WinAPE - Amstrad CPC Emulator

Sugarbox is a versatile Amstrad CPC and CPC+ emulator. It offers full emulation of all Amstrad CPC models, including the 464, 664, 6128, 464+, 6128+, and the GX4000. With broad support for a variety of disk and tape formats such as IPF, DSK, Kryoflux, HFE, and more, it also allows for flexible mixing of formats like reading a DSK and saving as an HFE. Additionally, Sugarbox features an online library for quick access to game dumps and snapshots, along with built-in debugging tools for deeper exploration.

WinAPE Download

Select which version you require below to be taken to either the official website or app store for your device where you can download:

Windows

WinAPE Setup Instructions

This step-by-step guide will walk you through the process of downloading, setting up, and using WinAPE.

1. Downloading WinAPE

Visit the WinAPE official website via the above link.
Navigate to the Downloads section.
Download the latest version (currently 2.0 Beta 2, from January 2016).
Once downloaded, extract the .zip file using a file archiver like WinRAR or 7-Zip.

2. Setting Up WinAPE

Create a Folder for WinAPE:
- Right-click on your desktop and create a new folder (e.g., “Amstrad”).
- Extract all contents of the downloaded .zip into this folder.
ROM Files:
- The package includes ROMs for various Amstrad models (e.g., 464, 6128). These are essential for running the system.

3. Launching WinAPE

Start WinAPE:
- Open the folder where you extracted the files.
- Double-click WinAPE.exe to launch the emulator.
First-Time Setup:
- Depending on your system, the first launch might take a few moments to configure plugins. Just wait for this to complete.

4. Loading Games in WinAPE

Loading Disk Images

Download Games:
- One recommended website for Amstrad games is itch.io. You can search for Amstrad CPC games like Petto Jones 2.
- Download the .dsk file (Amstrad disk image).
Organize Your Games:
- Create a folder named “Games” inside your Amstrad folder.
- Move the downloaded .dsk files into this folder.
Load the Game:
- In WinAPE, go to File > Drive A > Insert Disk Image.
- Navigate to your Games folder and select the .dsk file.
Run the Game:
- In the WinAPE command line, type CAT and press Enter to list the disk contents.
- Find the file you want to run (e.g., pjones.bin).
- Type RUN "pjones" and press Enter to start the game.

Loading Cassette (TAP) Images

Download a TAP Image:
- For cassette-based games, download .tap or .cdt files (cassette images).
Load the Tape Image:
- In WinAPE, go to File > Tape > Show Tape Control.
- Click Open and select the .cdt file from your games folder.
Run the Cassette:
- In the WinAPE command line, type |TAPE and press Enter.
- Then type RUN "" and press Enter.
- Press Play in the Tape Control panel to start loading the game.

5. Configuring Controls

Controller Setup:
- WinAPE works seamlessly with game controllers. To configure your controller:
  - Go to Settings > Joystick and assign joystick functions to your controller.
- By default, the second joystick is often set to Joystick 2.
Keyboard Configuration:
- If you’re using a keyboard, keys are mapped by default, but you can reconfigure them under Settings > Keyboard.

6. Display Settings

Switching to Full Screen:
- Go to Settings > Display and choose the Full Screen option or press F10 to toggle full-screen mode.
Adjust Display Options:
- You can switch between monochrome and color screens under Settings > Display. Many Amstrad users prefer the nostalgic monochrome green screen for an authentic experience.

7. Saving and Loading States

To load a saved state, go to File > Load Snapshot. Select the saved file and click Open to resume where you left off.

Save State:

To save your game progress at any point, go to File > Save Snapshot. Give the snapshot a name (e.g., “Jones_Save”) and click Save.

Load State: