<PAGE>
 
                                                Registration No.________________

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                           --------------------------

                              IKOS SYSTEMS, INC.
                       ---------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

               DELAWARE                                   77-0100318
     ----------------------------           ------------------------------------
     (State or other jurisdiction           (I.R.S. employer identification no.)
     of incorporation or organization)

                            19050 PRUNERIDGE AVENUE
                           CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA 95014
      ------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Address of principal executive offices)  (Zip code)

          CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTIONS GRANTED UNDER THE
               VIRTUAL MACHINE WORKS, INC. 1994 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                       AND ASSUMED BY IKOS SYSTEMS, INC.
                       ---------------------------------
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                 RAMON A. NUNEZ
                     PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                               IKOS SYSTEMS, INC.
                            19050 PRUNERIDGE AVENUE
                          CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA 95014
      -------------------------------------------------------------------
                    (Name and address of agent for service)

Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service:  (408) 255-4567

This registration statement shall hereafter become effective in accordance with
Rule 462 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
<PAGE>
 
                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         Proposed            Proposed
Title of                                 maximum             maximum
securities to be       Amount to be      offering price      aggregate offering     Amount of
registered             registered        per share/1/        price/1/               registration fee/1/
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<S>                    <C>               <C>                 <C>                    <C> 
Common Stock           83,883            $0.152              $12,750.22             $100.00
($0.01 par
 value)
</TABLE>


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/1/  Estimated pursuant to Rule 457 solely for purposes of calculating the
     registration fee.  The price is based on the weighted average option
     exercise price.
<PAGE>
 
                                    PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
               --------------------------------------------------


Item 3.   Incorporation of Documents by Reference
- ------    ---------------------------------------

          IKOS Systems, Inc. (the "Company") hereby incorporates by reference in
this registration statement the following documents:

          (a) The Company's latest annual report on Form 10-K, filed pursuant to
Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), containing audited financial information for the Company's
latest fiscal year.

          (b) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the document referred
to in (a) above.

          (c) The description of the Company's Common Stock contained in the
Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed pursuant to Section 12 of
the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of
updating such description.

          (d) The description of the Company's Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
contained in the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed pursuant to
Section 12 of the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for the
purpose of updating such description.

          All documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-
effective amendment to this registration statement which indicates that all
securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities
remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
registration statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such
documents.

Item 4.   Description of Securities
- ------    -------------------------

          The class of securities to be offered is registered under Section 12
of the Exchange Act.

Item 5.   Interests of Named Experts and Counsel
- ------    --------------------------------------

          Inapplicable.
<PAGE>
 
Item 6.   Indemnification of Directors and Officers
- ------    -----------------------------------------

          The Company's Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws provide that the
Company shall indemnify its directors, officers, employees and agents to the
full extent permitted by Delaware law, including in circumstances in which
indemnification is otherwise discretionary under Delaware law.  In addition, the
Company has entered into separate indemnification agreements with its directors
and officers which would require the Company, among other things, to indemnify
them against certain liabilities which may arise by reason of their status or
service (other than liabilities arising from willful misconduct of a culpable
nature), to advance their expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding
against them as to which they could be indemnified and to maintain directors'
and officers' liability insurance, if available on reasonable terms.

     These indemnification provisions may be sufficiently broad to permit
indemnification of the Company's officers and directors for liabilities
(including reimbursement of expenses incurred) arising under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").

Item 7.   Exemption From Registration Claimed
- ------    -----------------------------------

          Inapplicable.

Item 8.   Exhibits
- ------    --------

          See Exhibit Index.

Item 9.   Undertakings
- ------    ------------

          (a)  Rule 415 Offering
               -----------------

          The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

               (i)   To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
the Securities Act;

               (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-
effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent
a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement;

               (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or
any material change to such information in the registration statement;
<PAGE>
 
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(l)(ii) do not apply if the
- -----------------                                                              
registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information required
to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d)
of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration
statement.

          (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

          (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

          (b)  Filing incorporating subsequent Exchange Act documents by
               ---------------------------------------------------------
               reference
               ---------

          The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

          (h)  Request for acceleration of effective date or filing of
               -------------------------------------------------------
               registration statement on Form S-8
               ----------------------------------

          Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
<PAGE>
 
                                 SIGNATURE
                                 ---------

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Cupertino, State of California, on June 3, 1996.

                                       IKOS SYSTEMS, INC.



                                       By:   /s/ Ramon A. Nunez
                                          -----------------------------------
                                             Ramon A. Nunez
                                             President and Chief Executive 
                                             Officer
<PAGE>
 
                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

          The officers and directors of IKOS Systems, Inc. whose signatures
appear below, hereby constitute and appoint Ramon A. Nunez and Joseph W. Rockom,
and each of them, their true and lawful attorneys and agents, with full power of
substitution, each with power to act alone, to sign and execute on behalf of the
undersigned any amendment or amendments to this registration statement on Form
S-8, and each of the undersigned does hereby ratify and confirm all that each of
said attorney and agent, or their or his substitutes, shall do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in
the capacities indicated on June 3, 1996.

              Signature                                  Title
- --------------------------------------   --------------------------------------



                                         Chairman of the Board
- --------------------------------------
Gerald S. Casilli
 
 

/s/ Ramon A. Nunez                       President, Chief Executive Officer
- --------------------------------------   and Director (Principal Executive
Ramon A. Nunez                           Officer)
 
 

/s/ Joseph W. Rockom                     Vice President of Finance and
- --------------------------------------   Administration, Chief Financial
Joseph W. Rockom                         Officer and Secretary (Principal
                                         Financial and Accounting Officer)
 

/s/ James R. Oyler                       Director
- --------------------------------------
James R. Oyler



/s/ Glenn E. Penisten                    Director
- --------------------------------------
Glenn E. Penisten



                                         Director
- --------------------------------------
Lutz P. Henckels
<PAGE>
 
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX


4.1  Certificate of Amendment of the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, as
     filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on May 5, 1994, is incorporated
     by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Registration Statement on Form
     S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission effective July 26,
     1994 (File No. 33-81994)

4.2  Certificate of Amendment of the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, as
     filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on April 24, 1995, is
     incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company's Registration
     Statement on Form S-2 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
     effective October 12, 1995 (File No. 33-62525)

4.3  Certificate of Incorporation of the Company is incorporated by reference to
     the exhibits to the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with
     the Securities and Exchange Commission effective July 24, 1990 (File No.
     33-35161)
 
4.4  Bylaws of the Company are incorporated by reference to the exhibits to the
     Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Securities and
     Exchange Commission effective July 24, 1990 (File No. 33-35161)

4.5  Stock Purchase Rights Plan is incorporated by reference to the exhibits to
     the Company's report on Form 8-K effective February 10, 1992 (No. 0-18623)
 
5    Opinion re legality

23.1 Consent of Counsel (included in Exhibit 5)

23.2 Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors

24   Power of Attorney (included in signature pages to this registration
     statement)
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 15408}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "IKOS SYSTEMS INC", "cik": "0000756365", "assigned-sic": "7373", "irs-number": "770100318", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0930"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-05077", "film-number": "96576191"}, "business-address": {"street1": "19050 PRUNERIDGE AVE", "city": "CUPERTINO", "state": "CA", "zip": "95014", "phone": "4082554567"}}
Registration No.________________

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                           --------------------------

                              IKOS SYSTEMS, INC.
                       ---------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

               DELAWARE                                   77-0100318
     ----------------------------           ------------------------------------
     (State or other jurisdiction           (I.R.S. employer identification no.)
     of incorporation or organization)

                            19050 PRUNERIDGE AVENUE
                           CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA 95014
      ------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Address of principal executive offices)  (Zip code)

          CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTIONS GRANTED UNDER THE
               VIRTUAL MACHINE WORKS, INC. 1994 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                       AND ASSUMED BY IKOS SYSTEMS, INC.
                       ---------------------------------
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                 RAMON A. NUNEZ
                     PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                               IKOS SYSTEMS, INC.
                            19050 PRUNERIDGE AVENUE
                          CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA 95014
      -------------------------------------------------------------------
                    (Name and address of agent for service)

Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service:  (408) 255-4567

This registration statement shall hereafter become effective in accordance with
Rule 462 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         Proposed            Proposed
Title of                                 maximum             maximum
securities to be       Amount to be      offering price      aggregate offering     Amount of
registered             registered        per share/1/        price/1/               registration fee/1/
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock           83,883            $0.152              $12,750.22             $100.00
($0.01 par
 value)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/1/  Estimated pursuant to Rule 457 solely for purposes of calculating the
     registration fee.  The price is based on the weighted average option
     exercise price.
PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
               --------------------------------------------------

Item 3.   Incorporation of Documents by Reference
- ------    ---------------------------------------

          IKOS Systems, Inc. (the "Company") hereby incorporates by reference in
this registration statement the following documents:

          (a) The Company's latest annual report on Form 10-K, filed pursuant to
Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), containing audited financial information for the Company's
latest fiscal year.

          (b) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the document referred
to in (a) above.

          (c) The description of the Company's Common Stock contained in the
Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed pursuant to Section 12 of
the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of
updating such description.

          (d) The description of the Company's Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
contained in the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed pursuant to
Section 12 of the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for the
purpose of updating such description.

          All documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-
effective amendment to this registration statement which indicates that all
securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities
remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
registration statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such
documents.

Item 4.   Description of Securities
- ------    -------------------------

          The class of securities to be offered is registered under Section 12
of the Exchange Act.

Item 5.   Interests of Named Experts and Counsel
- ------    --------------------------------------

          Inapplicable.
Item 6.   Indemnification of Directors and Officers
- ------    -----------------------------------------

          The Company's Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws provide that the
Company shall indemnify its directors, officers, employees and agents to the
full extent permitted by Delaware law, including in circumstances in which
indemnification is otherwise discretionary under Delaware law.  In addition, the
Company has entered into separate indemnification agreements with its directors
and officers which would require the Company, among other things, to indemnify
them against certain liabilities which may arise by reason of their status or
service (other than liabilities arising from willful misconduct of a culpable
nature), to advance their expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding
against them as to which they could be indemnified and to maintain directors'
and officers' liability insurance, if available on reasonable terms.

     These indemnification provisions may be sufficiently broad to permit
indemnification of the Company's officers and directors for liabilities
(including reimbursement of expenses incurred) arising under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").

Item 7.   Exemption From Registration Claimed
- ------    -----------------------------------

          Inapplicable.

Item 8.   Exhibits
- ------    --------

          See Exhibit Index.

Item 9.   Undertakings
- ------    ------------

          (a)  Rule 415 Offering
               -----------------

          The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

               (i)   To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
the Securities Act;

               (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-
effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent
a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement;

               (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or
any material change to such information in the registration statement;
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(l)(ii) do not apply if the
- -----------------                                                              
registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information required
to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d)
of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration
statement.

          (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

          (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

          (b)  Filing incorporating subsequent Exchange Act documents by
               ---------------------------------------------------------
               reference
               ---------

          The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

          (h)  Request for acceleration of effective date or filing of
               -------------------------------------------------------
               registration statement on Form S-8
               ----------------------------------

          Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
SIGNATURE
                                 ---------

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Cupertino, State of California, on June 3, 1996.

                                       IKOS SYSTEMS, INC.

                                       By:   /s/ Ramon A. Nunez
                                          -----------------------------------
                                             Ramon A. Nunez
                                             President and Chief Executive 
                                             Officer
POWER OF ATTORNEY

          The officers and directors of IKOS Systems, Inc. whose signatures
appear below, hereby constitute and appoint Ramon A. Nunez and Joseph W. Rockom,
and each of them, their true and lawful attorneys and agents, with full power of
substitution, each with power to act alone, to sign and execute on behalf of the
undersigned any amendment or amendments to this registration statement on Form
S-8, and each of the undersigned does hereby ratify and confirm all that each of
said attorney and agent, or their or his substitutes, shall do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in
the capacities indicated on June 3, 1996.

              Signature                                  Title
- --------------------------------------   --------------------------------------

                                         Chairman of the Board
- --------------------------------------
Gerald S. Casilli
 
 

/s/ Ramon A. Nunez                       President, Chief Executive Officer
- --------------------------------------   and Director (Principal Executive
Ramon A. Nunez                           Officer)
 
 

/s/ Joseph W. Rockom                     Vice President of Finance and
- --------------------------------------   Administration, Chief Financial
Joseph W. Rockom                         Officer and Secretary (Principal
                                         Financial and Accounting Officer)
 

/s/ James R. Oyler                       Director
- --------------------------------------
James R. Oyler

/s/ Glenn E. Penisten                    Director
- --------------------------------------
Glenn E. Penisten

                                         Director
- --------------------------------------
Lutz P. Henckels
EXHIBIT INDEX

4.1  Certificate of Amendment of the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, as
     filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on May 5, 1994, is incorporated
     by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Registration Statement on Form
     S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission effective July 26,
     1994 (File No. 33-81994)

4.2  Certificate of Amendment of the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, as
     filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on April 24, 1995, is
     incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company's Registration
     Statement on Form S-2 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
     effective October 12, 1995 (File No. 33-62525)

4.3  Certificate of Incorporation of the Company is incorporated by reference to
     the exhibits to the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with
     the Securities and Exchange Commission effective July 24, 1990 (File No.
     33-35161)
 
4.4  Bylaws of the Company are incorporated by reference to the exhibits to the
     Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Securities and
     Exchange Commission effective July 24, 1990 (File No. 33-35161)

4.5  Stock Purchase Rights Plan is incorporated by reference to the exhibits to
     the Company's report on Form 8-K effective February 10, 1992 (No. 0-18623)
 
5    Opinion re legality

23.1 Consent of Counsel (included in Exhibit 5)

23.2 Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors

24   Power of Attorney (included in signature pages to this registration
     statement)