If emulating classic DOS games seems like a pain, there's a DOSBox fork 'aiming for simplicity and ease of use', now standalone for the first time
Our medium has a rich history that stretches far back into the days of DOS gaming, but the further back in time you go, the more it's a pain to get these games running on modern systems. Even if I have the right media, what the hell am I supposed to do with a floppy disk image in 2025? The long-running answer has been to try out DOSBox and its modern "forks," or modified versions, but it can be a bit of a pain to get started if you're new to emulation.
Enter DOSBox Pure, once an impressive core for the open-source emulation frontend RetroArch—if that sounds like gibberish, it just means you go outside enough—now a standalone app that can easily load ZIP files, mounted CD and floppy disk images, DOS exes, and so on. It's a pay-what-you-want download on developer Schelling's itch.io page, and after giving it a quick look myself, the app is slick and straightforward right out of the box.
There's step-by-step use instructions on that page as well if you have any trouble getting your games running—you'll have to bring your own files, with storefronts like GOG being one potential source. From there it's got plenty of modern settings to tweak and soup up your DOS games of choice: rebindable keys, gamepad and joystick support, save states, a CRT video filter, and even a touchpad mode.
The itch.io page notes there's automatic controller button assignments if the program successfully detects your game and gamepad, but everything can be customized to your liking—something Steam Deck users might find tantalizing
I've fiddled around with DOSBox a bit trying to play an old version of Prince of Persia and walked away with a few gripes about its ease of use compared to console emulators like Dolphin and DuckStation, so I'm excited to give DOSBox Pure a spin. Emulators like this one offer a robust, if off the beaten path, way to play games that have no business fading from memory.
2025 games: Upcoming releases
Best PC games: All-time favorites
Free PC games: Freebie fest
Best FPS games: Finest gunplay
Best RPGs: Grand adventures
Best co-op games: Better together