ZX-Poly Emulator

Windows · Mac · Linux

Freedom report

Three barsScore 6.5

Free tierA free tier is on its own pricing page
Open codeNo open-source code on record
Runs widely3 of 6 device platforms
DocumentedPlans, terms and facts published

ZX-Poly Emulator is ranked #10 of 21 in ZX spectrum emulators on Freedom251. It runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. There is a free plan.

ZX-Poly Emulator plans and pricing

All plans

Free Free GNU GPL-3.0 · prebuilt desktop downloads and cross-platform JAR github.com · 8 Oct 2026

Compared on ZX spectrum emulators

Supported Spectrum models: 128k
Host platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Tape formats: TZX, TAP, WAV
Snapshot formats: Z80, SNA, SZX, ZXP, ZIP, ROM, PROM
Open source: Yes
Peripheral support: Gamepads and joysticks

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The record

Purpose: ZX-Poly Emulator is a proof-of-concept emulator for a multi-CPU ZX-Spectrum 128 platform.
Architecture: The concept runs four ZX-Spectrum-128 systems in parallel, with each CPU handling a dedicated color component.
ZX-Spectrum mode: The emulator starts in ZX-Poly mode by default, and ZX-Spectrum 128 mode can be selected through options.
Color modes: ZX-Poly video modes include 256×192 graphics with 16 colors per pixel and a 512×384 mode with two colors per pixel.
File formats: It supports Z80, SNA, SZX, ZXP, Spec256 ZIP snapshots, ROM and PROM images, TZX, TAP, WAV, TRD, and SCL files.
Game controllers: The emulator supports gamepads and joysticks, with controller mapping available in Service → Game controllers.
Sprite editing: The separate ZX-Poly Sprite Corrector can import Z80 and SNA snapshots, edit image data, and generate ZXP snapshots.
Spec256 support: Spec256 emulation is restricted, and the project says some games may not work correctly.
Known limitations: The project lists incorrectly colored graphics in Knight Lore and lost colorization in some Bubbler elements as known Spec256 issues.
License: The concept, emulator, and its parts are published under the GNU GPL-3.0 license.
System requirement: The zxpoly-emul module is built for Java 22 or newer.
Linux controller access: On Linux, access to /dev/input/event* for controllers may require the input group or udev rules.
Intended users: The project describes adapting older ZX-Spectrum games, especially those without complex sprite output or packed sprites, by editing their graphics elements.
Price from: Free

Where it ranks on Freedom251

Best ZX Spectrum Emulators in 2026#10 of 21

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Sources

github.com/raydac/zxpoly· checked 8 Oct 2026