us if that is of interest.

Retro City Skyline

Clay in Action

Commercial games running unmodified on Clay, shown to demonstrate compatibility.

Exolon running on Clay
Exolon © 1987 Hewson Consultants
Firelord running on Clay
Firelord © 1986 Hewson Consultants
Head Over Heels running on Clay
Head Over Heels © 1987 Ocean Software
Manic Miner running on Clay
Manic Miner © 1983 Bug-Byte Software

Clay Options

Third-Party Software